"We are poor, very poor," he explained, "simple charcoal burners and truffle-hunters--nothing else."
"Humph!" said Andrew, as he masticated the provender before him, though he did not sit down to the table until he had seen the horse also given water and a feed, "Nothing else, eh? Now I should have supposed you two worthy gentlemen," and he directed a glance at the others, whose mugs at the same time he filled to the brim, "would have been something more in my way. Soldiers, for instance. There is a good regiment raised hereabouts, the one of Epinal; I have seen it in the field. Commanded, when I knew it, by Maisonfleur. Yet the arrière-ban has been out a long while and you are here."
"The war is over," one of these answered, speaking now for the first time since Andrew had been making himself at home. "We know that."
"How?" asked Andrew, looking at him with a swift glance over his glass. "How, friend, do you know that?"
"Have we not proof? Monsieur suggests he is a soldier. Yet he is here--as we are."
"A cunning riposte," said Andrew to himself, while he exclaimed aloud. "My friend, I do not count. I am an auxiliary, or what you choose to call me--volunteer, nay, mercenary, if you please--and can do as I desire, only if I do not fight I am not paid. But for you, you are Frenchmen, and the war is not over. Turenne will engage the Imperialists again, Condé is in full campaign. Fine fellows like you should be earning laurels--and louis d'ors."
"Peste!" exclaimed the one who had not hitherto spoken. "Louis d'ors! How many of them does monsieur think we get? And as for being here--well, why not? It is our pays, and we are not the only ones out of the war. There are others of this neighbourhood back from it--as we know very well," and he gave a glance as he spoke at the two men.
"To wit--whom?" asked Andrew, knowing that now the conversation was approaching the point he desired. Knowing also that it behoved him to be very careful. If he was that, if he could but be a diplomatist for half an hour, he might learn much.
"Oh! avec ça!" the man said, "it would be useless to tell monsieur. He would not understand. But we know--we know, mes amis," addressing his friends, "N'est ce pas?"
"Perhaps," said Andrew, "I know, too. Know to whom you refer. Shall I say--for instance--a Vicomte. Mention another name? Humph! Also beginning with a V?"