ou will run the risk of
being chastised as you deserve."

Nicholas Marsolet became a good citizen, and his family alliances were
the most honourable. Pierre Reye, a carriage maker, was a bad character,
"One of the worst traitors, and wicked." His treason did not surprise
any one, and nothing better was expected of him. Le Baillif was not only
vicious, but a thief. On the night after the seizure by Kirke of the
goods in store, he took from the room of Corneille de Vendremur, a
clerk, one hundred livres in gold and money, a silver cup and some silk
stockings. He was suspected of having stolen from the chapel of the
Lower Town, a silver chalice, the gift of Anne of Austria. Though he was
a Catholic, Le Baillif ate food on days of abstinence, in order to
please the Protestants. He treated the French as if they were dogs. "I
shall abandon him," says Champlain, "to his fate, awaiting the day of
his punishment for his swearings, cursings and impieties."

The treachery of these four men greatly affected Champlain, who was at a
loss to understand how those to whom he had given food and shelter could
be so ungrateful; but their conduct, however reprehensible, played no
part in the loss of the colony. Kirke employed them to further his
purposes without giving them any substantial reward.

The sojourn of the French in Tadousac lasted many weeks, and the delay
caused Champlain much annoyance. David Kirke spent ten or twelve days on
his visit to Quebec, where he wanted to see for himself how his brother
Louis had disposed of everything, and what advantage he was likely to
gain from the acquisition of the new country. Believing himself to be
the supreme ruler and master of New France, he outlined a brilliant
future for the colony, looking forward to the day when he could bring
settlers to take advantage of its natural resources.

Returning to Tadousac, the general invited his captains to a dinner, at
which Champlain was also a guest. The dinner was served in a tent
surrounded with branches. Towards the end of the banquet David Kirke
gave Champlain a letter from Marsolet to inform him that the chief
savages, gathered at Three Rivers in council, had resolved to keep with
them the two girls, Esperance and Charite. This was a severe trial to
Champlain, who had hoped to be able to take them to France. All his
efforts, however, were useless, as there was a plot organized by the
traitor Marsolet. These children loved Champlain as a father