t
from the house at Lac Calvaire to hear and understand part of the
thirty-eighth chapter of Job, beginning with the verse, "By what way is
the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?" and
ending with the thirteenth verse of the succeeding chapter, "Gavest
thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks?"

CHAPTER III

THE MAN IN THE CHAIR

"From out the crumbling ruins of fallen pride
And chambers of transgression, now forlorn."

The house at Lac Calvaire was, as stated, a fair specimen of the
dwellings erected in the first half of the eighteenth century by those
Canadians who, living frugally though comfortably, felt that affection
for the soil, for the natural features of the wild but picturesque
country, even for its severe and strenuous climate, which in many cases
prompted them to make homes and found families. In the year 1729, a
Clairville, rich trader in furs and skins, built the house five miles
from the majestic and lonely Fall. This Clairville was the grandson of
a certain Francois Gaillard, body servant and faithful follower of the
Sieur de Clairville--Antoine-Louis-Onesime--who came to New France in
1664. The nobleman in question led a truly chequered life in the gay
garrisons of the new world, varied by a couple of voyages to the gayer
Court he had left behind, but through all the reckless episodes of his
long and stirring career, Francois was by his side, patient, adroit,
silent when necessary, at other times a madcap for freak and fantasy.
Faith of a gentleman--Francois Gaillard was everything his noble master
should have been, and that master too often such as the poorest lackey
might have been ashamed to be, yet--faith of a gentleman--De Clairville
atoned for much ere he died. Francois, his foster-brother, received at
his master's death a gift of land under the Crown to him and his heirs
for ever, the name Gaillard to be abandoned for that of Clairville. In
1684 the Sieur de Clairville died; Francois survived him twenty years,
leaving one son and two daughters. These became _Clairvilles_; there
were no De Clairvilles. The son prospered, as did _his_ son, another
Francois, who built the strong stone farm-house and planted the poplars
and laid the foundation of a well-known name, respected and quoted far
and near in the community. Both house and family seemed to bear
charmed lives. Canada was lost to France and in that losing many fine
manor-houses and farms were d