"I understand your feelings; a great lord such as you would not think of accepting the hospitality of an old servant without paying him most handsomely for it: but I am sure that Planchet is too good-hearted a fellow to remember that you have an income of a hundred thousand francs a year." "I have more than half a mind," said Porthos, flattered by the remark, "to make Madame Truchen a present of my little farm at Bracieux; it has twelve acres." "It is too much, my good Porthos, too much just at present...

Keep it for a future occasion." He then took the ring off Porthos's finger, and approaching Truchen, said to her:--"Madame, monsieur le baron hardly knows how to entreat you, out of your regard for him, to accept this little ring.

M.du Vallon is one of the most generous and discreet men of my acquaintance.

He wished to offer you a farm that he has at Bracieux, but I dissuaded him from it." "Oh!" said Truchen, looking eagerly at the diamond.
"Monsieur le baron!" exclaimed Planchet, quite overcome.
"My good friend," stammered out Porthos, delighted at having been so well represented by D'Artagnan.

These several exclamations, uttered at the same moment, made quite a pathetic winding-up of a day which might have finished in a very ridiculous manner.