"Oh! if that is so, Monseigneur," said Martin, "I have right at my call, and ready at any moment, five or six of my old comrades in the Lorraine war. They are pining away, poor devils, since you dismissed them. How glad they will be to be under fire again with you for their leader! And so it is for yourself that I am to enlist recruits? Oh, well, then, I will present the full complement to you this evening." "Very good," said Gabriel. "You must make it an essential condition of their employment that they be ready to leave Paris immediately, and to follow me wherever I go, without question or comment, and without even looking to see whether we are marching north or south." "They will march toward glory and wealth, Monseigneur, with bandaged eyes." "Well, then, I will reckon upon them and upon you, Martin. As for yourself, I will give you--" "Let us not speak of that, Monseigneur," Martin interposed. "On the contrary, we will speak of it. If we survive the fray, my brave fellow, I bind myself solemnly, here and now, to do for you what you will then have done for me, and in my turn to assist you against your enemies, never fear. Meanwhile, your hand, my faithful friend." "Oh, Monseigneur!" Martin-Guerre exclaimed, respectfully kissing his master's extended hand. "Come, now, Martin," continued Gabriel, "set about your quest at once. Discretion and courage! Now I must be alone for a time." "Pardon! but will Monseigneur remain in the house?" asked Martin. "Yes, until seven o'clock. I am not to go to the Louvre until eight." "In that case," rejoined the squire, "I hope to be able to show you, before you leave, some specimens of the make up of your troop." He saluted and left the room, as proud as a peacock, and already absorbed in his important commission. Gabriel remained alone the rest of the day, studying the plan which Jean Peuquoy had handed him, making notes, and pacing thoughtfully up and down his apartment. It was essential that he should be able to answer satisfactorily every objection that the Duc de Guise might raise. He only broke the silence from time to time by repeating, with a firm voice and eager heart,-- "I will save you, dear father! My own Diane, I will save you!" About six o'clock, Gabriel, yielding to the insistence of Aloyse, was just taking a little food, when Martin-Guerre entered, very serious and stately. "Monseigneur," said he, "will it please you to receive six or seven of those who aspire to the honor of serving France and the king under your orders?" "What! six or seven already?" cried Gabriel. "Yes, six or seven who are strangers to you. Our old Metz companions will make up the twelve. They are all delighted to risk their necks for such a master as you, and accept any conditions that you choose to impose upon them." "Upon my word, you have lost no time," said Vicomte d'Exmès. "Well, let me see the men; show them in."