“We have been greatly helped,” says he, “by the chief of the English Factory at Maderas,[91] who has been so good as to bestow upon us aid of that sort more than once.” “Why,” says I, “are you near to Maderas at this place?” “Not far off,” said he. “’Tis some few miles to the north, that is all.” “Then I shan’t be forced to trespass on your kindness so long as I had feared, sir,” said I. “Methought I must needs stay here until an English ship should chance to enter the harbour, or maybe a _caphalay_ start for one of the Company’s posts.” “You are mighty eager to leave us, sir,” says he. “At the least, I am assured that his lordship will never let you depart under fifteen days, and methinks he will desire you to tarry with us longer. It an’t so often that we see here one from Europe that we need hasten his departure when he comes.” “You are very good, sir,” says I, “and sure I’m most grateful to his lordship,” and indeed I could not but admire the hospitableness wherewith these French gentlemen shared their scanty stores. “We ourselves, sir,” says Mr Marigny, “are too much indebted to the English factories to be able to treat any Englishman ill. But it is now growing late, and we will, if you please, return to my lodging, that we may prepare for his lordship’s supper-party.” To this I agreed without any ado, and the more as I was all eagerness to behold again the beautiful countenance of that lady who had carried herself so kindly towards me, and leaving the walls, we returned to Mr Marigny’s lodging. This I now perceived to be situate in one of the great houses of the place, its outward aspect mean enough, but its furnishings genteel and handsome after the Indian fashion, since it had belonged to a chief man among the Moors, and was now appointed to the use of some three or four of the younger gentlemen among my lord marquis his officers. Here we found set out a cold collation, to which, when we were sat down, we did excellent justice, and then made shift to dress ourselves fitly for appearing in my lord’s presence. And because I had no clothes meet for such an entertainment, and the suit which I had ordered of a Gentue tailor of the town not being likely to be finished for some days, Mr Marigny did lend me a tunic of his own, that was of a light blue damask, guarded with silver lace, very pretty, and had in a soldier of his troop, that was also a barber, for to trim my hair. And being now ready, we were carried in _palenkeens_ to the palace, which is a great piece of building, used formerly by the Moorish governor of the King of Gulconda, and so large as all the six hundred Frenchmen in St Thomas might have found lodging therein easily. But my lord, for his punctilio’s sake, whereof he was prodigious jealous, had reserved it altogether for himself, his family and his guard, and everything was arranged very orderly, and with as great pomp and ceremony as at any court of Europe.