Majesty was
Tressan's only correspondent.

Then the door opened, the portiere was swept aside, and Anselme
announced "Monsieur de Garnache."

Tressan turned as the newcomer stepped briskly into the room, and
bowed, hat in hand, its long crimson feather sweeping the ground, then
straightened himself and permitted the Seneschal to take his measure.

Tressan beheld a man of a good height, broad to the waist and spare
thence to the ground, who at first glance appeared to be mainly clad in
leather. A buff jerkin fitted his body; below it there was a glimpse of
wine-coloured trunks, and hose of a slightly deeper hue, which vanished
immediately into a pair of huge thighboots of untanned leather. A
leather swordbelt, gold-embroidered at the edges, carried a long
steel-halted rapier in a leather scabbard chaped with steel. The sleeves
of his doublet which protruded from his leather casing were of the same
colour and material as his trunks. In one hand he carried his broad
black hat with its crimson feather, in the other a little roll of
parchment; and when he moved the creak of leather and jingle of his
spurs made pleasant music for a martial spirit.

Above all, this man's head, well set upon his shoulders, claimed some
attention. His nose was hooked and rather large, his eyes were blue,
bright as steel, and set a trifle wide. Above a thin-lapped, delicate
mouth his reddish mustachios, slightly streaked with grey, stood out,
bristling like a cat's. His hair was darker--almost brown save at the
temples, where age had faded it to an ashen colour. In general his
aspect was one of rugged strength.

The Seneschal, measuring him with an adversary's eye, misliked his
looks. But he bowed urbanely, washing his hands in the air, and
murmuring:

"Your servant, Monsieur de--?"

"Garnache," came the other's crisp, metallic voice, and the name had a
sound as of an oath on his lips. "Martin Marie Rigobert de Garnache.
I come to you on an errand of Her Majesty's, as this my warrant will
apprise you." And he proffered the paper he held, which Tressan accepted
from his hand.

A change was visible in the wily Seneschal's fat countenance. Its round
expanse had expressed interrogation until now; but at the Parisian's
announcement that he was an emissary of the Queen's, Tressan insinuated
into it just that look of surprise and of increased deference which
would have been natural had he not already been forewarned of Monsieur
de Garnache's