Ten Years Later

  The lieutenant dismounted before a shop in the Rue des Lombards, at thesign of the Pilon d'Or. A man of good appearance, wearing a white apron,and stroking his gray mustache with a large hand, uttered a cry of joyon perceiving the pied horse. "Monsieur le chevalier," said he, "ah, isthat you?"

  "Bon jour, Planchet," replied D'Artagnan, stooping to enter the shop.

  "Quick, somebody," cried Planchet, "to look after Monsieur d'Artagnan'shorse,--somebody to get ready his room,--somebody to prepare hissupper."

  "Thanks, Planchet. Good-day, my children!" said D'Artagnan to the eagerboys.

  "Allow me to send off this coffee, this treacle, and theseraisins," said Planchet; "they are for the store-room of monsieur lesurintendant."

  "Send them off, send them off!"

  "That is only the affair of a moment, then we shall sup."

  "Arrange it that we may sup alone; I want to speak to you."

  Planchet looked at his old master in a significant manner.

  "Oh, don't be uneasy, it is nothing unpleasant," said D'Artagnan.

  "So much the better--so much the better!" And Planchet breathed freelyagain, whilst D'Artagnan seated himself quietly down in the shop, upona bale of corks, and made a survey of the premises. The shop was wellstocked; there was a mingled perfume of ginger, cinnamon, and groundpepper, which made D'Artagnan sneeze. The shop-boy, proud of being incompany with so renowned a warrior, of a lieutenant of musketeers, whoapproached the person of the king, began to work with an enthusiasmwhich was something like delirium, and to serve the customers with adisdainful haste that was noticed by several.

  Planchet put away his money, and made up his accounts, amidst civilitiesaddressed to his former master. Planchet had with his equals the shortspeech and the haughty familiarity of the rich shopkeeper who serveseverybody and waits for nobody. D'Artagnan observed this habit witha pleasure which we shall analyze presently. He saw night come on bydegrees, and at length Planchet conducted him to a chamber on the firststory, where, amidst bales and chests, a table very nicely set outawaited the two guests.

  D'Artagnan took advantage of a moment's pause to examine the countenanceof Planchet, whom he had not seen for a year. The shrewd Planchet hadacquired a slight protuberance in front, but his countenance was notpuffed. His keen eye still played with facility in its deep-sunk orbit;and fat, which levels all the characteristic saliences of the humanface, had not yet touched either his high cheek-bones, the sign ofcunning and cupidity, or his pointed chin, the sign of acuteness andperseverance. Planchet reigned with as much majesty in his dining-roomas in his shop. He set before his master a frugal, but perfectlyParisian repast: roast meat, cooked at the baker's, with vegetables,salad, and a dessert borrowed from the shop itself. D'Artagnan waspleased that the grocer had drawn from behind the fagots a bottle ofthat Anjou wine which during all his life had been D'Artagnan's favoritewine.

  "Formerly, monsieur," said Planchet, with a smile full of bonhomie, "itwas I who drank your wine; now you do me the honor to drink mine."

  "And, thank God, friend Planchet, I shall drink it for a long time tocome, I hope; for at present I am free."

  "Free? You have leave of absence, monsieur?"

  "Unlimited."

  "You are leaving the service?" said Planchet, stupefied.

  "Yes, I am resting."

  "And the king?" cried Planchet, who could not suppose it possible thatthe king could do without the services of such a man as D'Artagnan.

  "The king will try his fortune elsewhere. But we have supped well, youare disposed to enjoy yourself; you invite me to confide in you. Openyour ears, then."

  "They are open." And Planchet, with a laugh more frank than cunning,opened a bottle of white wine.

  "Leave me my reason, at least."

  "Oh, as to you losing your head--you, monsieur!"

  "Now my head is my own, and I mean to take better care of it than ever.In the first place we shall talk business. How fares our money-box?"

  "Wonderfully well, monsieur. The twenty thousand livres I had of you arestill employed in my trade, in which they bring me nine per cent. I giveyou seven, so I gain two by you."

  "And you are still satisfied?"

  "Delighted. Have you brought me any more?"

  "Better than that. But do you want any?"

  "Oh! not at all. Every one is willing to trust me now. I am extending mybusiness."

  "That was your intention."

  "I play the banker a little. I buy goods of my needy brethren; I lendmoney to those who are not ready for their payments."

  "Without usury?"

  "Oh! monsieur, in the course of the last week I have had two meetings onthe boulevards, on account of the word you have just pronounced."

  "What?"

  "You shall see: it concerned a loan. The borrower gives me in pledgesome raw sugars, on condition that I should sell if repayment were notmade within a fixed period. I lend a thousand livres. He does not payme and I sell the sugars for thirteen hundred livres. He learns this andclaims a hundred crowns. Ma foi! I refused, pretending that I could notsell them for more than nine hundred livres. He accused me of usury. Ibegged him to repeat that word to me behind the boulevards. He was anold guard, and he came: and I passed your sword through his left thigh."

  "Tu dieu! what a pretty sort of banker you make!" said D'Artagnan.

  "For above thirteen per cent. I fight," replied Planchet; "that is mycharacter."

  "Take only twelve," said D'Artagnan, "and call the rest premium andbrokerage."

  "You are right, monsieur; but to your business."

  "Ah! Planchet, it is very long and very hard to speak."

  "Do speak it, nevertheless."

  D'Artagnan twisted his mustache like a man embarrassed with theconfidence he is about to make and mistrustful of his confidant.

  "Is it an investment?" asked Planchet.

  "Why, yes."

  "At good profit?"

  "A capital profit,--four hundred per cent., Planchet."

  Planchet gave such a blow with his fist upon the table, that the bottlesbounded as if they had been frightened.

  "Good heavens! is that possible?"

  "I think it will be more," replied D'Artagnan coolly; "but I like to layit at the lowest!"

  "The devil!" said Planchet, drawing nearer. "Why monsieur, that ismagnificent! Can one put much money in it?"

  "Twenty thousand livres each, Planchet."

  "Why, that is all you have, monsieur. For how long a time?"

  "For a month."

  "And that will give us----"

  "Fifty thousand livres each, profit."

  "It is monstrous! It is worth while to fight for such interest as that!"

  "In fact, I believe it will be necessary to fight not a little," saidD'Artagnan, with the same tranquillity; "but this time there are two ofus, Planchet, and I shall take all the blows to myself."

  "Oh! monsieur, I will not allow that."

  "Planchet, you cannot be concerned in it; you would be obliged to leaveyour business and your family."

  "The affair is not in Paris, then?"

  "No."

  "Abroad?"

  "In England."

  "A speculative country, that is true," said Planchet,--"a country thatI know well. What sort of an affair, monsieur, without too muchcuriosity?"

  "Planchet, it is a restoration."

  "Of monuments?"

  "Yes, of monuments; we shall restore Whitehall."

  "That is important. And in a month, you think?"

  "I shall undertake it."

  "That concerns you, monsieur, and when once you are engaged----"

  "Yes, that concerns me. I know what I am about; nevertheless, I willfreely consult with you."

  "You do me great honor; but I know very little about architecture."

  "Planchet, you are wrong; you are an excellent architect, quite as goodas I am, for the case in question."

  "Thanks, monsieur. But your old friends of the musketee
rs?"

  "I have been, I confess, tempted to speak of the thing to thosegentlemen, but they are all absent from their houses. It is vexatious,for I know none more bold or more able."

  "Ah! then it appears there will be an opposition, and the enterprisewill be disputed?"

  "Oh, yes, Planchet, yes."

  "I burn to know the details, monsieur."

  "Here they are, Planchet--close all the doors tight."

  "Yes, monsieur." And Planchet double-locked them.

  "That is well; now draw near." Planchet obeyed.

  "And open the window, because the noise of the passers-by and thecarts will deafen all who might hear us." Planchet opened the windowas desired, and the gust of tumult which filled the chamber with cries,wheels, barkings, and steps deafened D'Artagnan himself, as he hadwished. He then swallowed a glass of white wine and began in theseterms: "Planchet, I have an idea."

  "Ah! monsieur, I recognize you so well in that!" replied Planchet,panting with emotion.

  CHAPTER 20. Of the Society which was formed in the Rue des Lombards, atthe Sign of the Pilon d'Or, to carry out M. d'Artagnan's Idea