His small pointed beard was bleached by
weather to the hue of pale honey. He wore a steel back and front over a
doublet of dark taffeta, and his riding cloak was blue velvet lined with
cherry satin. The man's habit was sombre except for the shine of steel and
the occasional flutter of the gay lining. In his velvet bonnet he wore a
white plume. The rich clothing became him well, and had just a hint of
foreignness, as if commonly he were more roughly garbed. Which was indeed
the case, for he was new
back from the Western Seas, and had celebrated his home-coming with a brave
suit.
As a youth he had fought under Conde in the religious wars, but had
followed Jean Ribaut to Florida, and had been one of the few survivors when
the Spaniards sacked St. Caroline. With de Gourgues he had sailed west
again for vengeance, and had got it. Thereafter he had been with the
privateers of Brest and La Rochelle, a hornet to search out and sting the
weak places of Spain on the Main and among the islands. But he was not born
to live continually in outland parts, loving rather to intercalate fierce
adventures between spells of home-keeping.
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