The influence of the lady at the Seigneury was upon him, and he himself believed it was for his salvation.

She had told him of great pieces of sculpture she had seen, had sent and got from Quebec City, where he had never been, pictures of some of the world's masterpieces in sculpture, and he had lost himself in the study of them and in the depths of the girl's eyes.

She meant no harm; the man interested her beyond what was reasonable in one of his station in life.

That was all, and all there ever was.
Presently people began to gossip, and a story crept round that, in a new shed which he had built behind his shop, Francois was chiselling out of stone the nude figure of a woman.

There were one or two who professed they had seen it.