"Certainly, sire. I may well be mistaken. But upon my first meeting with him I wrote into France to discover more of him. The answer to my letter must be awaited before I can state whether this man is the Chevalier or whether he is not. I have come here to-day, sire, to request you, very humbly, to be patient a few weeks, to hold your hand, in effect, until I receive the answer to my letter." Philip nodded slowly. "We shall do nothing unadvisedly," he said. "We must think on this. You shall hear more of our decision, señor. Be sure we should be loth to proceed against a subject of our cousin of France." "I have to thank your Majesty for your courtesy," de Lauvinière said, and bowed over the King's cold hand. He was ushered out of the cabinet, and passed through the ante-chamber without delay. Perinat tried to stop him, and shot an eager question, but de Lauvinière answered evasively, and passed on. The King would not see Don Maxia de Perinat. "It does not need for us to listen to Don Maxia," he said coldly. "He will make his deposition to the Alcalde at a later time. We will give audience to Don Cristobal de Porres." Don Cristobal, commander of the Guards of Castile, Governor of the great barracks where Beauvallet was imprisoned, was awaiting the King's pleasure in the anteroom. He was a man of some forty years of age, dark and tall, with a grave countenance and a thin mouth half concealed by his black mustachio and the pointed beard he wore. He came in very promptly, and stood just inside the door, deeply bowing. "Sire!" "We have sent for you, señor, to inquire into this matter of your prisoner. I do not immediately understand why the _ginetes_ were called in." "The Casa Noveli, sire, is hard by the barracks," Porres answered. "A gentleman came in hot haste with the news that El Beauvallet was captured, and my lieutenant, Cruza, perhaps acted without due reflection. I have held the man in ward against the hearing of your Majesty's pleasure." Philip seemed to be satisfied, for he said nothing for a moment or two, but gazed with apparent abstraction before him. Presently he brought his eyes back to Porres' face, and spoke abruptly. "Let search be made in his baggage," he said. "We shall require you to keep the Chevalier under surveillance, Don Cristobal, until such time as we make known our further pleasure. If he travels with a servant----" he paused. "It might be well to interrogate the man." "Sire----!" Philip waited. "It was judged expedient, sire, to send early this morning to the inn where the Chevalier lodged. I do not know sire, if this was agreeable to your Majesty, but in consideration--the charge was of such a nature--there was a fear----" "Compose yourself, señor." "In short, sire, acting a little on Don Maxia de Perinat's advice, I caused search to be made through the Chevalier's effects, and sent to apprehend the servant, deeming it a measure your Majesty would approve."