a man like Bigot.
Whence came the money? In time, Montcalm understood well enough. He
himself was poor. To discharge the duties of his position he was going
into debt, and he had even to consider the possible selling of his
establishment in France. He had to beg the court for some financial
relief. At the same time he saw about him a wild extravagance. There was
famine in Canada. During the winter of 1758-59 the troops were put on
short rations and, in spite of their bitter protests, had to eat horse
flesh. Suffering and starvation bore heavily on the poor. Through lack
of food people fell fainting in the streets. But the circle of Bigot
paid little heed and feasted, danced, and gambled. Montcalm pours out
his soul to Bourlamaque. He spends, he says, sleepless nights, and his
mind is almost disordered by what he sees. In his journal he notes his
own fight with poverty and its contrast with the careless luxury of
a crowd of worthless hangers-on making four or five hundred thousand
francs a year and insulting decency by their lavish expenditure. One of
the ring, a clerk with a petty salary, a base creature, spends more on
carriages, horses, and harness than a foppish and reckless young member
of the nouveaux-riches would spend in France. Corruption in Canada is
protected by corruption in France. Montcalm cries out with a devotion
which his sovereign hardly deserved, though it was due to France
herself, "O King, worthy of better service, dear France, crushed by
taxes to enrich greedy knaves!"

The weary winter of 1758-59 at length came to an end. In May the ships
already mentioned arrived from France, bringing Bougainville and, among
other things, the news that Pitt was sending great forces for a decisive
attack on Canada. At that very moment, indeed, the British ships were
entering the mouth of the St. Lawrence. Canada had already been cut off
from France. Montcalm held many councils with his officers. The strategy
decided upon was to stand at bay at Quebec, to strike the enemy if he
should try to land, and to hold out until the approach of winter should
force the retirement of the British fleet.

CHAPTER X. The Strategy Of Pitt

During four campaigns the British had suffered humiliating disasters.
It is the old story in English history of caste privilege and deadly
routine bringing to the top men inadequate in the day of trial. It has
happened since, even in our own day, as it has happened so often before.
It seem