I had caught his name as Monsieur Mills.

The lady who had introduced me took the earliest opportunity to murmur into my ear: "A relation of Lord X." (_Un proche parent de Lord X_.) And then she added, casting up her eyes: "A good friend of the King." Meaning Don Carlos of course.
I looked at the _proche parent_; not on account of the parentage but marvelling at his air of ease in that cumbrous body and in such tight clothes, too.

But presently the same lady informed me further: "He has come here amongst us _un naufrage_." I became then really interested.

I had never seen a shipwrecked person before.

All the boyishness in me was aroused.