trace of
emotion was gone, though a shade of melancholy, deeper even than usual,
had settled on his features.

"Go!" he said to De Valette, "and betray not the weakness you have
witnessed; go in peace, and forget, even to pity me!"

Father Gilbert's manner was too imposing to be disputed, and De Valette
left him with silent reverence,--perplexed by the mystery of his words,
and the singularity of his conduct. Before he reached the house,
however, he had convinced himself, that the priest was not perfectly
sane, and that some fancied resemblance had touched the chords of
memory, and revived the fading images of early, and perhaps unhappy
days. This appeared to him, the only rational way to account for his
eccentricity; and under this impression, as well as from the priest's
injunction, he resolved not to mention the interview and conversation to
any person. He was particularly anxious to conceal it from Lucie, whose
apprehensions might be increased by the account; and, in a short time,
indeed,--with the lightness of an unreflecting disposition,--a
circumstance which had, at the moment, so strongly impressed him, was
nearly effaced from his remembrance. Father Gilbert left the fort, and
its vicinity, in the course of that day; but as the priests were
continually called to visit the scattered and distant settlements, his
absence, though prolonged beyond the usual time, was scarcely heeded.

In the mean while, La Tour was informed that M. D'Aulney continued to
embrace every opportunity to display his hostility towards him.
Disappointed in the result of his meditated attack on fort St. John's,
he had recourse to various petty means of injury and annoyance. The
English colony, at Pemaquid, were friendly to La Tour, and their vessels
frequently visited his fort to trade in the commodities of the country.
A shallop from thence had put in at Penobscot, relying on the good
faith of D'Aulney; but, on some slight pretence, he detained it several
days, and though, at length permitted to proceed on its voyage to St.
John's, the delay produced much loss and embarrassment. La Tour resolved
to avenge these repeated insults; and, hearing that the fort at
Penobscot was at that time weakly defended, he made immediate
preparations to commence an attack on it.

Arthur Stanhope still lingered at St. John's, and every day increased
his reluctance to depart from it. Happy in the society of Lucie, he
could not resolve to quit her till the h