"Monsieur d'Aguilhe," commenced old Lecour, "here is my son, who thinks me a noble--and upon my honour I cannot argue against him; he is too able for me."
"Aha!" returned d'Aguilhe, pricking up his ears, and saying to himself, "This looks like something important."
"We desire," said Germain, taking the business into his own hands, "to see the marriage contract of my father and mother."
"Certainly, Monsieur Germain," he answered, and going to his cupboards, took his package of deeds for the year 1765, picked out the document and handed it to Germain, who read a few lines at the beginning.
"I see," the latter said, "that my father is improperly described here, as you will observe by these documents I now place before you. He is entitled to be called in this contract 'François Xavier LeCour, Chevalier de Lincy.'"
"A--ah!" exclaimed again the Notary, solemnly, raising his eyebrows and poking over Germain's parchments.
"Is not my father the Chevalier de Lincy?"
"Then we have only to ask, as it is a family matter, that you add this name to the contract of marriage, and give us a copy."
"Do not say that, d'Aguilhe," the merchant said; "if the boy wants it, let him have it. What do I care?"
"Cannot be done? for _me_? Have I done nothing for you, M. d'Aguilhe? Have I not been a good client to you?"
"Nevertheless, sir, nothing can weigh with me against the rules of my profession," pompously replied the Notary. "A Public Person must not allow himself to be swayed by private considerations."
"In what lies your difficulty in changing this deed?" Germain asked.
"A deed once deposited in the archives of the Notary is sacred."
"You see that the honour of the family is concerned in rectifying that mistake."
"But is there no way? If I offer fifty livres for your advice upon a way, for instance?"
"Ah, Monsieur, that is different; the heart of the professional man should open, and his knowledge be accessible to his client. There is a way."
"Obtain an order of the Judge upon me to add the required paragraphs to my deed."
"I thank you, sir," and, so saying, d'Aguilhe put his quill behind his ear and showed them politely to the door.
Germain and his father--the father arrayed by Madame in his best black coat--set, therefore, off for Montreal. They crossed the ferry near Répentigny church, and drove through open country along the riverside till, as evening drew on, they came in sight of the walls, the citadel hill, the enchanting suburban estates and green Mount Royal in the background, which denoted the city.