All the signs foretold a winter long and inclement。
Bees； with prophetic instinct of want； had hoarded their honey
Till the hives overflowed； and the Indian hunters asserted
Cold would the winter be； for thick was the fur of the foxes。
Such was the advent of autumn。 Then followed that beautiful season；
Called by the pious Acadian peasants the Summer of All…Saints！
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light； and the landscape
Lay as if new…created in all the freshness of childhood。
Peace seemed to reign upon earth； and the restless heart of the ocean
Was for a moment consoled。 All sounds were in harmony blended。
Voices of children at play； the crowing of cocks in the farm…yards；
Whir of wings in the drowsy air； and the cooing of pigeons；
All were subdued and low as the murmurs of love； and the great sun
Looked with the eye of love through the golden vapors around him；
While arrayed in its robes of russet and scarlet and yellow；
Bright with the sheen of the dew； each glittering tree of the forest
Flashed like the plane…tree the Persian adorned with mantles and jewels。
Now recommenced the reign of rest and affection and stillness。
Day with its burden and heat had departed； and twilight descending
Brought back the evening star to the sky； and the herds to the homestead。
Pawing the ground they came； and resting their necks on each other；
And with their nostrils distended inhaling the freshness of evening。
Foremost； bearing the bell； Evangeline's beautiful heifer；
Proud of her snow…white hide； and the ribbon that waved from her collar；
Quietly paced and slow； as if conscious of human affection。
Then came the shepherd back with his bleating flocks from the seaside；
Where was their favorite pasture。 Behind them followed the watch…dog；
Patient； full of importance； and grand in the pride of his instinct；
Walking from side to side with a lordly air； and superbly
Waving his bushy tail； and urging forward the stragglers；
Regent of flocks was he when the shepherd slept； their protector；
When from the forest at night； through the starry silence； the wolves howled。
Late； with the rising moon； returned the wains from the marshes；
Laden with briny hay； that filled the air with its odor。
Cheerily neighed the steeds； with dew on their manes and their fetlocks；
While aloft on their shoulders the wooden and ponderous saddles；
Painted with brilliant dyes； and adorned with tassels of crimson；
Nodded in bright array； like hollyhocks heavy with blossoms。
Patiently stood the cows meanwhile； and yielded their udders
Unto the milkmaid's hand； whilst loud and in regular cadence
Into the sounding pails the foaming streamlets descended。
Lowing of cattle and peals of laughter were heard in the farm…yard；
Echoed back by the barns。 Anon they sank into stillness；
Heavily closed； with a jarring sound； the valves of the barn…doors；
Rattled the wooden bars； and all for a season was silent。
In…doors； warm by the wide…mouthed fireplace； idly the farmer
Sat in his elbow…chair； and watched how the flames and the smoke…wreaths
Struggled together like foe in a burning city。 Behind him；
Nodding and mocking along the wall； with gestures fantastic；
Darted his own huge shadow； and vanished away into darkness。
Faces； clumsily carved in oak； on the back of his arm…chair
Laughed in the flickering light； and the pewter plates on the dresser
Caught and reflected the flame； as shields of armies the sunshine。
Fragments of song the old man sang； and carols of Christmas；
Such as at home； in the olden time； his fathers before him
Sang in their Norman orchards and bright Burgundian vineyards。
Close at her father's side was the gentle Evangeline seated；
Spinning flax for the loom； that stood in the corner behind her。
Silent awhile were its treadles； at rest was its diligent shuttle；
While the monotonous drone of the wheel； like the drone of a bagpipe；
Followed the old man's song； and united the fragments together。
As in a church； when the chant of the choir at intervals ceases；
Footfalls are heard in the aisles； or words of the priest at the altar；
So； in each pause of the song； with measured motion the clock clicked。
Thus as they sat； there were footsteps heard； and； suddenly lifted；
Sounded the wooden latch； and the door swung back on its hinges。
Benedict knew by the hob…nailed shoes it was Basil the blacksmith；
And by her beating heart Evangeline knew who was with him。
〃Welcome！〃 the farmer exclaimed； as their footsteps paused on the threshold；
〃Welcome； Basil； my friend！ Come； take thy place on the settle
Close by the chimney…side； which is always empty without thee；
Take from the shelf overhead thy pipe and the box of tobacco；
Never so much thyself art thou as when through the curling
Smoke of the pipe or the forge thy friendly and jovial face gleams
Round and red as the harvest moon through the mist of the marshes。〃
Then； with a smile of content； thus answered Basil the blacksmith；
Taking with easy air the accustomed seat by the fireside：
〃Benedict Bellefontaine； thou hast ever thy jest and thy ballad！
Ever in cheerfullest mood art thou； when others are filled with
Gloomy forebodings of ill； and see only ruin before them。
Happy art thou； as if every day thou hadst picked up a horseshoe。〃
Pausing a moment； to take the pipe that Evangeline brought him；
And with a coal from the embers had lighted； he slowly continued：
〃Four days now are passed since the English ships at their anchors
Ride in the Gaspereau's mouth； with their cannon pointed against us；
What their design may be is unknown； but all are commanded
On the morrow to meet in the church； where his Majesty's mandate
Will be proclaimed as law in the land。 Alas！ in the mean time
Many surmises of evil alarm the hearts of the people。〃
Then made answer the farmer：〃Perhaps some friendlier purpose
Brings these ships to our shores。 Perhaps the harvests in England
By untimely rains or untimelier heat have been blighted；
And from our bursting barns they would feed their cattle and children。〃
〃Not so thinketh the folk in the village；〃 said； warmly； the blacksmith；
Shaking his head； as in doubt； then； heaving a sigh； he continued：
〃Louisburg is not forgotten； nor Beau S閖our； nor Port Royal。
Many already have fled to the forest； and lurk on its outskirts；
Waiting with anxious hearts the dubious fate of to…morrow。
Arms have been taken from us； and warlike weapons of all kinds；
Nothing is left but the blacksmith's sledge and the scythe of the mower。〃
Then with a pleasant smile made answer the jovial farmer：
〃Safer are we unarmed； in the midst of our flocks and our cornfields；
Safer within these peaceful dikes； besieged by the ocean；
Than our fathers in forts； besieged by the enemy's cannon。
Fear no evil； my friend； and to…night may no shadow of sorrow
Fall on this house and hearth； for this is the night of the contract。
Built are the house and the barn。 The merry lads of the village
Strongly have built them and well； and； breaking the glebe round about them；
Filled the barn with hay； and the house with food for a twelvemonth。
Ren？Leblanc will be here anon； with his papers and inkhorn。
Shall we not then be glad； and rejoice in the joy of our children？〃
As apart by the window she stood； with her hand in her lover's；
Blushing Evangeline heard the words that her father had spoken；
And； as they died on his lips； the worthy notary entered。
III。
BENT like a laboring oar； that toils in the surf of the ocean；
Bent； but not broken； by age was the form of the notary public；
Shocks of yellow hair； like the silken floss of the maize； hung
Over his shoulders； his forehead was high； and glasses with horn bows
Sat astride on his nose； with a look of wisdom supernal。
Father of twenty children was he； and more than a hundred
Children's children rode on his knee； and heard his great watch tick。
Four long years in the times of the war had he languished a captive；
Suffering much in an old French fort as the friend of the English。
Now； though warier grown； without all guile or suspicion；
Ripe in wisdom was he； but patient； and simple； and childlike。
He was beloved by all； and most of all by the children；
For he told them tales of the Loup…garou in the forest；
And of the goblin that came in the night to water the horses；
And of the white L閠iche； the ghost of a child who unchristened
Died； and was doomed to haunt unseen the chambers of children；
And how on Christmas eve the oxen talked in the stable；
And how the fever was cured by a spider shut up in a nutshell；
And of the marvellous powers of four…leaved clover and horsehoes；
With whatsoever else was writ in the lore of the village。
Then up rose from his seat by the fireside Basil the blacksmith；
Knocked from his pipe the ashes； and slowly extending his right hand；
〃Father Leblanc；〃 he exclaimed； 〃thou hast heard the talk in the village；
And； perchance； canst tell us some news of these ships and their errand。〃
Then with modest demeanor made answer the notary public：
〃Gossip enough have I heard； in sooth； yet am never the wiser；
And what their errand may be I know not better than others。
Yet am I not of those who imagine some evil intention
Brings them here； for we are at peace； and why then molest us？〃
〃God's name！〃 shouted the hasty and somewhat irascible blacksmith；
〃Must we in all things look for the how； and the why； and the wherefore？
Daily injustice is done； and might is the right of the strongest！〃
But； without heeding his warmth； continued the notary public：
〃Man is unjust； but God is just； and finally justice
Triumphs； and well I remember a story； that often consoled me；
When as a captive I lay in the old French fort at Port Royal。〃
This was the old man's favorite tale； and he loved to repeat it
When his neighbors complained that any injustice was done them。
〃Once in an ancient city； whose name I no longer remember；
Raised aloft on a column； a brazen statue of Justice
Stood in the public square； upholding the scales in its left hand；
And in its right a sword； as an emblem that justice presided
Over the laws of the land； and the hearts and homes of the people。
Even the birds had built their nests in the scales of the balance