Luc, to the Acadian sitting next him. "There is bell-metal in
Bigot, and he rings well if properly struck. Pity so clever a
fellow should be a knave!"
"Fine words butter no parsnips, Chevalier La Corne," replied the
Acadian, whom no eloquence could soften. "Bigot sold Louisbourg!"
This was a common but erroneous opinion in Acadia.
"Bigot butters his own parsnips well, Colonel," replied La Corne St.
Luc; "but I did not think he would have gone against the despatches!
It is the first time he ever opposed Versailles! There must be
something in the wind! A screw loose somewhere, or another woman in
the case! But hark, he is going on again!"
The Intendant, after examining some papers, entered into a detail of
the resources of the Colony, the number of men capable of bearing
arms, the munitions and material of war in the magazines, and the
relative strength of each district of the Province. He manipulated
his figures with the dexterity of an Indian juggler throwing balls;
and at the end brought out a totality of force in the Colony capable
unaided of prolonging the war for two years, against all the powers
of the English.
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