CHAPTER XXXVII
ONCE MORE THE SWORD
The widow Langlois was surprised to see her lodger return so soon toQuebec. He saw quickly that she was dying of curiosity, and concludedthat he and his affairs had been the subject of town gossip since hisdeparture. He therefore contrived to give her an occasion to talk tohim.
"There are certain malicious stories going about," she said to himtentatively, "which I have been thinking very ungracious on the part ofour people."
"Ah, yes, Quebec is always the same little hole. Do these stories relateto me?"
"I admit it with shame, Monsieur, and our Quebec, as you say, is alittle hole. Quebec people have nothing to talk about but thestrangers."
"What can they invent about _me_? Have I scandalised your house orill-conducted myself at the Castle? God's-death! you promise meentertainment. It will make this dull village amusing to hear theproduct of their gigantic imaginations. Begin, I entreat you."
"Some say you are not a Bodyguard, sir."
"Ha, that is news; I shall have to tell that to Lady Dorchester. Thesegood judges know so much more of the Court of France than she does. Whatelse?"
"It is alleged that you are no noble, your father being the Merchant ofSt. Elphege."
"Yes? My father's parchment titles would answer that. I will take theoccasion later on to show them to you."
"And that you carried in France the name of the Marquis de Repentigny."
"Who is the author of these tales, if you know him?" he said withdignity. "What source first spread them among the people, for suchthings have always an instigator?"
"I would prefer not to tell, Monsieur."
However, by a little flattery he won the point. She told him how herbrother-in-law, the Merchant Langlois, of Mountain Hill, had heard athis own shop, from Madame de Lery herself, that a letter had beenreceived from Paris relating the doings of a young Canadian callinghimself de Repentigny, but who was identified by two other Canadians asyoung Lecour of St. Elphege, and afterwards how he had fought with Louisde Lery, of the Bodyguard, and nearly killed him, and had departed forCanada in disgrace.
"And it is most maliciously reported," added Madame Langlois, "that you,sir, are without doubt the person in question."
"Madame," exclaimed he, rising abruptly, as cold as an icicle, "I shallsee to this immediately."
The widow was frightened.
"I entreat you say nothing of this to Madame de Lery," she cried indistress.
"On that point you have the word of honour of a French officer," hereplied.
As he hastily dressed himself he muttered, "Something radical now."
He went, without delaying, to the de Lery mansion and was admitted faceto face with the Councillor.
The house was a long, low, old-fashioned one, covered externally withdark blue mortar in French provincial style, and internally presentingevery appearance of hospitality and comfort. The parlours in whichGermain was shown into the presence of the owner were hung about withmellowed tapestry, and their doors and windows were open, leading outupon a gallery and thence into a luxuriant garden. The old Councillor, afine-looking man, frank, hospitable, and perfectly bred, welcomedGermain with a kindly manner just tinged with a shade of curiosity, andawaited mention of his business.
Lecour lost no time in coming to the point, stating the story that hadbeen circulated about him and that report attributed it to the de Lerys.
"Nor is it, sir," concluded he, "the first time I have had in suchmatters to complain of your family, for I have been given great troublein the Bodyguard by the reckless allegations of your son Louis, who wasunknown to me, but who circulated, of his own accord, the most injuriousaccusations. Among other things he has stated that I was not noble,because of my father being the Merchant of St. Elphege. Yet you knewvery well, sir, that my father is not a petty trader, and I have broughthere to-day documents by which I am ready to prove to you beyondquestion that we are of good descent."
"I regret," the Councillor answered, much disturbed, "that there havebeen such unfortunate occurrences as you say. I am sure that from yourappearance and frankness in thus coming to me, there must be somemistake. My son Louis is a man of strict honour; he must have acted onhasty information. To do you entire justice, I shall make it my duty tolook over these documents, which are doubtless entirely correct, andwill then do the best in my power to rectify this injury so painful andregrettable. A moment, sir."
He went to the gallery and called out--
"Panet."
"Coming," a hearty voice returned from the garden.
"It is my friend the Judge," remarked the Councillor, returning to theroom; "he will serve you as an excellent witness of the evidence you areproducing."
"Upon my word, your grapes this year are divine," exclaimed the Judgeentering, holding up a large bunch in his hand. He stopped and bowed toGermain.
"Monsieur LeCour de Lincy here has some papers to show us," de Leryproceeded, "which refute that unfortunate report arising from theletters of my son."
Lecour produced his papers, and on perusal of them for some time, bothPanet and de Lery pronounced them perfect.
"I owe you the sincerest formal apology, Monsieur de Lincy," de Lerysaid.
"More than that, sir," Germain returned stiffly. "You minimise thedamage done. A written retraction is due me, to exhibit in thosequarters where I have been so deeply injured, and without which I cannever wholly regain my reputation."
"Not demurring, sir, I freely admit that we owe you this reparation. Ifyou will draw up and send me what will be useful to you, I shall gladlysign it."
"Stop, gentlemen, let me say a word," Judge Panet interposed. "Such awriting being so delicate a matter, to be just to both parties, ought tobe drawn by a third. I think I am in a position to do this; will youleave the matter to me?"
"I am the person who was injured, and the only one who knows what willeffectively right me," Lecour answered;
"He is correct," said de Lery.
Panet did not push the point further but turned away, and the Chevaliershowed the young man out of the house.
By noon, the following letter was received to sign--
"AT QUEBEC, _the 2nd October, 1788_.
"MONSIEUR,--It is with much pleasure that I consent to grant you the satisfaction you ask. I hereby confess that I have been wrong in spreading the report that you have taken another name than that of your family. I retract it publicly and I assure you in that respect with the greatest frankness that I am fully convinced that the story which led me to commit this indiscretion is absolutely false and unworthy of you. I make you this reparation as being due to your character, and I am sincerely mortified about the misunderstanding which has caused you so much trouble.
"And I have the honour to be, sir, "Yours, etc.
"To M. LeCour de Lincy, officer of the Bodyguard of the company of Noailles."
The old Councillor, one of the most respected men in the colony, grewred with shame.
"It is impossible for me, as a man of honour, to sign such a paper," hesaid to himself. After walking up and down in his parlours, therefore,he wrote a reply.
The story of the Chevalier's life will help us to understand him in thematter.
He had, in his youth, under the French _regime_, won distinction as aCanadian officer by many important services, and was entitled by writtenpromises of the Government of France, to money rewards alone of nearlya hundred thousand livres. On the fall of the colony, however, when theCanadian officers proceeded to the home country, they found a coldshoulder turned upon them in the departments of Versailles, so ready towaste immense sums for those in power and to ignore the barest dues ofmerit. Among the rest, de Lery, his bosom burning with the distress ofhis family in Paris, paced the corridors of the Colonial Office fornearly two years. Monsieur Accaron, the cold and procrastinativeex-Jesuit deputy of the First Minister, would reply--
"I agree with you, sir, t
hat these services are very distinguished;still, Canada being no longer ours, it is to be admitted they have allbeen useless."
"Monsieur," the soldier would return, "I have never understood that themisfortunes of the brave lessen their rights."
"Well, well, if you will but wait----"
"I shall be enchanted to wait, and I beg of you to inform me of themeans of doing so. I have in Paris my wife and four children, and thetwenty louis to which his Majesty has reduced my allowance would notsupport us in the most favoured province of France."
After making such fruitless attempts, he said boldly to them one day--
"I will return to Canada and try my fortune under a different Crown."
"Do not so easily abandon hope," remarked Accaron coolly.
De Lery, for reply, went to the British Ambassador, told him he hadheard high reports of the British nation and offered to become a subjectof the English King. In due time a man of so much sense and spirit wasreceived by George III. with satisfaction, as the first of the Canadiangentry to enter his service, and as the Chevalier carried out his newallegiance with the strictest sincerity, time only added to his esteemand he became the favourite Councillor of Governor Dorchester.
The same principles of honour, dignity, and good sense marked hisfeeling in the present difficulty with young Lecour. The reply ran: thatthe terms of the proposed letter were a surprise to him, that he wasanxious to serve his young friend and especially to place in his handsthe means of rectifying any injury done to him by unfortunate remarks orrumours, but that it was impossible to grant the letter requested, andhe offered the following substitute:--
"AT QUEBEC, _the 3rd October, 1788_.
"MONSIEUR,--It is with great pleasure that I consent to testify in your favour against the injurious rumours concerning you which some persons have assumed to base upon my authority and that of my family. After conversing about your papers and yourself with Judge Panet and other persons of position, I am, equally with them, of opinion that you have proven the falsity of the said rumours, and that you are not the person to whom they relate, your father being of great possessions in the country about St. Elphege, and of repute throughout the whole Province as an honourable man.
"J. G. C. DE LERY."
Germain tore the answer into pieces in a passion. "Not the person towhom they relate!" he cried, "Who am I then, and what shelter would thisprecious epistle give me against the son?" Stepping to his escritoir hewrote back the following fiery note:---
"_To Monsieur de Lery, Chevalier of St. Louis, at Quebec._
"MONSIEUR,--After having employed all honourable means to induce you to grant me that satisfaction which you owe to me, I hereby notify you that you can avoid dishonour only by one of two alternatives: either by signing the letter sent you by me, unaltered in any particular; or by being present this day at four of the clock at the place called Port St. Louis, to render account on the spot of the reports which you have been purposely spreading against my honour, and to accord to me in your person the satisfaction they deserve. I shall expect your answer at once upon your reading this, and if by mid-day I have not received it, I shall prove to you my exactitude to my word.--I am, sir (if you accept either proposal), your servant with all my heart,
"LECOUR DE LINCY."
While he was hotly engaged in penning this letter to the father, theincidents of his duels with the son Louis crowded before him--thecounsels of his friends, the choosing of the weapons, the deadly tensionof the combat, the look of furious contempt in his adversary's eyes. Itwas only after he had sent off Madame's man-of-all-work with it that theincongruousness of challenging so old a man struck him.
The Chevalier, on receiving the challenge, perceived at once the gravityof his own situation. The code of the time demanded his acceptance. Heknew that, however a duel might be laughed at by boasters, the sobertruth was that it brought a man face to face with death, and that thepresent cause of quarrel was not worth any such sacrifice. In short thething seemed to him foolish and unreasonable.
No time was to be lost. He had therefore recourse for advice to his booncompanion Panet, who pronounced it a bad business.
"Really," he said, moving nervously, "you must recognise, my dear deLery, that men of our stiffness and weight can have no chance pittedagainst a young fellow from the fencing schools of Versailles. He has awrist as limber as a fish no doubt. Try to end the affair some way."
De Lery, annoyed and disappointed that the judge did not rise to theoccasion, and thrown back on his own resources, went to Lord Dorchesterhimself, requesting his mediation.
The Governor read over the letters which had passed, especially thatsent by LeCour for signature.
"Tut, what a young fool. Tell LaNaudiere there to send for him," heexclaimed.
So in about half an hour Germain appeared.
Guessing the state of the matter, he began by complaining of his wrongson the part of the de Lerys. He was listened to to the end byDorchester, who then, with the greatest politeness, but firmly, pointedout the impossibility of any man of honour signing the proposedconfession.
"Do you both agree, gentlemen, to leave the form of the letter with me?"
Germain could not do otherwise.
The Governor sat down at a writing-desk, laid the epistle before him,and produced the following:--
"MONSIEUR,--It is with great pleasure that I consent to testify in your favour against certain injurious rumours affecting your reputation and family name, which have been circulated by unauthorised persons in the name of my household. You have clearly proven to me that the rumours in question are calumnies without any foundation, and I am sincerely affected concerning the pain they have given you."
Dorchester read what he had written.
"There is my award," he pronounced. "It is, in my opinion, all that onegentleman ought to demand of another. Do you consider it fair each ofyou?"
Each declared it satisfactory.
"Then sign it, Mr. de Lery," said the Governor promptly. De Lery signedit.
Dorchester gave it to Germain.
"Are you satisfied?" he asked.
"Perfectly, your Excellency."
Germain thrust the letter in his breast and bowed himself out. On soberthought he preferred it to his own. The same evening he sailed forEurope. But not before he had secured the signature of the Bishop ofQuebec to a copy of his birth-certificate, altered according to thejudge's order procured at Montreal.
Onward, onward, he impatiently counted the leagues of the sea by day. Aravishingly fair face beckoned in his dreams by night.