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Chapter 16
"LetGeneralWebbbehisowninterpreter,"returnedthepoliticMontcalm,suddenlyextendinganopenlettertowardsMunro,ashespoke;"youwilltherelearn,monsieur,thathismovementsarenotlikelytoproveembarrassingtomyarmy."
Theveteranseizedtheofferedpaper,withoutwaitingforDuncantotranslatethespeech,andwithaneagernessthatbetrayedhowimportanthedeemeditscontents.Ashiseyepassedhastilyoverthewords,hiscountenancechangedfromitslookofmilitarypridetooneofdeepchagrin:hislipbegantoquiver;and,sufferingthepapertofallfromhishand,hisheaddroppeduponhischest,likethatofamanwhosehopeswerewitheredatasingleblow.Duncancaughttheletterfromtheground,andwithoutapologyforthelibertyhetook,hereadataglanceitscruelpurport.Theircommonsuperior,sofarfromencouragingthemtoresist,advisedaspeedysurrender,urgingintheplainestlanguageasareason,theutterimpossibilityofhissendingasinglemantotheirrescue.
"Hereisnodeception!"exclaimedDuncan,examiningthebilletbothinsideandout;"thisisthesignatureofWebb,andmustbethecapturedletter."
"Themanhasbetrayedme!"Munroatlengthbitterlyexclaimed:"hehasbroughtdishonortothedoorofonewheredisgracewasneverbeforeknowntodwell,andshamehasheheapedheavilyonmygrayhairs."
"Saynotso,"criedDuncan;"weareyetmastersofthefort,andofourhonor.Letusthensellourlivesatsucharateasshallmakeourenemiesbelievethepurchasetoodear.
