238 ISAAC JOGUES. [1644. 



Jesuits of France. A letter from Jogues, written 

 during his captivity, had already reached France, as 

 had also the Jesuit Relation of 1643, which con- 

 tained a long account of his capture ; and he had 

 no doubt been an engrossing theme of conversation 

 in every house of the French Jesuits. The Father 

 Rector was putting on his vestments to say mass ; 

 but when he heard that a poor man from Canada 

 had asked for him at the door, he postponed the 

 service, and went to meet him. Jogues, without 

 discovering himself, gave him a letter from the 

 Dutch Director-General attesting his character. 

 The Rector, without reading it, began to question 

 him as to the affairs of Canada, and at length 

 asked him if he knew Father Jogues. 



" I knew him very well," was the reply. 



" The Iroquois have taken him," pursued the 

 "Rector. "Is he dead'? Have they murdered him 1 



" No," answered Jogues ; "he is alive and at 

 liberty, and I am he." And he feU on his knees 

 to ask his Superior's blessing. 



That night was a night of jubilation and thanks- 

 giving in the college of Rennes.^ 



Jogues became a centre of curiosity and rever- 

 ence. He was summoned to Paris. The Queen, 

 Anne of Austria, wished to see him ; and when the 

 persecuted slave of the Mohawks was conducted 

 into her presence, she kissed his mutilated hands, 

 while the ladies of the Court thronged around to 



1 For Jogues's arrival in Brittany, see Lettre de Jogues a Lalemant, 



Bennes, Jan. 6, 1644 ; Lettre de Jogues a , Rennes, Jan. 5, 1644, (in 



Relatim, 1643,) and the long account in the Relation of 1647. 



