it. I will show him this note, which proves that M. Fouquet
not only pays what he does not owe, but that he does not
even take care of vouchers for the sums that he has paid.”
“Ah! now I understand why you have taken that paper, M.
Colbert!”
Colbert did not perceive all that there was of a threatening
character in his name pronounced in a certain manner. “You
shall see hereafter what use I will make of it,” said he,
holding up the paper in his fingers.
“Oh!” said D’Artagnan, snatching the paper from him with a
rapid movement; “I understand it perfectly well, M. Colbert;
I have no occasion to wait for that.” And he crumpled up in
his pocket the paper he had so cleverly seized.
“Monsieur, monsieur!” cried Colbert, “this is violence!”
“Nonsense! You must not be particular about a soldier’s
manners!” replied D’Artagnan. “I kiss your hands, my dear M.
Colbert.” And he went out, laughing in the face of the
future minister.
“That man, now,” muttered he, “was about to grow quite
friendly; it is a great pity I was obliged to cut his
company so soon.”
CHAPTER 65
Philosophy of the Heart and Mind
For a man who had seen so many much more dangerous ones, the
position of D’Artagnan with respect to M. Colbert was only
comic. D’Artagnan, therefore, did not deny himself the
satisfaction of laughing at the expense of monsieur
l’intendant, from the Rue des Petits-Champs to the Rue des
Lombards. It was a great while since D’Artagnan had laughed
so long together. He was still laughing when Planchet
appeared, laughing likewise, at the door of his house; for
Planchet, since the return of his patron, since the entrance
of the English guineas, passed the greater part of his life
in doing what D’Artagnan had only done from Rue-Neuve des
Petits-Champs to the Rue des Lombards.
“You are home, then, my dear master?” said Planchet.
“No, my friend,” replied the musketeer, “I am off and that
quickly. I will sup with you, go to bed, sleep five hours,
and at break of day leap into my saddle. Has my horse had an
extra feed?”
Page 378
Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“Eh! my dear master,” replied Planchet, “you know very well
that your horse is the jewel of the family; that my lads are
caressing it all day, and cramming it with sugar, nuts, and
biscuits. You ask me if he has had an extra feed of oats;
you should ask if he has not had enough to burst him.”
“Very well, Planchet, that is all right. Now, then, I pass
to what concerns me — my supper?”
“Ready. A smoking roast joint, white wine, crayfish and
fresh-gathered cherries. All ready, my master.”
“You are a capital fellow, Planchet; come on, then, let us
sup, and I will go to bed.”
During supper D’Artagnan observed that Planchet kept rubbing
his forehead, as if to facilitate the issue of some idea
closely pent within his brain. He looked with an air of
kindness at this worthy companion of former adventures and
misadventures, and, clinking glass against glass, “Come,
Planchet,” said he, “let us see what it is that gives you so
much trouble to bring forth. Mordioux! Speak freely, and
quickly.”
“Well, this is it,” replied Planchet: “you appear to me to
be going on some expedition or other.”
“I don’t say that I am not.”
“Then you have some new idea?”
“That is possible, too, Planchet.”
“Then there will be fresh capital to be ventured? I will lay
down fifty thousand livres upon the idea you are about to
carry out.” And so saying, Planchet rubbed his hands one
against the other with a rapidity evincing great delight.
“Planchet,” said D’Artagnan, “there is but one misfortune in
it.”
“And what is that?”
“That the idea is not mine. I can risk nothing upon it.”
These words drew a deep sigh from the heart of Planchet.
That Avarice is an ardent counselor; she carries away her
man, as Satan did Jesus, to the mountain, and when once she
has shown to an unfortunate all the kingdoms of the earth,
she is able to repose herself, knowing full well that she