His mouth was almost without lips, which Lavater deems an indubitable sign of an evil mind, and it was framed in a pair of slight gray moustaches and a 'royale'-- an ornament then in fashion, which somewhat resembled a comma in form.

The old man wore a close red cap, a large 'robe-dechambre', and purple silk stockings; he was no less a personage than Armand Duplessis, Cardinal de Richelieu.
Near him, around the small table, sat four youths from fifteen to twenty years of age; these were pages, or domestics, according to the term then in use, which signified familiars, friends of the house.

This custom was a relic of feudal patronage, which still existed in our manners.

The younger members of high families received wages from the great lords, and were devoted to their service in all things, challenging the first comer at the wish of their patron.

The pages wrote letters from the outline previously given them by the Cardinal, and after their master had glanced at them, passed them to the secretaries, who made fair copies.