“He had two tempting opportunities, I can assure you,” said Beaumont; “one offered by the commandant’s lady, who was not insensible to his merit; the other, by the gratitude of some poor servant, whom he had obliged--Mr. Walsingham can tell you all the particulars.” “No, I need not detail the circumstances; it is enough to tell you, sir, that he withstood the temptations, would not break his parole, and remained four months a prisoner in Cambray. Like the officers of the garrison, he should have drunk or gamed, or else he must have died of vexation, he says, if he had not fortunately had a taste for reading, and luckily procured books from a good old priest’s library. At the end of four months the garrison of Cambray was changed; and instead of a set of dissipated officers, there came a well-conducted regiment, under the command of M. de Villars, an elderly officer of sense and discretion.” “An excellent man!” cried Beaumont: “I love him with all my soul, though I never saw him. But I beg your pardon for interrupting you, Mr. Walsingham.” “A prattling hairdresser at Cambray first prepossessed M. de Villars in Walsingham’s favour, by relating a number of anecdotes intended to throw abuse and ridicule upon the English captain, to convict him of misanthropy and economy; of having had his hair dressed but twice since he came to Cambray; of never having frequented the society of Madame la Marquise de Marsillac, the late commandant’s lady, for more than a fortnight after his arrival, and of having actually been detected in working with his own hand with smiths’ and carpenters’ tools. Upon the strength of the hairdresser’s information, M. de Villars paid the English captain a visit; was pleased by his conversation, and by all that he observed of his conduct and character.