1682.] DEPARTURE OF FRONTENAC. 71 



He was full of contradictions ; and, intolerant and 

 implacable as he often was, there were intervals, 

 even in his bitterest quarrels, in which he displayed 

 a surprising moderation and patience. By fits he 

 could be magnanimous. A woman once brought 

 him a petition in burlesque verse. Frontenac 

 wrote a jocose answer. The woman, to ridicule 

 him, contrived to have both petition and answer 

 slipped among the papers of a suit pending before 

 the council. Frontenac had her fined a few francs, 

 and then caused the money to be given to her 

 children. 1 



When he sailed for France, it was a day of re- 

 joicing to more than half the merchants of Canada, 

 and, excepting the Recollets, to all the priests ; 

 but he left behind him an impression, very general 

 among the people, that, if danger threatened the 

 colony, Count Frontenac was the man for the 

 hour. 



1 Note by Abbe Verreau, in Journal de I' Instruction Publique (Canada), 

 VIII. 127. 



