he Bodyguard."

"This is something strange," remarked the Marquis de Lotbiniere. "Did
you inquire who this officer was? Suppose, Repentigny, he should be some
distant relative of yours: he might be an addition to our influence at
Court. An officer of the Bodyguard, if we can claim him as a relative,
would be better than any alliance we possess, except Vaudreuil, who does
nothing for us."

"There can be no harm in Louis making inquiries."

"I will call upon him. Trust _me_ to find some connection and make use
of it."

"Are you still the marvel you were at genealogies, Michel!"

"Genealogy is a power. Louis, I am interested in this new relative. Can
you tell us more about him? Do you know his Province?"

"He is said to be a Canadian."

"A Canadian! Does he say so himself?"

"So report goes."

"Astonishing. How could any Canadian but de Vaudreuil--who owes it to
his exceptional gifts--acquire such influence?"

"They say this Sieur de Repentigny is extraordinarily handsome and
agreeable."

"But his name! There are so few Canadian families, you can almost count
them on your fingers--Fleurys, Bleurys, de Lerys, de Lanaudieres, le
Gardeurs, le Moynes, Beaujeus, Lotbinieres, la Cornes, Salaberrys, and
so forth. Can he be of these? He is not a le Gardeur, who alone in
Canada could have a right to the appellation 'Repentigny.' Have you
heard his family name?"

"He calls himself 'Le Cour de Repentigny.'"

The Marquis quitted his tone of alert judicial inquiry, and thundered
out, like a criminal prosecutor--

"Heavens, I have it!"

"What, Uncle."

"He is an _impostor_. No Canadian named Lecour can be what he
pretends--nay, not even a petty gentleman, for I know the whole list by
heart to its obscurest members. No Lecour whatever is on it. Who of that
name is at Repentigny? Only the merchant of St. Elphege, my old
_protege_. Can it be any of his people! What is the appearance of this
fellow?"

"He is about middle height, cheerful, graceful, hair and eyes black."

"It is that well-looking boy of Lecour's--no other. His father would
kill himself if he heard of his son duping the highest circles of
Versailles. Poor man, he was the least of the very least when I knew him
first--a private in my corps. I made him keeper of the canteen. How can
the son of such a one be more than a 'pea-soup.' What insolence and
folly! He shall learn that this kind of rascality is not permitted by
the nobles of France. Beast! animal