But the old man knew instinctively that he must control things in Grenoble at least with an iron hand and that no temporizing was possible.

The return of Marteau, who was a man of parts and power, he admitted--he recalled how well he had borne himself before the little group in the drawing-room!--followed by the midnight gathering, the joy of the veterans, their worship almost of the Eagle, enlightened him.

He would put down sedition with an iron hand, he swore to himself.

The King had committed this important place to him.

It was, in a certain sense, a frontier city if the impossible happened.