— 187 — 



months later there happened to be company at the St. 

 Jean Port-Joly Manor. Among those present were Eev. 

 Messire Peras, our parish priest ; Eev. Messire Ver- 

 rault, pastor of St. Eoch, and Eev. Messire Panet, pastor 

 of Islet, brother to the first Speaker of our Canadian 

 Parliament. 



The animated conversation running on politics, was 

 all Hebrew to me. 



— " To think," said Eev. Messire Panet, " that at the 

 time of the King's execution there were in France forty 

 thousand priests ! " 



— " What could they have done ? " replied Eev. 

 Messire Peras. 



— " What could they have done ? " instantly rejoined 

 Cur6 Panet, throwing open that portion of his clerical 

 garment which covers the heart. " Shield his majesty 

 with their bodies and die at his feet ! That aught to 

 have been their part, not emigrating." 



— " It seemed beyond belief," adds Mr. de Gaspe\ 

 " that a loyal people like the French should rise and 

 assassinate a good sovereign, and that a chivalrous race 

 should stoop to cut off the heads of noble women — still 

 more noble by their dignified bearing — in presence of 

 the block." 



Mr. de Gaspe* tells how a distinguished Canadian 

 gentleman, M. de Beletre, happened to be in Paris on 

 the day when the King was beheaded. Aware of the 

 real sentiments of the person with whom he was stopp- 

 ing, he was amazed at seeing him leave home that 

 morning, wearing a tricolor cockade and asked : " Where 

 then are you going, my friend ? " 



" To the place of execution," he replied, " to save my 

 head, that of my wife, those of any childred and your 

 own ! " 



He returned, threw himself into his wife's arms, 

 weeping. " To-day," said he, " I have had the anguish 

 of seeing the King's head roll at my feet." 



