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Show 384 TilE LrLY A...-D THE TOT£M. their li"\"cs, but promised to receive as m:my of them as thought proper, into his own ranks as soldiers. This offer led to a long and :~.!most angry conference among tho )~rcnch. Their councils were di,•idcd. Many of their leaders ,vcrc men wholly ignorant of the count ry, and disheartened by the cruel vicissitudes and dangcn; through which they had passed. ~hny of them were persons of wealth and family, who were anxious once more to find thcmsch·cs in a position which demanded no farther struggle, and which might facilitate their return to the haunts of civ ilization. Others, again, were Calholics. whose sympathies were not active in behalf of tho Hugucnota with whom tl1ey now found themselves in doubtful connection. Others were jealous of the sudden spring to authority, which, in tlJOse moments of peril when all others trembled, had been made by the young adventurer, Alphonse D'Erlaeh. It was in vain that he counselled them ngain11t g iviug faith to the Spaniards. "What is your seemity, my friends? His word? Hi.~ pledge of mercy to you, when he showed none to your brethren ? Look at the hand which he stretches out to you i it is yet dripping with tho blood of your people, butchered, in cold blood, at Ln Cnroline, and the Bay of 1\Iatanzas. Trust him not, if you would prosper-if ye would not perish likewise. Bclie•c Jlonc of his assurances, even though he should swear upon the Holy E\·augel." •' But whnt arc we to do, Monsieur D'Erlaeh? Vl'e hnvo small provisions hero. Ile hath environcd us with his troops." " We may brenk through his troops. 'Vc have arms iu our hands, and if we have but the heart to usc them, like men, wo mny not only save ourseh•es1 but avenge our butchered CQmmdes." 385 His entreaties and arguments were unavailing. It was .suflicieni for our broken-spirited exiles that Melendez had volunteered to them those guaranties of safety which he had denied to their brethren. They prepared to yie\J. "Go not thou with these people, my brother," said Alphonse D'Erlach, to that elder brother whom wo have seen, with him~ clf, a trusted lieutenant of L!!.udonuicre. Ho flung himself tenderly upon the bosom of the other, as be prayed, and the moisture gathered in his eyes. T he elder was touched, but his inclinations led him with the rest. "He hath sworn to us, Alphonse, thnt life shall be spared WI, and that \VC shall be free to enter his service or return to France." "Would you place life nt his mercy~" "It is so now!" "No! never! while tho hand may grasp the weapon. If we would defy him as men, we should rather have his life at ours. Oh! would that we were men. Enter his service! Dost thou think of this? Wouldst thou receive commands from the lips of him who bath murdered thy old commander!" "No! surely, I shall never sen·.;~ Melendez. I seek this only as the mean \vhcreby to return to l<'rnncc." '' And wherefore return to France ? What hath France in reBCrve for us but the 8hot., tho torture, and tho scourge. Here, brother, here, with the wild Floridian, let us make our home. L et us rather put on the untamed habits of the savage, his garments torn from bear and panther ; let us anoint our bodies with oil ; let us stain our checks with ocrc; and taking bond with the Apalachin.n and Floridi:m, let us haunt the footsteps of the Spaniard with deatt. nnd eternal hatred, till we lea.ve not one of 17 |