olent and far-seeing king to those of his friends who had
not the means of replacing the ancient family treasures filched from
them by the revolutionary government.

There were no flowers upon the table, and only very few wax candles
burned in the ormolu and crystal chandelier overhead. Flowers and wax
candles were luxuries which must be paid for with ready money--a
commodity which was exceedingly scarce in the grandiose Chateau de
Brestalou--but they also were a luxury which could easily be dispensed
with, for did not M. le Comte de Cambray set the fashions and give the
tone to the whole _departement_? and if he chose to have no flowers upon
his supper table and but few candles in his silver sconces, why then
society must take it for granted that such now was _bon ton_ and the
prevailing fashion at the Tuileries.

Bobby, knowing his host's fastidious tastes in such matters, had made a
very careful toilet, all the while that his thoughts were busy with the
wonderful news which Emery had brought this day, and which was all over
Grenoble by now. He and his two companions had left Notre Dame de Vaulx
soon after their _dejeuner_, and together had entered the city at five
o'clock in the afternoon. On their way they had encountered the
travelling-coach of General Mouton-Duveret, who, accompanied by his
aide-de-camp, was on his way to Gap, where he intended to organise
strong resistance against Bonaparte.

He parleyed some time with Emery, whom he knew by sight and suspected of
being an emissary of the Corsican. Emery, with true southern verve, gave
the worthy general a highly-coloured account of the triumphal progress
through Provence and the Dauphine of Napoleon, whom he boldly called
"the Emperor." Mouton--in no way belying his name--was very upset not
only by the news, but by his own helplessness with regard to Emery, who
he knew would presently be in Grenoble distributing the usurper's
proclamations all over the city, whilst he--Mouton--with his one
aide-de-camp and a couple of loutish servants on the box of his coach,
could do nothing to detain him.

As soon as the three men had ridden away, however, he sent his
aide-de-camp back to Grenoble by a round-about way, ordering him to make
as great speed as possible, and to see General Marchand as soon as may
be, so that immediate measures might be taken to prevent that emissary
if not from entering the city, at least from posting up proclamations on
public buildings.

B