steps of a patrol of soldiers forming the night watch could be heard
retreating. D'Artagnan continued, however, to think of nothing, except
the blue corner of the sky. A few paces from him, completely in the
shade, lying on his stomach, upon a sack of Indian corn, was Planchet,
with both his arms under his chin, and his eyes fixed on D'Artagnan, who
was either thinking, dreaming, or sleeping, with his eyes open. Planchet
had been watching him for a tolerably long time, and, by way of
interruption, he began by exclaiming, "Hum! hum!" But D'Artagnan did not
stir. Planchet then saw that it was necessary to have recourse to more
effectual means still: after a prolonged reflection on the subject, the
most ingenious means that suggested itself to him under the present
circumstances, was to let himself roll off the sack on to the floor,
murmuring, at the same time, against himself, the word "stupid." But,
notwithstanding the noise produced by Planchet's fall, D'Artagnan, who
had in the course of his existence heard many other, and very different
falls, did not appear to pay the least attention to the present one.
Besides, an enormous cart, laden with stones, passing from the Rue Saint-
Mederic, absorbed, in the noise of its wheels, the noise of Planchet's
tumble. And yet Planchet fancied that, in token of tacit approval, he
saw him imperceptibly smile at the word "stupid." This emboldened him to
say, "Are you asleep, Monsieur d'Artagnan?"

"No, Planchet, I am not _even_ asleep," replied the musketeer.

"I am in despair," said Planchet, "to hear such a word as _even_."

"Well, and why not; is it not a grammatical word, Monsieur Planchet?"

"Of course, Monsieur d'Artagnan."