a religieuse of the Congregation of Notre Dame, the other a secular
lady--Mme. de Chuly, of whom mention has been made. Before he left
France he confided to these pious ladies his views for the advancement
of religion, and his intention to build a city in honor of the Mother of
God engaging them to unite with him in prayer for its success. As soon
as the Congregation Sisters heard of the project they offered to
accompany him, and establish in the New World a community of their
Order. But as he was not prepared to make such an establishment, and as
they pressed him very urgently to comply, he contented himself by
promising that, in the future, if both parties agreed, he would attempt
a foundation. As a pledge of their mutual understanding, they presented
him a statue of the Blessed Virgin, on which were inscribed the
following words: "Sainte Mere de Dieu, et Vierge au Coeur loyal, Gardez
nous une place, en votre Mont-Royal."

It is true there was to be, in the new city, a community of Christian
virgins specially devoted to Mary, but it was not the _religieuses of
Troyes_ God intended to be there, and so the matter ended. Three years
after, when M. de Maisonneuve returned to France to procure assistance
for Ville-Marie, he again visited these religieuses, who importuned him
anew to take some of them to Canada, but he assured them as before that
matters were not sufficiently matured in the New World for the
establishment of a cloistered Sisterhood. So neither party took any more
decisive step than a renewal of good wishes, and indefinite promises for
the future. Divine Providence, meanwhile, was quietly preparing the way
for the accomplishment of its inscrutable designs, not yet manifested.
While these good ladies were filled with ardent hopes of the near future
of their Canadian establishment, Margaret Bourgeois had many business
interviews with them, being Prefect of the extern congregation connected
with their monastery, and her singular virtue being very well known,