of
a landed proprietor. When D'Artagnan saw his two companions in earnest
conversation, he took the opposite side of the road, and letting his
bridle drop upon his horse's neck, separated himself from the whole
world, as he had done from Porthos and from Planchet. The moon shone
softly through the foliage of the forest. The breezes of the open
country rose deliciously perfumed to the horse's nostrils, and they
snorted and pranced along delightedly. Porthos and Planchet began to
talk about hay-crops. Planchet admitted to Porthos that in the advanced
years of his life, he had certainly neglected agricultural pursuits
for commerce, but that his childhood had been passed in Picardy in the
beautiful meadows where the grass grew as high as the knees, and where
he had played under the green apple-trees covered with red-cheeked
fruit; he went on to say, that he had solemnly promised himself that as
soon as he should have made his fortune, he would return to nature, and
end his days, as he had begun them, as near as he possibly could to the
earth itself, where all men must sleep at last.

"Eh, eh!" said Porthos; "in that case, my dear Monsieur Planchet, your
retirement is not far distant."

"How so?"

"Why, you seem to be in the way of making your fortune very soon."

"Well, we are getting on pretty well, I must admit," replied Planchet.

"Come, tell me what is the extent of your ambition, and what is the
amount you intend to retire upon?"

"There is one circumstance, monsieur," said Planchet, without answering
the question, "which occasions me a good deal of anxiety."

"What is it?" inquired Porthos, looking all round him as if in search of
the circumstance that annoyed Planchet, and desirous of freeing him from
it.

"Why, formerly," said the grocer, "you used to call me Planchet quite
short, and you would have spoken to me then in a much more familiar
manner than you do now."

"Certainly, certainly, I should have said so formerly," replied the
good-natured Porthos, with an embarrassment full of delicacy; "but
formerly--"

"Formerly I was M. d'Artagnan's lackey; is not that what you mean?"

"Yes."

"Well if I am not quite his lackey, I am as much as ever I was his
devoted servant; and more than that, since that time--"

"Well, Planchet?"

"Since that time, I have had the honor of being in partnership with
him."

"Oh, oh!" said Porthos. "What, has D'Artagnan gone into the grocery
business?"

"No, no," sai