62 ERONTENAC AND DUCHESNE AU. [1675-82 



and nothing consoles the people, who groan with- 

 out daring to complain, but the hope, Monseigneur, 

 that you will have the goodness to condescend 

 to be moved by their misfortunes. No position 

 could be more distressing than mine, since, if I 

 conceal the truth from you, I fail in the obedience 

 I owe the king, and in the fidelity that I vowed so 

 long since to Monseigneur, your father, and which 

 I swear anew at your hands ; and if I obey, as I 

 must, his Majesty's orders and yours, I cannot 

 avoid giving offence, since I cannot render you an 

 account of these disorders without informing you 

 that M. de Frontenac's conduct is the sole cause of 

 them." ' 



Frontenac had written to Seignelay a few days 

 before : " I have no doubt whatever that M. Du- 

 chesneau will, as usual, overwhelm me with fabrica- 

 tions and falsehoods, to cover his own ill conduct. 

 I send proofs to justify myself, so strong and 

 convincing that I do not see that they can leave 

 any doubt ; but, since I fear that their great num- 

 ber might fatigue you, I have thought it better to 

 send them to my wife, with a full and exact jour- 

 nal of all that has passed here day by day, in order 

 that she may extract and lay before you the prin- 

 cipal portions. 



" I send you in person merely the proofs of the 

 conduct of M. Duchesneau, in barricading his 

 house and arming all his servants, and in coming 

 three weeks ago to insult me in my room. You 

 will see thereby to what a pitch of temerity and 



1 Duchesneau au Ministre, 13 Nov., 1681. 



