at last hammond elbowed him and bowed , as from the fortification issued a party of men , with one corpulent man uniformed and beribboned in the front , and hammond greeted him in his native tongue and then continued in french to say , `` and i beg your royal highness will forgive our delay in arriving , occasioned as it has been by difficulties beyond our control ; and permit me to introduce to you captain william laurence of his majesty 's aerial corps , '' before he whispered urgently and unnecessarily to laurence , `` pray make your bows , sir : this is the prince regent of portugal . ''