(Signed) "Quinson de St. Ours,
"Longueuil,
"De Rouville, fils,
"St. Dizier,
"Louvigny de Montigny,
"La Corne, fils,"
and over thirty others.
In this paper Germain had secured the apparent attestation of his claims by many of the principal younger noblesse of the country. He made off with it to St. Elphège, where he spent a week, drawing from his mother a crowd of tales about the de Lérys and the LeGardeurs, which had been gossiped around her when she was housekeeper to Governor de Beauharnois. Then, under excuse of pressing business in France, he left St. Elphège again.
[CHAPTER XXXVII]
ONCE MORE THE SWORD
The widow Langlois was surprised to see her lodger return so soon to Quebec. He saw quickly that she was dying of curiosity, and concluded that he and his affairs had been the subject of town gossip since his departure. He therefore contrived to give her an occasion to talk to him.
"There are certain malicious stories going about," she said to him tentatively, "which I have been thinking very ungracious on the part of our people."
"Ah, yes, Quebec is always the same little hole. Do these stories relate to me?"
"I admit it with shame, Monsieur, and our Quebec, as you say, is a little hole. Quebec people have nothing to talk about but the strangers."
"What can they invent about me? Have I scandalised your house or ill-conducted myself at the Castle? God's-death! you promise me entertainment. It will make this dull village amusing to hear the product of their gigantic imaginations. Begin, I entreat you."