40 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



The day wore on, and tihe nuns in the convent had more time than 

 those in the hospital to realize what a desperate pass the colony had 

 come to. A homeloss and despairing people, a broken and fugitive army, 

 an.d the last half-mile of the rock of Quebec, close beset by victorious 

 forces on land and sea: — and this was all that was left of the Canada 

 they knew ! 



That night a funeral procession stumbled its way through the en- 

 cumbered street to the convent, bearing the great and unfortunate Mont- 

 calm to his last resting place in the Chapel of the Saints. The town had 

 been in such confusion all day that no one could be found to make a 

 cofifin, except an old servant of the Ursulines, " le bonhomme Michel," 

 who wept bitterl}'^ as he worked at his makeshift of a few rough boards. 

 At nine o'clock the mourners entered by the fitful glare of torchlight. 

 De Eamesay and every man in the garrison that could be spared from 

 duty were there, with many civilians and women and children. One little 

 girl, who held her father's hand as she felt the awestruck silence when 

 that rude cofiSn was lowered iato the shell-torn ground, afterwards be- 

 came La Mère Dubé de St. Ignace, and used to tell the story of that 

 memorable night to successive nuns and pupils, down to the Ursulines' 

 bi -centennial year of 1839 ; and one of her most attentive listeners, both 

 as pupil and nun, is still alive to repeat the tale in Quebec's ter-centennial 

 year of 1908. Libera me, Domine, chanted Father Eesclie and his two 

 companions; while the little choir of siege-worn nuns replied from 

 behind the screen. It was one more fulfilment of the family tradition: 

 La Guerre est le Tombeau des Montcalm. 



On the 18th Quebec capitulated. Three days later the Ursulines 

 returned to th3ir shattered home. On the 37th an Aniili.an memorial 

 service was held for Wolfe, in the same chapol where Montcalm lay 

 buried, and the funeral sennon was prea,ched by the Eev. Eli Dawson, 

 chaplain to H.M.S. Stirling Castle. The style of this oration is too 

 inflated; but the preacher was right in his estimate of the immense im- 

 portance of the victory. " Ye Heralds of fame already upon the wing, 

 streteh your flight and swell vour Trumpets with tlie Glor}- of a military 

 exploit through distant worlds ! An Exploit which for the fitness of 

 Address in Strategem, the Dardngness of the attempt, and the Spirit of 

 its execution shall take rank with the choicest Pieces of ancient or modem 

 Story in the Temple of Fame, where it remains immortal." 



The Mothers winced at the unwelcome necessity of having to yield 

 up their altars to what they tliought unhallowed rites. And the con- 

 querors had the usual Protestant predisposition to take the mass for 

 superstitious mummer}'. But personal experience and many amenities 

 on both sides made each more tolerant after that long, hard winter. 



