It was a peremptory command to make this communication without wasting the valuable time of a King's Lieutenant, of whose immense importance it conveyed something more than a hint.

M.
de Lesdiguieres accounted himself an imposing personality, and he had every reason to do so, for in his time he had seen many a poor devil scared out of all his senses by the thunder of his voice.
He waited now to see the same thing happen to this youthful lawyer from Gavrillac.

But he waited in vain.
Andre-Louis found him ridiculous.

He knew pretentiousness for the mask of worthlessness and weakness.

And here he beheld pretentiousness incarnate.