. Gamut cheerfully assented, and together they sought the females. Cora received her new and somewhat
extraordinary protector courteously, at least; and even the pallid features of Alice lighted again with some
of their native archness as she thanked Heyward for his care. Duncan took occasion to assure them he
had done the best that circumstances permitted, and, as he believed, quite enough for the security of
their feelings; of danger there was none. He then spoke gladly of his intention to rejoin them the moment
he had led the advance a few miles toward the Hudson, and immediately took his leave.
By this time the signal for departure had been given, and the head of the English column was in motion.
The sisters started at the sound, and glancing their eyes around, they saw the white uniforms of the
French grenadiers, who had already taken possession of the gates of the fort. At that moment an enormous
cloud seemed to pass suddenly above their heads, and, looking upward, they discovered that they stood
beneath the wide folds of the standard of France.
Let us go, said Cora; this is no longer a fit place for the children of an English officer.
Alice clung to the arm of her sister, and together they left the parade, accompanied by the moving throng
that surrounded them.
As they passed the gates, the French officers, who had learned their rank, bowed often and low, forbearing,
however, to intrude those attentions which they saw, with peculiar tact, might not be agreeable. As every
vehicle and each beast of burden was occupied by the sick and wounded, Cora had decided to endure
the fatigues of a foot march, rather than interfere with their comforts. Indeed, many a maimed and feeble
soldier was compelled to drag his exhausted limbs in the rear of the columns, for the want of the necessary
means of conveyance in that wilderness. The whole, however, was in motion; the weak and wounded,
groaning and in suffering; their comrades silent and sullen; and the women and children in terror, they
knew not of what.
As the confused and timid throng left the protecting mounds of the fort, and issued on the open plain,
the whole scene was at once presented to their eyes. At a little distance on the right, and somewhat
in the rear, the French army stood to their arms, Montcalm having collected his parties, so soon as his
guards had possession of the works. They were attentive but silent observers of the proceedings of
the vanquished, failing in none of the stipulated military honors, and offering no taunt or insult, in their
success, to their less fortunate foes. Living masses of the English, to the amount, in the whole, of near
three thousand, were moving slowly across the plain, toward the common center, and gradually approached
each other, as they converged to the point of their march, a vista cut through the lofty trees, where the
road to the Hudson entered the forest. Along the sweeping borders of the woods hung a dark cloud of