He laid his hand upon my shoulder and turned to a big, gaunt man who had accompanied him into the room.

'Look here, Cambaceres, you simpleton,' said he.

'You always said that the old families would never come back, and that they would settle in England as the Huguenots have done.

You see that, as usual, you have miscalculated, for here is the heir of the de Lavals come to offer his services.

Monsieur de Laval, you are now my aide-de-camp, and I beg you to keep with me wherever I go.' This was promotion indeed, and yet I had sense enough to know that it was not for my own sweet sake that the Emperor had done it, but in order to encourage others to follow me.