'Surely there is something to love.'
'Not a decent ankle under a petticoat.'
'At any rate we can eat. Come, sit you down. My ride has made me hungry as a wolf, and I have far to go.'
The dinner was excellent, the Armagnac of the finest vintage, and d'Aubusson to all appearances a gay frank-hearted fellow, and we became very friendly as the wine cup passed.
'Tell me what induced M. de Sancy to quarter his company here?' I asked towards the close of the meal, as the lieutenant was cursing his luck at being stationed at Rouvres.
He burst out laughing; 'Oh! M. de Sancy has a government and five thousand livres a year to maintain his company, and being a pious soul has enlisted all the saints, and keeps them as far as possible from the temptations of Paris.'
'Enlisted the saints!'
'Yes—this Armagnac is excellent—yes, the saints. Our gentlemen are all from heaven—there is St. Andre, St. Vincent, St. Martin, St. Blaise, St. Loy, St. Pol, and half the calendar besides!'
'Ha! ha! the heavenly host.'
'Oh! I am proud, I assure you. I command the company from Paradise.'