The Golden Dog

William Kirby

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• Publié par: astau
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 35
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Golden Dog, by William Kirby This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: The Golden Dog Le Chien d'Or Author: William Kirby Release Date: December 6, 2008 [EBook #2735] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLDEN DOG *** Produced by Donald Lainson, and David Widger THE GOLDEN DOG. (LE CHIEN D'OR.) By William Kirby AUTHOR'S PREFATORY NOTE. TO THE PUBLIC: In the year 1877 the first edition of "The Golden Dog" (Le Chien d'Or) was brought out in the United States, entirely without my knowledge or sanction. Owing to the inadequacy of the then existing copyright laws, I have been powerless to prevent its continued publication, which I understand to have been a successful and profitable undertaking for all concerned, except the author, the book having gone through many editions. It was, consequently, a source of gratification to me when I was approached by Messrs. L. C. Page & Company, of Boston, with a request to revise "The Golden Dog," and re-publish it through them. The result is the present edition, which I have corrected and revised in the light of the latest developments in the history of Quebec, and which is the only edition offered to my readers with the sanction and approval of its author. WILLIAM KIRBY . Niagara, Canada, May, 1897. Contents AUTHOR'S PREFATORY NOTE. THE GOLDEN DOG. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XII. CHAPTER XIII. CHAPTER XIV. CHAPTER XV. CHAPTER XVI. CHAPTER XVII. CHAPTER XVIII. CHAPTER XIX. CHAPTER XX. CHAPTER XXI. CHAPTER XXII. CHAPTER XXIII. CHAPTER XXIV. CHAPTER XXV. CHAPTER XXVI. CHAPTER XXVII. CHAPTER XXVIII. CHAPTER XXIX. CHAPTER XXX. CHAPTER XXXI. CHAPTER XXXII. CHAPTER XXXIII. CHAPTER XXXIV. CHAPTER XXXV. CHAPTER XXXVI. CHAPTER XXXVII. CHAPTER XXXVIII. CHAPTER XXXIX. CHAPTER XL. CHAPTER XLI. CHAPTER XLII. CHAPTER XLIII. CHAPTER XLIV. CHAPTER XLV. CHAPTER XLVI. CHAPTER XLVII. CHAPTER XLVIII. CHAPTER XLIX. MEN OF THE OLD RÉGIME. THE WALLS OF QUEBEC. A CHATELAINE OF NEW FRANCE. CONFIDENCES. THE ITINERANT NOTARY . BEAUMANOIR. THE INTENDANT BIGOT. CAROLINE DE ST. CASTIN. PIERRE PHILIBERT. AMÉLIE DE REPENTIGNY . THE SOLDIER'S WELCOME. THE CASTLE OF ST. LOUIS. THE CHIEN D'OR. THE COUNCIL OF WAR. THE CHARMING JOSEPHINE. ANGÉLIQUE DES MELOISES. SPLENDIDE MENDAX. THE MEROVINGIAN PRINCESS. PUT MONEY IN THY PURSE. BELMONT. SIC ITUR AD ASTRA. SO GLOZED THE TEMPTER. SEALS OF LOVE, BUT SEALED IN VAIN. THE HURRIED QUESTION OF DESPAIR. BETWIXT THE LAST VIOLET AND THE EARLIEST ROSE. THE CANADIAN BOAT-SONG. CHEERFUL YESTERDAYS AND CONFIDENT TO-MORROWS. A DAY AT THE MANOR HOUSE. FELICES TER ET AMPLIUS. "NO SPEECH OF SILK WILL SERVE YOUR TURN." THE BALL AT THE INTENDANT'S PALACE. "ON WITH THE DANCE." LA CORRIVEAU. WEIRD SISTERS. "FLASKETS OF DRUGS, FULL TO THEIR WICKED LIPS." THE BROAD, BLACK GATEWAY OF A LIE. ARRIVAL OF PIERRE PHILIBERT. A WILD NIGHT INDOORS AND OUT. MÈRE MALHEUR. QUOTH THE RAVEN, "NEVERMORE!" A DEED WITHOUT A NAME. "LET'S TALK OF GRAVES AND WORMS AND EPITAPHS." SILK GLOVES OVER BLOODY HANDS. THE INTENDANT'S DILEMMA. "I WILL FEED FAT THE ANCIENT GRUDGE I BEAR HIM." THE BOURGEOIS PHILIBERT. A DRAWN GAME. "IN GOLD CLASPS LOCKS IN THE GOLDEN STORY ." THE MARKET-PLACE ON ST. MARTIN'S DAY . CHAPTER L. CHAPTER LI. CHAPTER LII. CHAPTER LIII. CHAPTER LIV. "BLESSED THEY WHO DIE DOING THY WILL." EVIL NEWS RIDES POST. THE LAMP OF REPENTIGNY . "LOVELY IN DEATH THE BEAUTEOUS RUIN LAY ." "THE MILLS OF GOD GRIND SLOWLY ." THE GOLDEN DOG. (LE CHIEN D'OR.) CHAPTER I. MEN OF THE OLD RÉGIME. "'See Naples, and then die!' That was a proud saying, Count, which we used to hear as we cruised under lateen sails about the glorious bay that reflects from its waters the fires of Vesuvius. We believed the boast then, Count. But I say now, 'See Quebec, and live forever!' Eternity would be too short to weary me of this lovely scene—this bright Canadian morning is worthy of Eden, and the glorious landscape worthy of such a sun-rising." Thus exclaimed a tall, fair Swedish gentleman, his blue eyes sparkling, and every feature glowing with enthusiasm, Herr Peter Kalm, to His Excellency Count de la Galissonière, Governor of New France, as they stood together on a bastion of the ramparts of Quebec, in the year of grace 1748. A group of French and Canadian officers, in the military uniforms of Louis XV., stood leaning on their swords, as they conversed gaily together on the broad gravelled walk at the foot of the rampart. They formed the suite in attendance upon the Governor, who was out by sunrise this morning to inspect the work done during the night by the citizens of Quebec and the habitans of the surrounding country, who had been hastily summoned to labor upon the defences of the city. A few ecclesiastics, in black cassocks, dignitaries of the Church, mingled cheerfully in the conversation of the officers. They had accompanied the Governor, both to show their respect, and to encourage, by their presence and exhortations, the zeal of the colonists in the work of fortifying the capital. War was then raging between old England and old France, and between New England and New France. The vast region of North America, stretching far into the interior and southwest from Canada to Louisiana, had for three years past been the scene of fierce hostilities between the rival nations, while the savage Indian tribes, ranged on the one side and on the other, steeped their moccasins in the blood of French and English colonists, who, in their turn, became as fierce, and carried on the war as relentlessly, as the savages themselves. Louisbourg, the bulwark of New France, projecting its mailed arm boldly into the Atlantic, had been cut off by the English, who now overran Acadia, and began to threaten Quebec with invasion by sea and land. Busy rumors of approaching danger were rife in the colony, and the gallant Governor issued orders, which were enthusiastically obeyed, for the people to proceed to the walls and place the city in a state of defence, to bid defiance to the enemy. Rolland Michel Barrin, Count de la Galissonière, was remarkable no less for his philosophical attainments, that ranked him high among the savans of the French Academy, than for his political abilities and foresight as a statesman. He felt strongly the vital interests involved in