By the moat and walls long lines of men were busy at their drill.
"Who are those, then ?" he asked, gazing at them with curiosity.
"They are some of the king's soldiers." "But why so many of them?
Do they await some enemy ?" "Nay; we are at peace with all the world.

Worse luck!" "At peace.

Why then all these men ?" "That they may be ready." The young man shook his head in bewilderment.

"They might be as ready in their own homes surely.

In our country every man has his musket in his chimney corner, and is ready enough, yet he does not waste his time when all is at peace." "Our king is very great, and he has many enemies." "And who made the enemies ?" "Why, the king, to be sure." "Then would it not be better to be without him ?" The guardsman shrugged his epaulettes in despair.