CHAPTERX
THERECRUIT
InthegreathalloftheChateaudeCondillacsattheDowager，herson，andtheLordSeneschal，inconference。
ItwasearlyintheafternoonofthelastThursdayinOctober，exactlyaweeksinceMonsieurdeGarnacheallbutbroken-heartedatthefailureofhismission-haddepartedfromGrenoble。Theyhaddined，andthetablewasstillstrewnwithvesselsandthefragmentsoftheirmeal，fortheclothhadnotyetbeenraised。Butthethreeofthemhadlefttheboard-theSeneschalwithallthatreluctancewithwhichhewaswonttopartcompanywiththetable，nomatterhowperturbedinspirithemightto-andtheyhadcometogroupthemselvesaboutthegreatopenfireplace。
AshaftofpaleOctobersunshineenteringthroughthegulesofanescutcheononthemullionedwindowsstruckascarletlightintosilveraidglassupontheforsakenboard。