noon
His Majesty was just then occupied with an inquiry into the naval force of the kingdom ; and as I cast my eyes carelessly over the names , I read little else than Vice-Admiral So-and-so , Commander Such-a-one , and Chef d'Escardron Such-another , and the levee presented accordingly , instead of its usual brilliant array of gorgeous uniform and aiguilletted marshals , the simple blue-and-gold of the naval service . `` The marine was not in high favor with the Emperor ; and truly , my reception of these unfrequent visitors was anything but flattering . The early part of the morning was , as usual , occupied by the audience of the Minister of Police , and the Duc de Bassano , who evidently , from the length of time they remained , had matter of importance to communicate . Meanwhile the antechamber filled rapidly , and before noon was actually crowded . It was just at this moment that the folding-door slowly opened , and a figure entered , such as I had never before seen in our brilliant saloon . He was a man of five or six and fifty , short , thickset , and strongly built , with a bronzed and weather-beaten face , and a broad open forehead deeply scarred with a sabre-cut ; a shaggy gray mustache curled over and concealed his mouth , while eyebrows of the same color shaded his dark and piercing eyes . His dress was a coarse cut of blue cloth such as the fishermen wear in Bretagne , fastened at the waist by a broad belt of black leather , from which hung a short-bladed cutlass ; his loose trousers , of the same material , were turned up at the ankles to show a pair of strong legs coarsely cased in blue stockings and thick-soled shoes .