"The whole population," says the Abbe
Ferland, "was heartened and rejoiced by the return of Mgr. de Laval, who
came back to Canada to end his days among his former flock. His virtues,
his long and arduous labours in New France, his sincere love for the
children of the country, had endeared him to the Canadians; they felt
their trust in Providence renewed on beholding again him who, with them,
at their head, had passed through many years of trial and suffering." He
hardly took time to rest, but set out at once for Montreal, where he was
anxious to deliver in person to the Sulpicians the document of
spiritual and devotional union which had been quite recently signed at
Paris by the Seminary of St. Sulpice and by that of the Foreign
Missions. Returning to Quebec, he had the pleasure of receiving his
successor on the arrival of the latter, who disembarked on July 31st,
1688.

The reception of Mgr. de Saint-Vallier was as cordial as that offered
two months before to his predecessor. "As early as four o'clock in the
morning," we read in the annals of the Ursulines, "the whole population
was alert to hasten preparations. Some arranged the avenue along which
the new bishop was to pass, others raised here and there the standard of
the lilies of France. In the course of the morning Mgr. de Laval,
accompanied by several priests, betook himself to the vessel to salute
his successor whom the laws of the old French etiquette kept on board
his ship until he had replied to all the compliments prepared for him.
Finally, about two o'clock in the afternoon, the whole clergy, the civil
and military authorities, and the people having assembled on the quay,
Mgr. de Saint-Vallier made his appearance, addressed first by M. de
Bernieres in the name of the clergy. He was next greeted by the mayor,
in the name of the whole town, then the procession began to move, with
military music at its head, and the new bishop was conducted to the
cathedral between two files of musketeers, who did not fail to salute
him and to fire volleys along the route." "The thanksgiving hymn which
re-echoed under the vaults of the holy temple found an echo in all
hearts," we read in another account; "and the least happy was not that
of the worthy prelate who thus inaugurated his long and laborious
episcopal career."

CHAPTER XVI

MASSACRE OF LACHINE

The virtue of Mgr. de Laval lacked the supreme consecration of
misfortune. A wearied but triumphant soldier,