"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," said D'Artagnan, whom these words had drawn out of his reverie,
and who entered into the conversation with that readiness and rapidity
which distinguished every operation of his mind and body. "It was not
D'Artagnan who entered into the grocery business, but Planchet who
entered into a political affair with me."

"Yes," said Planchet, with mingled pride and satisfaction, "we transacted
a little business which brought me in a hundred thousand francs and M.
d'Artagnan two hundred thousand."