Gamache has coffee with Émile, surprised to hear him speak of Renaud in admiring terms, since Émile’s mentorship always taught him the value of interdependence and humility. As Gamache reflects on the trauma that white settlers inflicted on the Indigenous people of Canada, Émile realizes that Gamache may be dwelling on his recent suffering and assures him that he bears no culpability. Gamache says he is not yet ready to speak of the tragedy.

The two turn back to the many rumors surrounding Champlain, including one that he was the son of the king of France, Henry IV. Émile admits that this would be appealing to Québécois separatists, which he is. The two have an uncharacteristically tense conversation about separatism. Gamache decides to continue investigating the names from Renaud’s diary, inviting Émile to help him search Renaud’s home.

Gamache asks the members of the Literary and Historical Society board about a meeting with four men, based on his reading of Renaud’s diary, but when none of them can help, he returns to Renaud’s home, where Émile has found mysterious numbers in the diary on the same page referring to the meeting.

Following Gamache’s hunch about an “S Patrick” and his 1809 house number, the friends visit the historic home, whose owner, Sean Patrick, is Francophone despite his name.