Planchet appeared very curious to know what D'Artagnan had
written.

"Here," said the musketeer, "read it"

On reading the last lines the tears came into Planchet's
eyes. "You think, then, that I would not have given the
money without that? Then I will have none of your five
thousand francs."

D'Artagnan smiled. "Accept it, accept it, Planchet; and in
that way you will only lose fifteen thousand francs instead
of twenty thousand, and you will not be tempted to disregard
the signature of your master and friend, by losing nothing
at all."

How well that dear Monsieur d'Artagnan knew the hearts of
men and grocers! They who have pronounced Don Quixote mad
because he rode out to the conquest of an empire with nobody
but Sancho, his squire, and they who have pronounced Sancho
mad because he accompanied his master in his attempt to
conquer the said empire, -- they certainly will have no
hesitation in extending the same judgment to D'Artagnan and
Planchet. And yet the first passed for one of the most
subtle spirits among the astute spirits of the court of
France. As to the second, he had acquired by good right the
reputation of having one of the longest heads among the
grocers of the Rue des Lombards; consequently of Paris, and
consequently of France. Now, to consider these two men from
the point of view from which you would consider other men,