"
"No, I shall not go with him. I shall lead the allied force of
Indians, monsieur."
Cadillac looked me over. I saw, with my own face cold, that his was
not steady.
"No victory is worth that," I heard him say, and I listened as if he
spoke of another's sorrow. "It is not necessary, Montlivet."
"It is absolutely necessary. The war chiefs are jealous. Without a
leader they will fall on one another and we shall have sickening
massacre. You cannot lead them, for you do not speak their language."
"But even granting that"----
I touched his sleeve. "Monsieur, I have been alone. I have thought it
out. There is no escape. I do not know why life should give a man
such a thing to do, but it is here. I have told the Indians that I
represented the king; that I stood for government, protection. I have
called them here in the name of law. It is a new word to them, and I
have forced its meaning into their minds. And so they trust me. They
trust me in the name of this law I talk about. If I desert them now,
they will lapse into savagery of the worst kind. We shall have
anarchy. Blood will flow for years. No Frenchman's life will be safe.
I have the best men of six tribes here, and they will think themselves
deceived and pay us in red coin.
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