Which was indeed the case, for he was new back from the Western Seas, and had celebrated his home-coming with a brave suit.
As a youth he had fought under Conde in the religious wars, but had followed Jean Ribaut to Florida, and had been one of the few survivors when the Spaniards sacked St.Caroline.With de Gourgues he had sailed west again for vengeance, and had got it.

Thereafter he had been with the privateers of Brest and La Rochelle, a hornet to search out and sting the weak places of Spain on the Main and among the islands.

But he was not born to live continually in outland parts, loving rather to intercalate fierce adventures between spells of home-keeping.

The love of his green Picardy manor drew him back with gentle hands.

He had now returned like a child to his playthings, and the chief thoughts in his head were his gardens and fishponds, the spinneys he had planted and the new German dogs he had got for boar-hunting in the forest.