Paulet's real sentiments on this occasion may be gathered from a letter to Mr. Secretary Davison, written two days before.[84] Although written from a bed of sickness, he evinces no sympathy for the Queen's chronic ill-health, nor does it seem to occur to him that Chartley was as unwholesome for his delicate prisoner as for himself, the "naughty waters" there having contributed to aggravate the Queen's rheumatism and other ailments. [Footnote 84: See _Paulet's Letters_, p. 351.] On the Monday (23rd January) Melville had an interview with Paulet--the first since he had been separated from the others--and spoke in the same sense as his mistress of his separation from her. Sir Amyas replied very courteously, but declined to give any reason for this decision. He likewise declined to give M. de Préau and Melville a separate allowance of food, saying that as when they were with the others there was sufficient for all, nothing extra was now needed. All this created much surmise and anxiety among the Queen's people, but that same evening a clue was given to the mystery. About five o'clock the Fotheringay porter, Newrins, came to forbid Jehan Landet, the Queen's butler, to carry the rod before the dishes of meat served to his mistress. (This office had belonged to Melville, as master of the household, and had only been exercised by Landet since his absence.)[85] [Footnote 85: This practice had probably been adopted by Mary from the French custom. M. de Chantelauze quotes the following from a court ceremonial of the reign of Louis XIV.: "La viande de sa Majeste sera porté en cette ordre, deux des gardes marcheront les premiers, ensuite l'huissier de Salle, _le maître d'hôtel avec son bâton_," etc.]