下载辰思小说免费APP
Hescarcelyknewwhathewasfitfor，buthethought——tosolittleinhimcamethevictorieshehadhelpedtowinintheCrimea，inChina，andinIndia——thathecoaldtakecareofagentleman’shorseandworkabouthisplace。HelookedinquiringlyatBasil，asifhemightbeagentlemanwithahorsetobetakencareofandaplacetobeworkedabout，andmadehimregretthathewasnotamanofsubstanceenoughtoprovideforPrivateDrakesandMrs。DrakesandthebroodofDucklings，whohadbeenshowntohimstowedawayinoneofthosecavernousroomsintheearthworkswherethemarriedsoldiershavetheirquarters。HisregretenrichedtherewardofPrivateDrakes’service，——whichperhapsansweredoneofPrivateDrakes’purposes，ifnothischiefaim。HepromisedtocometotheStatesuponthepressingadviceofIsabel，who，speakingfromherownlargeexperience，declaredthateverybodygotonthere，——andhebadeourfriendsanaffectionatefarewellastheydroveawaytothePlainsofAbraham。
ThefashionablesuburbancottagesandplacesofQuebecareontheSt。
LouisRoadleadingnorthwardtotheoldbattle-groundandbeyondit；but，thesefacechieflytowardstheriversSt。LawrenceandSt。Charles，andloftyhedgesandshrubberyhidetheminanEnglishseclusionfromthehighway；sothatthevisitormayuninterruptedlymeditatewhateveremotionhewillforthesceneofWolfe’sdeathasheridesalong。Hisloftiestemotionwillwantthenobleheightofthatheroicsoul，whomustalwaysstandforthinhistoryafigureofbeautifulandsingulardistinction，admirablealikeforthesensibilityanddaring，thepoeticpensiveness，andthemartialardorthatmingledinhimandtaxedhisfeebleframewithtasksgreaterthanitcouldbear。ThewholestoryofthecaptureofQuebecisfullofromanticsplendorandpathos。HerfallwasatriumphforalltheEnglish-speakingrace，andtousAmericans，longscourgedbythecruelIndianwarsplottedwithinherwallsorsustainedbyherstrength，suchablessingaswashailedwithringingbellsandblazingbonfiresthroughouttheColonies；yetnowwecannotthinkwithoutpityofthehopesextinguishedandthelaborsbroughttonaughtinheroverthrow。Thatstrangecolonyofpriestsandsoldiers，ofmartyrsandheroes，ofwhichshewasthecapital，willingtoperishforanallegiancetowhichthemother-countrywasindifferent，andfightingagainstthearmieswithwhichEnglandwaspreparedtooutnumberthewholeCanadianpopulation，isamagnificentspectacle；andMontcalmlayingdownhislifetoloseQuebecisnotlessaffectingthanWolfedyingtowinher。Theheartopenstowardsthesoldierwhorecited，ontheeveofhiscostlyvictory，the“ElegyinaCountryChurchyard，“whichhewould“ratherhavewrittenthanbeattheFrenchto-morrow；“butitachesforthedefeatedgeneral，who，hurttodeath，answered，whentoldhowbriefhistimewas，“Somuchthebetter；thenIshallnotlivetoseethesurrenderofQuebec。“
Inthecityforwhichtheyperishedtheirfamehasneverbeendivided。
TheEnglishhaveshownthemselvesverygenerousvictors；perhapsnothingcouldbeallegedagainstthem，butthattheywerevictors。AshaftcommontoWolfeandMontcalmcelebratesthembothintheGovernor’sGarden；andintheChapeloftheUrsulineConventatabletisplaced，whereMontcalmdied，bythesameconquerorswhoraisedtoWolfe’smemorythecolumnonthebattle-field。
Adismalprisoncoversthegroundwheretheherofell，andthemonumentstandsonthespotwhereWolfebreathedhislast，ongroundlowerthantherestofthefield；thefriendlyhollowthatshelteredhimfromthefireoftheFrenchdwarfshismonument；yetitissufficient，andthesimpleinscription，“HerediedWolfevictorious，“givesitadignitywhichmanycubitsofaddedstaturecouldnotbestow。Anotherofthosebittershowers，whichhadinterspersedthemorning’ssunshine，drovesuddenlyacrosstheopenplain，andourtouristscomfortablysentimentalizedthescenebehindtheclose-drawncurtainsoftheircarriage。Hereawholeempirehadbeenlostandwon，BasilremindedIsabel；andshesaid，“Onlythinkofit！“andlookedtoawanderingfoldofherskirt，uponwhichtherainbeatthrougharentofthecurtain。
DoIpitchthepipetoolo
