And he galloped up to them.
"What do you want, gentlemen, and who are you?" he said when he came up to them.
"We wish," one of them said, "to speak with the Count de Prébois Crancé."
"I am the count. Be good enough to tell me what brings you here."
"Monsieur le comte, I am a Frenchman," the first speaker said.
"I recognise you, sir. Your name is Thollus, I believe, and you are a merchant at Hermosillo."
"Quite correct, monsieur le comte. My companion is Señor ——"
"Don Jacinto Jabalí,[2] a juez de letras, I suppose, or something of that sort, a great friend of General Guerrero. Well, gentlemen, I do not exactly see what we can have in common."
"Pardon me, sir, we are sent to you by Señor Don Flavio Agustado, Prefect of Hermosillo, in order to make certain propositions to you."
"Ah, ah!" the count said, champing his moustache. "Are you really?"