Cleophas Pesant is the son of Thadee Pesant also known as the blacksmith, was already in light-coloured summer garments, and sported an American coat with broad padded shoulders. Beside him Egide Simard, and others who had come a long road by sleigh, fastened their long fur coats as they left the church, drawing them in at the waist with scarlet sashes. The young folk of the village, very smart in coats with otter collars, gave deferential greeting to old Nazaire Larouche; a tall man with gray hair and huge bony shoulders who had in no wise altered for the mass his everyday garb: short jacket of brown cloth lined with sheepskin, patched trousers, and thick woollen socks under moose-hide moccasins. Cleophas Pesant waited for Louisa Tremblay who was alone, and they went off together along the wooden sidewalk in the direction of the house. Samuel Chapdelaine and Maria had gone but a little way when a young man halted them. Samuel Chapdelaine and Maria were to dine with their relative Azalma Larouche. There was nothing to look at; in the settlements new houses and barns might go up from year to year, or be deserted and tumble into ruin; but the life of the woods is so unhurried that one must needs have more than the patience of a human being to await and mark its advance. Telesphore busied himself with the dog-harness and made believe not to hear.