voice was as urbane as it lay within its power to be.

"I understood that monsieur was proposing to state his business,
not to question mine."

Garnache sat back in his chair, and his eyes narrowed. He scented
opposition, and the greatest stumbling-block in Garnache's career
had been that he could never learn to brook opposition from any man.
That characteristic, evinced early in life, had all but been the
ruin of him. He was a man of high intellectual gifts, of military
skill and great resource; out of consideration for which had he
been chosen by Marie de Medicis to come upon this errand. But he
marred it all by a temper so ungovernable that in Paris there was
current a byword, "Explosive as Garnache."

Little did Tressan dream to what a cask of gunpowder he was applying
the match of his smug pertness. Nor did Garnache let him dream it
just yet. He controlled himself betimes, bethinking him that, after
all, there might be some reason in what this fat fellow said.


"You misapprehend my purpose, sir," said he, his lean brown hand
stroking his long chin. "I but sought to learn how far already you
may be informed of what is taking place up there, to the end that
I may spare myself the pains of citing facts with which already you
are acquainted. Still, monsieur, I am willing to proceed upon the
lines which would appear to be more agreeable to yourself.

"This, then, is the sum of the affair that brings me: The late
Marquis de Condillac left two sons. The elder, Florimond - who is