He was a man of about sixty years of age, somewhat under the middle size, but strongly made, and evidently capable of enduring great fatigue.  His eyes were black and piercing, his complexion so dark as to be almost olive, and his features regular, the mouth being small and sharply chiseled and compressed.  Thick, long, white hair covered his whole head, with the exception of a small round spot on the crown which was bare, revealing the mark of the priest, and fell upon his shoulders.  He was habited in a long, closely-fitting robe of some coarse material, which had once been black, but was now faded and tarnished by time and exposure, and a hempen rope to keep it in place was girded about his loins.  Such, as we have described him, was the famous Father Le Vieux, one of the most active and devoted among the French Jesuits in America.

Father Le Vieux had risen from his seat, and was advancing toward his visiter, when the latter first beheld him.  As the two men drew nigh, the Knight sunk on his knees at the feet of the priest.

“Salve fili mi!” said the father, laying his hands on the head of the kneeling Sir Christopher. “Beatus qui venit in nomine Domini.  Arise, my son!” he continued, in French, taking the Knight by the hand, and assisting him.  “Thy companion, I trust, sleeps soundly.”

“He is asleep, reverend father,” answered the Knight, in the same language, “like one who has made a covenant with his eyes not to open them before morning.”

“May the blessed angels press their palms thereupon, that he awaken not.  Now, then, disclose to me what, for our mutual purpose, it is meet that I should know.”

With these words, he led the way into that part of the lodge whence he came, and was followed by Sir Christopher, who sat down by his side on a sort of bench.

“First, reverend father,” said Sir Christopher, “would I confess my sins and obtain absolution.  It is long since my bosom’s stains were wiped out by authority of Holy Church, and my soul languishes for forgiveness.”

“Kneel, then, and on peril of thy salvation keep nothing back.”

Sir Christopher, with bowed head, knelt by his side, and, in low-murmured tones, while the priest bowed down to him his ear, made his confession.  It lasted some considerable time, for which reason the good father betrayed a little impatience, either because he thought that the sins were too trivial to be dwelt upon so long, or because he was anxious to hear the communication of his penitent on other matters.  At its conclusion, he placed his hand on the Knight’s head, and said: 

“The sins which, with a penitent heart and lively faith, thou hast confessed, not having wilfully concealed anything, and determined by God’s grace to commit them no more, do I, a servant of Holy Church, commissioned for that purpose by the successor of blessed St. Peter, whose are the sacred keys, and unto whom and his fellow-servants it was promised by the Head of the Church, ’whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven,’ absolve thee from, and unbind and remit unto thee, both in time and in eternity, in nomine Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.  Amen.  Rise and sin no more.  And now, make thy report.”