CHAPTER XII

Twenty men had suddenly disappeared from Bonaventure on the day that
Ferrol visited Sophie Farcinelle, and it was only the next morning that
the cause of their disappearance was generally known.

There had been many rumours abroad that a detachment of men from the
parish were to join Papineau. The Rebellion was to be publicly declared
on a certain date near at hand, but nothing definite was known; and
because the Cure condemned any revolt against British rule, in spite of
the evils the province suffered from bad government, every recruit who
joined Nic Lavilette's standard was sworn to secrecy. Louis Lavilette
and his wife knew nothing of their son's complicity in the rumoured
revolt--one's own people are generally the last to learn of one's
misdeeds. Madame would have been sorely frightened and chagrined if
she had known the truth, for she was partly English. Besides, if the
Rebellion did not succeed, disgrace must come, and then good-bye to the
progress of the Lavilettes, and goodbye, maybe, to her son!

In spite of disappointments and rebuffs in many quarters, she still kept
faith with her ambitions, and, fortunately for herself, she did not see
the abject failure of many of her schemes. Some of the gentry from the
neighbouring parishes had called, chiefly, she was aware, because of Mr.
Ferrol. She was building the superstructure of her social ambitions on
that foundation for the present. She told Louis sometimes, with tears
of joy in her eyes, that a special Providence had sent Mr. Ferrol to
them, and she did not know how to be grateful enough. He suggested a
gift to the church in token of gratitude, but her thanksgiving did not