Page:Memoirs of a Huguenot Family.djvu/203

 Rh ready to be fired. He killed one of the assailants. They on their part displayed equal activity, keeping up a constant fire with their cannons. The pirates on board the vessel fired against the windows with small arms. We did our best to barricade them with mattresses and large books.

At the commencement of the action, some of our muskets were a little out of order. The officer who was loading for Paul Roussier, was in such a state of confusion, that he had actually put in the ball before the powder. My wife was here, and there, and everywhere, carrying ammunition, and giving encouragement to all, as well by what she said, as by her own calm deportment. When she came into the room where the officer had just made the mistake I have mentioned, he went up to her and took her by the hand, and said, "Alas: my dear lady, what must be done? we are ruined. It is the height of folly to attempt to resist any longer, for our arms are in bad order; here are no less than three useless muskets."

I would observe to you that we had not less than eighteen muskets in the house, besides two blunderbusses and several pistols.

My wife replied to him with her usual composure, "We are in the hands of the Almighty, and nothing can happen to us without his permission. I trust he will not suffer us to fall into the hands of these wicked men; but we must not lose our courage; rather let us try if we cannot mend any thing that is out of repair."

She then came to me, and begged I would leave my post, and go into the parlor, to encourage the men, and do away with the alarm engendered by the fears this faint-hearted gentleman had expressed. I went immediately, and upon