"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."
"One at a time, shall I not?" rejoined Martin. "Monseigneur can form a better opinion of them then."
"Very well, one at a time," said Gabriel.
"One word more," added the squire. "I need not tell Monsieur le Vicomte that all these men are known to me either personally or through reliable information. Their dispositions and their peculiarities are varied; but they have one characteristic in common,—namely, a well-proved courage. I can answer to Monseigneur for that essential quality, if he will only be indulgent toward some little peccadilloes of no consequence."
After this preliminary discourse, Martin-Guerre left the room a moment, and returned almost immediately, followed by a tall fellow with a swarthy complexion, a reckless, clever face, and very quick of movement.
"Ambrosio," said Martin, introducing him.
"Ambrosio! that's a foreign name. Is he not a Frenchman?" asked Gabriel.