He had seen through her as if she had been made of glass; he had penetrated her artifices and detected her falsehoods.

Yet feigning to believe her and them, he had first neutralized her only weapons--other than offensive--then used them for her own defeat.

Marius it was who took up the conversation.
"Monsieur," he cried--and there was a frown drawing together his fine brows--"what you suggest amounts to a tyranny on the Queen's part." Garnache was on his feet, his chair grating the polished floor.
"Monsieur says ?" quoth he, his glittering eye challenging the rash boy to repeat his words.
But the Dowager intervened with a little trill of laughter.
"Bon Dieu! Marius, what are you saying?
Foolish boy! And you, Monsieur de Garnache, do not heed him, I beg you.

We are so far from Court in this little corner of Dauphiny, and my son has been reared in so free an atmosphere that he is sometimes betrayed into expressions whose impropriety he does not realize." Garnache bowed in token of his perfect satisfaction, and at that moment two servants entered bearing flagons and beakers, fruits and sweetmeats, which they placed upon the table.

The Dowager rose, and went to do the honours of the board.