You are Francois, Count de Laville; and your servant, whatever his age, would hold you in respect.

I am younger and of far less consequence, and an old servant might want to take me under his tuition.

Moreover, if there is hard work to be done for me, I would rather have a young fellow like this doing it than an older man." "You are always making out that you are a boy, Philip.

You don't look it, and you are going to play a man's part." "I mean to play it as far as I can, Francois; but that does not really make me a day older." "Well, mind, not a word to a soul as to the day fixed on." For the next fortnight the scene at the chateau was a busy one.
Huguenot gentlemen came and went.

The fifty men-at-arms who were to accompany Francois were inspected, and their arms and armour served out to them.