Ragueneau wanted to consult the fort commander in Montréal, Monsieur de Maisonneuve, even though the Jesuits were not on very good terms with him. Ragueneau no longer knew what to do: wait a while longer or cancel the expedition. De Maisonneuve was a man of experience, bold but sensible. He had fended off many Iroquois attacks and might have some advice for him. If he gave up and went back to Trois-Rivières, Ragueneau knew the fifty Frenchmen already living among the Onondaga would be in danger. The stakes were high.
When he returned from his visit to Monsieur de Maisonneuve, the Jesuit took Radisson to one side.
“Bring your musket and follow me. We can’t be too careful these days.”
As the evening advanced, the air grew milder and more comfortable. A welcome breeze picked up, rippling the reflection of the dark blue sky on the surface of the river. Radisson gathered dry wood and lit a small fire to help them see. Father Ragueneau ate a few mouthfuls of bread in silence. He drank some water from the river. Radisson waited patiently until his master was ready to speak.
“You know how much I trust you,” Ragueneau said at last. “That’s why I will speak openly with you. I need to confide in someone who will not judge me. Of course, I hope you will support me, but I ask you to be frank. Go ahead and contradict me, if you think I am wrong. Because doubt is still eating away at me.”
Radisson was flattered, and ready to perform the role Ragueneau expected of him.
“I need your knowledge of the Iroquois to confirm or contradict the decision I have come to. We shall go to the Onondaga, however risky the expedition. We shall wait here as long as is necessary. That said, I must admit I have serious reserves about what this undertaking has in store for us.”
Radisson was of the same opinion.
“Nevertheless, I believe we must go to our compatriots. They are waiting for us and counting on us. We need to bring them what Father Le Moyne asked me for.”
“I have put everything together, Father. And then some. We will have everything.”
The Jesuit stared into the flames of the small fire that lit their faces. A full moon rose above the river.
“As promised, we shall bring the Hurons who agreed to come with us. I will go through with it, even after what happened on Île d’Orléans, because I see no way of avoiding this sacrifice. Now listen, Radisson. I shall tell you how I really feel, but first promise me you won’t repeat a word to anyone.”
“I swear, Father.”
“You have no doubt remarked that many Hurons no longer trust me. I can tell them I had nothing to do with our governor’s decision not to defend them, that I am sorry he did not act. I can remind them of all I did for them when the Iroquois destroyed their land and we sought refuge together in Québec. It doesn’t matter what I say. My words blow over their head like the wind. Truth be told, it appears they no longer trust a single Frenchman.”
“That’s possible,” Radisson replied. “They are very angry. They feel betrayed.”
“Betrayed is the word. And yet that was not our intention, at least certainly not mine. But now I fear for them. I fear for what will happen to them among the Onondaga. Will they be treated like slaves? I fear they will. Some might even get killed, even though that seems impossible to me when I consider it rationally and I recall the words of Andoura. But I just cannot let go of the thought.”
Ragueneau stopped to look at Radisson. He appeared to be overwhelmed.
“I don’t know how we’re going to get out of this mess, Radisson. I really don’t. It is my intention to constantly remind the Iroquois of their commitment to adopt them as brothers. I will stress that. But we will have to keep a close eye on them and hope that the word of the Onondaga is worth more than that of the Mohawks, who have double-crossed us many times now. Tell me frankly: what do you think of all this?”
Radisson was in the same state of mind: he no longer knew which way to turn. But he shared Ragueneau’s opinion: better to first respect the agreement between them and move forward from there.
“When I lived with the Mohawks,” he said, “I saw just how powerful the advocates for war were. Nothing could change their mind. But there were genuine advocates for peace among them, and I am sure there are more of them among the Onondaga. I think you are right, Father. We must go.”
“You have put my mind at ease. So you think there’s hope?”
“I think so, yes.”
Ragueneau gave a feeble smile.
“We will have to be on our guard at all times,” he added. “As soon as the Iroquois arrive—if they ever arrive—mix with them as much as possible. Listen in on their conversations. Observe what they are up to. You know their language and ways. You will be able to see their true intentions easier than I can. We will review the situation together every day.”
“Good idea, Father. I’ll do that.”
Ragueneau opened his mouth to speak, but stopped at the last moment, as though the words he was going to say had burned his tongue.
“Don’t let me down,” he said at last. “I need you, Radisson. I need your support and your know-how. It’s a terrible weight on my mind, you know, moving ahead with such a risky mission. I can see that now.”
“It’s all going to work out, Father. Together, we’ll get there. Don’t lose heart.”
The Adventures of Radisson, 3
The Incredible Escape will be available in July 2015.
Fiction and History from Baraka Books
YA FICTION
Hell Never Burns
The Adventures of Radisson 1
Martin Fournier
Break Away 1 – Jessie on My Mind Break Away 2 – Power Forward
Sylvain Hotte
21 Days in October
Magali Favre
ADULT FICTION
The Raids, The Nickel Range Trilogy, Vol. 1 Mick Lowe
The Insatiable Maw, The Nickel Range Trilogy, Vol. 2 (spring 2015)
Mick Lowe
Principals and Other Schoolyard Bullies
Short Stories by Nick Fonda
Washika, A Novel
Robert A. Poirier
I Hate Hockey
François Barcelo
HISTORY
A People’s History of Quebec
Jacques Lacoursière & Robin Philpot
The History of Montréal
The Story of a Great North American City
Paul-André Linteau
Soldiers for Sale, German “Mercerneries”
with the British in Canada During the American Revolution
Jean-Pierre Wilhelmy
The Riot that Never Was
James Jackson
The Adventures of Radisson. Back to the New World Page 17