"If he wears a black cloak, he's a wealthy citizen; so much the better. We are recruiting for the service of the princes, and it is important that the company should be made up of good men. If it were for that wretch of a Mazarin, anything would be good enough; but for the princes, deuce take me!--Ferguzon, I have an idea that my company will do me honor, as Falstaff says." The whole troop spurred forward to overtake the citizen, who was riding peaceably along in the middle of the road. When the worthy man, who was mounted upon a sleek mule, observed the magnificently arrayed horsemen galloping up behind him, he rode off to the side of the road with due respect, and saluted Cauvignac. "He is well-mannered," said that worthy; "that's a great point. He doesn't know the military salute, but we will teach him that." He returned the salute, then rode up beside the traveller. "Monsieur," he began, "be good enough to tell us if you love the king." "_Parbleu!_ yes," was the reply. "Admirable!" said Cauvignac, rolling his eyes in delight. "And the queen?" "The queen! I have the greatest veneration for her." "Excellent! and Monsieur de Mazarin?" "Monsieur de Mazarin is a great man, monsieur, and I admire him." "Perfect! In that case, we have had the good fortune to fall in with a faithful servitor of his Majesty?" "I pride myself upon it, monsieur." "And are prepared to prove your zeal for him?" "On every occasion." "How luckily this comes about! such meetings as this never happen except on the high-road." "What do you mean?" queried the tradesman, beginning to eye Cauvignac with some uneasiness. "I mean, monsieur, that you must come with us." The tradesman almost leaped out of his saddle in surprise and terror. "Go with you! Whither, monsieur, in God's name?" "I am not altogether sure, myself; wherever we go." "Monsieur, I travel only with people whom I know." "That is quite right, and shows you to be a prudent man; so I will proceed to tell you who we are." The tradesman made a gesture, as if to say that he had already guessed. Cauvignac continued, without seeming to notice the gesture:-- "I am Roland de Cauvignac, captain of a company, which is not present, it is true, but is worthily represented by Louis-Gabriel Ferguzon, my lieutenant, by Georges-Guillaume Barrabas, my sub-lieutenant, by Zéphérin Carrotel, my sergeant, and by these two gentlemen, one of whom is my quartermaster and the other my sergeant-major. You know us now, monsieur," continued Cauvignac, with his most benign smile, "and I venture to hope that you feel no antipathy for us." "But, monsieur, I have already served his Majesty in the urban guard, and I pay my taxes, tithes, and so forth, regularly." "Very good, monsieur," rejoined Cauvignac; "and I do not propose to enlist you in his Majesty's service, but in that of Messieurs les Princes, whose unworthy representative you see before you."