them when he said:

"Can one of you gentlemen recommend a servant to me? He must be able
to talk French as well as Italian. He must be active and intelligent.
I should like him to be handy and accustomed to camp service, though
this is not so important, for I want him as an interpreter before
anything else. I should like him to be a lightweight, so as to be
able to ride with me. He must be accustomed to fatigue, and he must
have courage, for some of the journeys on which I may be sent will
not be without danger, and of course he must be of the duchess's
party."

"And I suppose," one of the young men said, "that this Admirable
Crichton of whom you are in search must be sober, honest, and
truthful. Are you particular whether he is Huguenot or Catholic?"

"As to the last, not a bit. I should like him to be as sober as
soldiers in general are, and if he confined himself to taking his
wine when I did not require him, it would not be very important,
provided that he is not talkative when in liquor. As to his honesty,
he would have no great temptation so far as I am concerned, but
I certainly should not wish to lose him by his being strung up by
the provost marshal for robbing citizens. As to his truthfulness,
providing he did not lie to me, it is a point on which I should
not be particular."

There was a general laugh.

"And as to his age?" the officer asked.