and although he was not in uniform his carriage and countenance told
you that he was a personage.

He was very tall and gaunt, with broad shoulders and a waist as small
as a girl's, and although he must then have been about fifty years of
age he stood as stiffly erect as though his spine had grown up into
the back of his head.

At the first glance he reminded me of Van Dyke's portrait of Charles
I. He had the same high-bred features, the same wistful eyes, and
hewore his beard and mustache in what was called the Van Dyke fashion,
before Louis Napoleon gave it a new vogue as the "imperial."

It must have been that I read the wistful look in his eyes later, for
at the moment of our first meeting it was a very stern Charles I. who
confronted us, with the delicate features stiffened in anger, and the
eyes set and burning. Since then I have seen both the wistful look and
the angry look many times, and even now I would rather face the muzzle
of a gun than the eyes of General Laguerre when you have offended him.

His first words were addressed to Reeder.

"What does this mean, sir?" he demanded. "If you cannot keep order in
this camp when my back is turned I shall find an officer who can. Who
is this?" he added, pointing at me. I became suddenly conscious of the
fact that I was without my hat or coat, and that my sleeves were
pulled up to the shoulders. Aiken was just behind me, and as I turned
to him for my coat I disclosed his presence to the General. He gave an
exclamation of delight.