He wore no orders.

An order of the third or fourth class held no allurement.

Nothing less than the Golden Fleece would have interested him, and the grand duke himself could not boast of this rare and distinguished order.

In truth, Carmichael coveted nothing but a medal for valor, and his own country had not yet come to recognize the usefulness of such a distinction.
All round him sat ministers or ambassadors; he alone represented a consulate.

So his place at the table was honorary rather than diplomatic.