Thomas Borlase

A historical physician whose death in 1754 left no lasting record beyond a single oblique portrait and an epitaph hinting at tragedy. Thomas Borlase's end came under unexplained circumstances when a fallen stone crushed him, a detail De Vries exploits to unnerve his audience. His historical obscurity contrasts sharply with the Montcalm family's violent legacy, making him a symbolic cautionary figure—one whose fate warns of unseen dangers lurking in the past. The brevity of his recorded life makes him a vehicle for others' motives rather than an individual of notable achievement.