by the flames. A single dwelling escaped the
disaster, that of a rich private person, M. Aubert de la Chesnaie, in
whose house mass was said every Sunday and feast-day for the citizens of
the Lower Town who could not go to the parish service. To bear witness
of his gratitude to Heaven, M. de la Chesnaie came to the aid of a good
number of his fellow-citizens, and helped them with his money to rebuild
their houses. This fire injured the merchants of Montreal almost as much
as those of Quebec, and the _Histoire de l'Hotel-Dieu_ relates that
"more riches were lost on that sad night than all Canada now possesses."

The king had the greatest desire for the future reign of harmony in the
colony; accordingly he enjoined upon M. de Meulles to use every effort
to agree with the governor-general: "If the latter should fail in his
duty to the sovereign, the commissioner should content himself with a
remonstrance and allow him to act further without disturbing him, but as
soon as possible afterwards should render an account to the king's
council of what might be prejudicial to the good of the state." Mgr. de
Laval, to whom the prince had written in the same tenor, replied at
once: "The honour which your Majesty has done me in writing to me that
M. de Meulles has orders to preserve here a perfect understanding with
me in all things, and to give me all the aid in his power, is so evident
a mark of the affection which your Majesty cherishes for this new Church
and for the bishop who governs it, that I feel obliged to assure your
Majesty of my most humble gratitude. As I do not doubt that this new
commissioner whom you have chosen will fulfil with pleasure your
commands, I may also assure your Majesty that on my part I shall
correspond with him in the fulfilment of my duty, and that I shall all
my life consider it my greatest joy to enter into the intentions of your
Majesty for the general good of this country, which constitutes a part
of your dominions." Concord thus advised could not displease a pastor
who loved nothing so much as union and harmony among all who held the
reins of power, a pastor who had succeeded in making his Church a family
so united that it was quoted once as a model in one of the pulpits of
Paris. If he sometimes strove against the powerful of this earth, it was
when it was a question of combating injustice or some abuse prejudicial
to the welfare of his flock. "Although by his superior intelligence,"
says Latour,