But this was not required. From the cries and shouts that were heard in the direction of the enemy it was evident that there had been deadly work done in their ranks, and that they were thrown into confusion and panic.
"I should not wonder if we've stopped them for the present," said Major Eyre cheerily, "and that we'll have no more trouble from them to-night."
In which surmise3 he proved to be correct, for the French were so smitten4 with consternation5 by the utterly6 unexpected storm of shot and shell that they incontinently turned about and retreated to their encampment pell-mell, to the vast rage and disgust of Rigaud, their commander, who stormed and swore at them in a vain effort to stay their flight.
Highly gratified as they in the fort felt at the foiling of this attempted surprise, they knew very well that another attack would certainly be made; and Major Eyre, as soon as it was daylight, despatched two of the fleetest-footed rangers7 on snow shoes to Fort Edward to obtain reinforcements if possible, he being resolved to hold out until the very last moment.
Not long after daybreak the French reappeared in full force, filing off to surround the fort upon which they kept up a brisk fire of musketry, although they had better have spared their ammunition8, as the garrison9 took good care not to expose themselves, and the bullets buried themselves harmlessly in the stout10 ramparts.
"If it amuses them it does not hurt us," remarked Major Eyre with a satirical smile; "and we need not complain so long as they keep so respectful a distance."
On their part the garrison were by no means idle, Seth and his Rangers in particular seizing every chance for a shot; and the excellence11 of their guns, combined with the accuracy of their aim, enabled them to make many of their shots tell.
Once when the commander was standing12 by him he said to Seth:
"Do you see that officer over there on the right, who seems to be urging his men to advance closer?"
"Yes, sir," replied Seth. "I know the one you mean."
"Well, do you think you can pick him off for me? He evidently thinks he is out of range, but perhaps you can show him he's mistaken."
Seth measured the distance carefully with his eye. It was a very long shot, and the officer being in almost constant motion rendered it still more difficult, but he considered it worth trying, and said so to Major Eyre.
"Let me see then what you can do," was the response.
Seth loaded his gun with nicest care, and took aim with much deliberation, waiting until the officer should be still for a moment before he fired.
At last he pulled trigger; and as the report rang out the Frenchman staggered, threw up his arms, and then pitched forward upon the snow.
"Capital! capital!" exclaimed the commander enthusiastically. "I never saw a better shot in my life. Where did you learn to shoot like that, Ensign?"
Seth blushed with pleasure at this praise of his marksmanship, and answered modestly:
"At home on the farm, sir. I've been used to handling a gun ever since I was a little chap."
"Aha, that accounts for it," said Major Eyre. "Such skill is not to be acquired in the army. If all our men could take lessons from you, they'd be much the better for it. Well, you've given that poor chap his quietus. We'll see no more of him."
The loss of their leader so startled the soldiers that they scuttled14 off out of range in a way which highly amused those who were watching them from the fort.
"They know how to take care of themselves," was Seth's smiling comment as he reloaded his gun. "But we'll have more trouble from them yet."
They made no further demonstrations16 during that day, however, but in the course of the night they again attempted to approach on the ice, and were again repelled17 by a broadside from the cannon which the watchful18 garrison let fly at them so soon as they were heard advancing.
Being thus once more balked19 of their intention they sought to vent20 their rage by burning two sloops22 that were ice-bound on the lake before the fort, and a large number of bateaux drawn23 up on the shore.
So soon as he realized their purpose Major Eyre himself sallied out at the head of a party to endeavor to protect the craft, but they were too late. The flames quickly took possession, and could not be controlled, and ere morning both sloops and bateaux were completely consumed.
The next day was the Sabbath, and it seemed at first as if the French were going to respect the day by remaining quietly in camp; but at noon they filed out of the woods, and marched across the ice, ostentatiously parading their scaling-ladders, and making as imposing24 a demonstration15 of their strength as possible.
"They're surely in earnest this time," said Seth as he watched their martial25 movements, which were so carefully studied to inspire the little garrison with apprehension26. "We're not to spend our Sunday in peace after all."
"There's no telling," responded Major Eyre. "They may be only making a feint in the hope of scaring us into surrender."
Coming to a halt while still at a safe distance, the French sent forward a small party whose officer bore a red flag; and rightly judging that this was the signal for a parley27, Major Eyre bid Seth take a handful of his Rangers and go out to meet them.
He gladly obeyed the order, and presently returned with the chief of the Canadian artillery28, Le Mercier, who on being led blindfold29 into the fort, announced himself as the bearer of a message from his commander.
He was conducted to the room of Major Eyre, where the other English officers were assembled, and courteously30 invited to deliver his message.
"I am sent by my commander, General Rigaud," he said in a suave31 yet dignified32 tone, "to present his most respectful compliments, and to say on his behalf that he invites you to surrender the fort without further fighting, and in event of your doing so, assuring you of his protection; but if you refuse, he will without delay make a general assault, and when the fort is taken, put the whole garrison to death or deliver them to the Indians to be tortured."
Having thus spoken with impressive emphasis, Le Mercier swept the group of officers with a penetrating34 glance from his dark eyes, and then assumed an attitude of respectful attention as he awaited the English commander's reply.
Major Eyre hesitated only long enough to look into the faces of his subordinates for an instant, and, being satisfied with what he read there, proceeded with his response.
"Convey to your commander my compliments and inform him how deeply I appreciate his kind consideration in thus giving me the opportunity of surrendering without the loss of my garrison; but at the same time assure him of my regret that I cannot accede35 to his proposition, as I and these with me are fully13 determined36 to defend the fort to the very last."
There was no mistaking the decision with which he spoke33, and Le Mercier, suppressing a pitying smile at the folly37 of the English in imagining they could withstand so superior a force as he represented, bowed gracefully38 and withdrew, being blindfolded39 again until he had been conducted outside the fort.
On his return to them the whole French force advanced as if to storm the ramparts, and the little garrison prepared for a desperate defence; but to their mingled40 amazement41 and relief the enemy contented42 themselves with another fusillade that did no more harm than the first and then wheeled about and returned to camp.
"Well, upon my honor, that's the queerest proceeding43 I've ever seen," exclaimed Major Eyre laughingly. "What can have frightened them this time that they retreat before we've fired a shot at them?"
There was something the matter, although he did not know it; and that was the material out of which the French force was chiefly composed, namely, Canadians and Indians, who were not at all suited for the work at hand. Useful as they undoubtedly44 were for scouting45, and for fighting in the forest with plenty of cover, they had no stomach for such service as was now required; and in reality out of his sixteen hundred men the only ones upon which Rigaud could rely were the comparatively few regular soldiers he had with him, who, however brave and willing they might be, were not by themselves equal to the taking of the fort.
This was the explanation of what seemed like ludicrous vacillation46 on his part, and for which he was not so much to blame as his opponents imagined.
Well pleased at the retirement47 of the French, but still puzzled to guess what they would do next, the English spent the rest of the day in strengthening the defences of the fort, and making every preparation against a night attack.
When night did come the French were heard advancing again, and those in the fort nerved themselves for what they took for granted would be a supreme48 effort on the part of their foes49.
Yet once more were they misled, as the real object of the assault proved not to be the fort itself, but the buildings outside of it, which consisted of several storehouses, a hospital, a sawmill, and the huts of the Rangers, besides a sloop21 on the stocks, and a number of scows and whale-boats.
Under cover of the night the French crept up carrying fagots of pine, and placing them against the farther side of the buildings, set them on fire, taking care to escape before the flames broke out sufficiently50 to make them visible to the watching English who, straining their eyes to penetrate51 the darkness, fired wherever they thought there was a chance of hitting them.
If they were not particularly successful as besiegers, however, they certainly were as incendiaries, for in the course of the night they had every building ablaze52, and the burning cinders53 fell inside the fort in such showers that it required hard work on the part of the garrison to save the barracks and other buildings from being set on fire.
Happily the elements came to their aid in the very crisis of their danger, for a thick fall of snow began filling the air with large moist flakes54 which soon covered the roofs, and effectually protected them against the danger of ignition.
This snow-fall continued all that day and all the next night, not stopping until the ground was covered to a depth of quite three feet; and while it lasted the French lay quiet in their camp, so that their opponents were enabled to gain some respite55 from the strain they had been enduring.
A little before dawn on Tuesday twenty of the regulars, inspired no doubt by the desire to do all the damage to the enemy that they possibly could, made a bold attempt to burn the sloop on the stocks, and the several hundred scows and whale-boats which had thus far escaped.
Their design was not discovered until the sloop was in flames, and then Major Eyre hurriedly despatched Seth with his Rangers to save the other craft if possible.
They dashed off in high spirits, and got near enough to the soldiers to give them a volley which accounted for five of them, whereat the remainder, without even waiting to return the compliment, retreated hastily to camp, where the Rangers did not venture to follow them.
The burning sloop, amid the expanse of spotless snow, made a splendid spectacle, which gave no pleasure to the defenders56 of Fort William Henry; but it was the last blow struck by their foes, and when on the following morning the sun rose bright and strong, flooding the wintry scene with radiance, the snow-covered surface of the lake was seen to be dotted with the dark forms of Rigaud's retreating force toiling57 back to Canada on snow-shoes, a foiled and humiliated58 band of men.
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1
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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surmise
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| v./n.猜想，推测 | |
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smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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rangers
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| 护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员 | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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scuttled
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| v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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balked
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| v.畏缩不前，犹豫( balk的过去式和过去分词 )；（指马）不肯跑 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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sloop
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| n.单桅帆船 | |
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sloops
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| n.单桅纵帆船( sloop的名词复数 ) | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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parley
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| n.谈判 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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blindfold
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| vt.蒙住…的眼睛；adj.盲目的；adv.盲目地；n.蒙眼的绷带[布等]； 障眼物，蒙蔽人的事物 | |
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30
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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suave
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| adj.温和的；柔和的；文雅的 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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34
penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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accede
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| v.应允，同意 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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blindfolded
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| v.（尤指用布）挡住（某人）的视线( blindfold的过去式 )；蒙住（某人）的眼睛；使不理解；蒙骗 | |
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40
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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41
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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42
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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45
scouting
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| 守候活动，童子军的活动 | |
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46
vacillation
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| n.动摇；忧柔寡断 | |
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retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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52
ablaze
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| adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的 | |
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53
cinders
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| n.煤渣( cinder的名词复数 )；炭渣；煤渣路；煤渣跑道 | |
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54
flakes
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| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
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55
respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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57
toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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58
humiliated
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| 感到羞愧的 | |
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