had in New France inherited the profound respect of the
colonists, and deserved it.

A few gentlemen, some in military, some in fashionable civil attire,
strolled up towards the crowd, but stood somewhat aloof and outside
of it. The market people pressed closer and closer round the platform,
listening with mouths open and eager eyes to the sermon, storing it away
in their retentive memories, which would reproduce every word of it when
they sat round the fireside in the coming winter evenings.

One or two Recollets stood at a modest distance from the crowd, still
as statues, with their hands hid in the sleeves of their gray gowns,
shaking their heads at the arguments, and still more at the invectives
of the preacher; for the Recollets were accused, wrongfully perhaps,
of studying the five propositions of Port Royal more than beseemed the
humble followers of St. Francis to do, and they either could not or
would not repel the accusation.

"Padre Monti deserves the best thanks of the Intendant for this sermon,"
remarked the Sieur d'Estebe to Le Mercier, who accompanied him.

"And the worst thanks of His Excellency the Count! It was bold of the
Italian to beard the Governor in that manner! But La Galissoniere is too
great a philosopher to mind a priest!" was the half-scoffing reply of Le
Mercier.

"Is he? I do not think so, Le Mercier. I hate them myself, but egad! I
am not philosophic enough to let them know it. One may do so in Paris,
but not in New France. Besides, the Jesuits are just now our fast
friends, and it does not do to quarrel with your supporters."

"True, D'Estebe! We get no help from the Recollets. Look yonder at
Brothers Ambrose and Daniel! They would like to tie Padre Monti neck and
heels with the cords of St. Francis, and bind him over to keep the peace
towards Port Royal; but the gray gowns are afraid of the black robes.
Padre Monti knew they would not catch the ball when he threw it. The
Recollets are all afraid to hurl it back."

"Not all," was the reply; "the Reverend Father de Berey would have
thrown it back with a vengeance. But I confess, Le Mercier, the Padre is
a bold fellow to pitch into the Honnetes Gens the way he does. I did not
think he would have ventured upon it here in the market, in face of so
many habitans, who swear by the Bourgeois Philibert."

The bold denunciations by the preacher against the Honnetes Gens and
against the people's friend and protector, the Bourgeois Philibert