"Permit me then to walk in advance to do the honors." Canolles followed him, congratulating himself upon having fallen into the hands of so courteous a gentleman. "I fancy you will be let off with the ordinary question, only four pots of water," Barrabas whispered in his ear. "So much the better," said Canolles. "I shall swell up only half as much." When they reached the court-yard of the citadel, Canolles found part of the garrison under arms. Thereupon the officer who escorted him drew his sword and saluted him. "_Mon Dieu!_ how tedious!" muttered Canolles. At the same instant a drum beat under an archway near by. Canolles turned, and a second file of soldiers issued from the archway and took up a position behind the first. The officer thereupon handed Canolles two keys. "What does this mean?" the baron demanded; "what are you doing?" "We are going through with the customary formalities in accordance with the most rigorous laws of military etiquette." "For whom do you take me, in God's name?" exclaimed Canolles, amazed beyond expression. "Why, for who you are,--for Monsieur le Baron de Canolles, Governor of Île Saint-Georges." A cloud passed before Canolles' eyes, and he was near falling. "I shall have the honor in a moment," continued the officer, "of turning over to Monsieur le Gouverneur his commission, which arrived this morning, accompanied by a letter announcing monsieur's arrival for to-day." Canolles glanced at Barrabas, whose round eyes were fixed upon him with an expression of speechless amazement impossible to describe. "So I am Governor of Île Saint-Georges?" faltered Canolles. "Yes, monsieur, and his Majesty has made us very happy by his choice." "You are sure that there's no mistake?" "If you will deign to go with me to your apartments, monsieur, you will find there your commission." Canolles, completely staggered by a dénouement so utterly different from that which he anticipated, followed the officer without a word, amid the beating of drums, soldiers presenting arms, and all the inhabitants of the fortress, who made the air resound with acclamations. Pale and excited, he saluted to right and left, and questioned Barrabas with dismayed glance. At last he was introduced into a salon furnished with some pretensions to elegance, from the windows of which he noticed first of all that he could see the château de Cambes; and there he read his commission, drawn up in proper form, signed by the queen, and countersigned by the Duc d'Épernon. At that sight Canolles' legs altogether failed him, and he fell helplessly upon a chair. After all the fanfares and presenting arms and noisy demonstrations of respect in the military fashion, and after the first feeling of surprise which these demonstrations produced in him, Canolles was anxious to know just what to think with reference to the office the queen had bestowed upon him, and raised his eyes which for some time had been fastened upon the floor.