read the petition.

The judge smiled. "Only a _habitant_ from the country," he mused,
good-humouredly, "who wants to add some mouldy flourishes to his name.
Well, if it pleases him, let him have them. Does anybody oppose the
petition?" he said aloud. "No? Well, it is granted. Hand it up for my
signature."

The astute Rottot had added the words--"Granted as prayed for, as well
as to all other deeds and writings."

This gave Germain great satisfaction. With the precious order in his
pocket he spent a few hours reconnoitring the town, and especially the
headquarters of the garrison and the Governor's residence, the Chateau
de Ramezay.

Returning to St. Elphege, he presented the order of the Court at once to
Maitre d'Aguilhe, and obtained a copy of the amended marriage contract,
which he stored in his box as proof for use in France of the titles of
his father in Canada.

While in Montreal he had determined to make that place also useful to
him. So, after a decent delay, he found lodging at an elegant little
house which suited him in St. Jean Baptiste Street, secluded behind
the great Convent of the Grey Nuns and yet not far away from garrison
headquarters.

[Illustration: Germain Lecour at the House in St. Jean Baptiste Street.]

His first act when he was left alone in his room was to don his uniform,
his next to take out of his pocket the certified copy of the marriage
contract of his parents which had been made for him by the Notary
d'Aguilhe. He conned it a minute, standing by the Louis XIV. mantel,
which may still be seen in that house, and sought but his mother's name.
"Dame Catherine Lanier," it read. He drew out his little inkstand and
quill, and, seizing a scrap of paper, tried some marks on it. Finding
the ink to his satisfaction, he carefully touched the point of the quill
to the contract and rapidly inserted the particle "de," making the name
"Catherine de Lanier."

Rushing out of the house--it was afternoon--he sought relief in the open
air and garden-like freshness of Notre Dame Street, a thoroughfare up to
which the serried buildings of the "Lower Town"--for Montreal also had a
Lower and Upper Town, even within its contracted width--had not yet
crept, and which, situated on the top of the long, low ridge of the
city, commanded free views of the river, the town, and all the prominent
landmarks on one side, and of the fortification walls and the beautiful
country seats on the slopes towards Mount Roya