"Are you a Richelieu or a Mazarin, to require a hundred men as a guard?
What use do you make of these men ?--speak." "And do you ask me that ?" cried the Abbe Fouquet; "ah! how can you put such a question,--why I maintain a hundred men?
Ah!" "Why, yes, I do put that question to you.

What have you to do with a hundred men ?--answer." "Ingrate!" continued the abbe, more and more affected.
"Explain yourself." "Why, monsieur the superintendent, I only want one _valet de chambre_, for _my_ part, and even if I were alone, could help myself very well; but you, you who have so many enemies--a hundred men are not enough for me to defend you with.

A hundred men!--you ought to have ten thousand.

I maintain, then, these men in order that in public places, in assemblies, no voice may be raised against you; and without them, monsieur, you would be loaded with imprecations, you would be torn to pieces, you would not last a week; no, not a week, do you understand ?" "Ah! I did not know you were my champion to such an extent, monsieur le abbe." "You doubt it!" cried the abbe.

"Listen, then, to what happened, no longer ago than yesterday, in the Rue de la Hochette.