On his wig was placed a white hat cocked jauntily at one side with a red feather streaming round it, and he wore a coat of cinnamon-coloured cloth with silver at the neck and pockets, which was still very handsome, though it bore signs of having been frayed and mended more than once.  This, with black velvet knee-breeches and high well-polished boots, made a costume such as De Catinat had never before seen in the wilds of Canada.

As they watched, a rude husbandman walked forwards from the crowd, and kneeling down upon a square of carpet placed his hands between those of the seigneur.

“Monsieur de Sainte Marie, Monsieur de Sainte Marie, Monsieur de Sainte Marie,” said he three times, “I bring you the faith and homage which I am bound to bring you on account of my fief Herbert, which I hold as a man of faith of your seigneury.”

“Be true, my son.  Be valiant and true!” said the old nobleman solemnly, and then with a sudden change of tone:  “What in the name of the devil has your daughter got there?”

A girl had advanced from the crowd with a large strip of bark in front of her on which was heaped a pile of dead fish.

“It is your eleventh fish which I am bound by my oath to render to you,” said the censitaire.  “There are seventy-three in the heap, and I have caught eight hundred in the month.”

“Peste!” cried the nobleman.  “Do you think, Andre Dubois, that I will disorder my health by eating three-and-seventy fish in this fashion?  Do you think that I and my body-servants and my personal retainers and the other members of my household have nothing to do but to eat your fish?  In future, you will pay your tribute not more than five at a time.  Where is the major-domo?  Theuriet, remove the fish to our central store-house, and be careful that the smell does not penetrate to the blue tapestry chamber or to my lady’s suite.”

A man in very shabby black livery, all stained and faded, advanced with a large tin platter and carried off the pile of white fish.  Then, as each of the tenants stepped forward to pay their old-world homage, they all left some share of their industry for their lord’s maintenance.  With some it was a bundle of wheat, with some a barrel of potatoes, while others had brought skins of deer or of beaver.  All these were carried off by the major-domo, until each had paid his tribute, and the singular ceremony was brought to a conclusion.  As the seigneur rose, his son, who had returned, took De Catinat by the sleeve and led him through the throng.

“Father,” said he, “this is Monsieur de Catinat, whom you may remember some years ago at Quebec.”

The seigneur bowed with much condescension, and shook the guardsman by the hand.

“You are extremely welcome to my estates, both you and your body-servants—­”

“They are my friends, monsieur.  This is Monsieur Amos Green and Captain Ephraim Savage.  My wife is travelling with me, but your courteous son has kindly taken her to your lady.”