Prostate Health
Prostate Articles
Antioxidant levels key for prostate cancer risk
Obesity and prostate health
Tomatoes for prostate health
Green tea and prostate health
Screening tests for prostate
Books
The Three Musketeers
Twenty Years Later
The Vicomte De Bragelonne
|
|
The Vicomte De Bragelonne 64 at Prostate Health
cunning and cupidity, or his pointed chin, the signof acuteness and perseverance. Planchet reigned with as muchmajesty in his dining-room as in his shop. He set before hismaster a frugal, but perfectly Parisian repast: roast meat,cooked at the bakers, with vegetables, salad, and a dessertborrowed from the shop itself. DArtagnan was pleased thatthe grocer had drawn from behind the fagots a bottle of thatAnjou wine which during all his life had been DArtagnansfavorite wine."Formerly, monsieur," said Planchet, with a smile full ofbonhomie, "it was I who drank your wine; now you do me thehonor to drink mine.""And, thank God, friend Planchet, I shall drink it for along time to come, I hope; for at present I am free.""Free? You have leave of absence, monsieur?""Unlimited.""You are leaving the service?" said Planchet, stupefied."Yes, I am resting.""And the king?" cried Planchet, who could not suppose itpossible that the king could do without the services of sucha man as DArtagnan."The king will try his fortune elsewhere. But we have suppedwell, you are disposed to enjoy yourself; you invite me toconfide in you. Open your ears, then.""They are open." And Planchet, with a laugh more frank thancunning, opened a bottle of white wine."Leave me my reason, at least.""Oh, as to you losing your head -- you, monsieur!""Now my head is my own, and I mean to take better care of itthan ever. In the first place we shall talk business. Howfares our money-box?""Wonderfully well, monsieur. The twenty thousand livres Ihad of you are still employed in my trade, in which theybring me nine per cent. I give you seven, so I gain two byyou.""And you are still satisfied?""Delighted. Have you brought me any more?""Better than that. But do you want any?""Oh! not at all. Every one is willing to trust me now. I amextending my business.""That was your intention.""I play the banker a little. I buy goods of my needybrethren; I lend money to those who are not ready for theirpayments.""Without usury?""Oh! monsieur, in the course of the last week I have had twomeetings on the boulevards, on account of the word you havejust pronounced.""What?""You shall see: it concerned a loan. The borrower gives mein pledge some raw sugars, on condition that I should sellif repayment were not made within a fixed period. I lend athousand livres. He does not pay me and I sell the sugarsfor thirteen hundred livres. He learns this and claims ahundred crowns. Ma foi! I refused, pretending that I couldnot sell them for more than nine hundred livres. He accusedme of usury. I begged him to repeat that word to me behindthe boulevards. He was an old guard, and he came: and Ipassed your sword through his left thigh.""Tu dieu! what a pretty sort of banker you make!" saidDArtagnan."For above thirteen per cent. I fight," replied Planchet;"that is my character.""Take only twelve," said DArtagnan, "and call the restpremium and brokerage.""You are right, monsieur; but to your business.""Ah! Planchet, it is very long and very hard to speak.""Do speak it, nevertheless."DArtagnan twisted his mustache like a man embarrassed withthe confidence he is about to make and mistrustful of hisconfidant."Is it an investment?" asked Planchet."Why, yes.""At good profit?""A capital profit, -- four hundred per cent., Planchet."Planchet gave such a blow with his fist upon the table, thatthe bottles bounded as if they had been frightened."Good heavens! is that possible?""I think it will be more," replied DArtagnan coolly; "but Ilike to lay it at the lowest!""The devil!" said Planchet, drawing nearer. "Why monsieur,that is magnificent! Can one put much money in it?""Twenty thousand livres each, Planchet.""Why, that is all you have, monsieur. For how long a time?""For a month.""And that will give us ---- ""Fifty thousand livres each, profit.""It is monstrous! It is worth while to fight for suchinterest as that!""In fact, I believe it will be necessary to fight not alittle," said DArtagnan, with the same tranquillity; "butthis time there are two of us, Planchet, and I shall takeall the blows to myself.""Oh! monsieur, I will not allow that.""Planchet, you cannot be concerned in it; you would beobliged to leave your business and your family.""The affair is not in Paris, then?""No.""Abroad?""In England.""A speculative country, that is true," said Planchet, -- "acountry that
The Vicomte De Bragelonne page 63 The Vicomte De Bragelonne page 65 |
