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servants who introduced you into this palace are ignorant who you are;
but they know me, and that is sufficient. You may possibly have been
brought to these apartments by means of a private key which is in my
possession. There are people in the house asleep, and it is not an hour
to awaken them. Hence we have time for an explanation, which,
nevertheless, will be short. I have been commissioned by her Majesty--"
As he spoke, Barkilphedro began to turn over the leaves of some bundles
of papers which were lying near the casket.
"My lord, here is your patent of peerage. Here is that of your Sicilian
marquisate. These are the parchments and title-deeds of your eight
baronies, with the seals of eleven kings, from Baldret, King of Kent, to
James the Sixth of Scotland, and first of England and Scotland united.
Here are your letters of precedence. Here are your rent-rolls, and
titles and descriptions of your fiefs, freeholds, dependencies, lands,
and domains. That which you see above your head in the emblazonment on
the ceiling are your two coronets: the circlet with pearls for the
baron, and the circlet with strawberry leaves for the marquis.
"Here, in the wardrobe, is your peer's robe of red velvet, bordered with
ermine. To-day, only a few hours since, the Lord Chancellor and the
Deputy Earl Marshal of England, informed of the result of your
confrontation with the Comprachico Hardquanonne, have taken her
Majesty's commands. Her Majesty has signed them, according to her royal
will, which is the same as the law. All formalities have been complied
with. To-morrow, and no later than to-morrow, you will take your seat in
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