Have you any horses here ?" "Yes; ten, twenty, thirty." "Oh, there is no occasion for so many as that; two will be quite sufficient." "They are quite at your disposal, Planchet." "Very good; then I shall carry you off with me." "When ?" "To-morrow." "Where ?" "Ah, you are asking me too much." "You will admit, however, that it is important I should know where I am going." "Do you like the country ?" "Only moderately, Planchet." "In that case, you like town better." "That is as it may be." "Very well; I am going to take you to a place half town, half country." "Good." "To a place where I am sure you will amuse yourself." "Is it possible ?" "Yes; and more wonderful still, to a place from which you have just returned, for the purpose only, it would seem, of getting bored here." "It is to Fontainebleau you are going, then ?" "Exactly; to Fontainebleau." "And, in Heaven's name, what are you going to do at Fontainebleau ?" Planchet answered D'Artagnan by a wink full of sly humor.
"You have some property there, you rascal." "Oh, a very paltry affair; a little bit of a house--nothing more." "I understand you." "But it is tolerable enough, after all." "I am going to Planchet's country seat!" exclaimed D'Artagnan.
"Whenever you like." "Did we not fix to-morrow ?" "Let us say to-morrow, if you like; and then, besides, to-morrow is the 14th, that is to say, the day before the one when I am afraid of getting bored; so we will look upon it as an understood thing." "Agreed, by all means." "You will lend me one of your horses ?" "The best I have." "No; I prefer the gentlest of all; I never was a very good rider, as you know, and in my grocery business I have got more awkward than ever: besides--" "Besides what ?" "Why," added Planchet, "I do not wish to fatigue myself." "Why so ?" D'Artagnan ventured to ask.
"Because I should lose half the pleasure I expect to enjoy," replied Planchet.

And thereupon he rose from his sack of Indian corn, stretching himself, and making all his bones crack, one after the other, with a sort of harmony.
"Planchet, Planchet," exclaimed D'Artagnan, "I do declare that there is no Sybarite upon the whole face of the globe who can for a moment be compared to you.

Oh, Planchet, it is very clear that we have never yet eaten a ton of salt together." "Why so, monsieur ?" "Because, even now I can scarcely say I know you," said D'Artagnan, "and because, in point of fact, I return to the opinion which, for a moment, I had formed of you on that day at Boulogne, when you strangled, or did so as nearly as possible, M.de Wardes' valet, Lubin; in plain language, Planchet, that you are a man of great resources." Planchet began to laugh with a laugh full of self-conceit; bade the musketeer good-night, and went downstairs to his back shop, which he used as a bedroom.

D'Artagnan resumed his original position upon his chair, and his brow, which had been unruffled for a moment, became more pensive than ever.

He had already forgotten the whims and dreams of Planchet.