He was cool and balanced, true always to his own conception
of his own dues. The Queen rose and stepped to meet
him. They spoke, standing together, after which he handed
her to her chair and took beside her the other great chair
which the pages had swiftly placed. After greeting his
daughter and the Archbishop he looked across to the painter.
"Master Manuel Rodriguez, good day!"
There fell a moment of sun-drenched quiet in which they
all sat for their picture. Then said the King, "Madam, we
are together, and here are those who have been our chief
advisers in this affair of discoveries. Master Christopherus
is below. We noted him in the court. Let us have him
here and see this too-long-dragging matter finished! Once
for all abate his demands, or once for all let him go!"
They sent a page. Again there was sunny silence, then
in at the door came the tall, muscular, gray-eyed, silver-
haired man whom I had met the day King Boabdil surrendered
Granada.
He made reverence to the Queen and the King and to the
Archbishop. It was the Queen who spoke to him and that
gently.
"Master Christopherus, we have had a thousand businesses,
and so our matter here has waited and waited. Today comes unaware this quiet hour and we will give it to
you. Here with us are the Archbishop and others who
have been our counsellors, and here is Don Alonzo de Quintantella who hath always stood your friend.
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