ng in, the shops were being
lighted, while the windows of the upper apartments were being closed,
and the rhythmic 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."

"Well!"

"Well, then, the word distresses me beyond measure."

"Tell me why you are distressed, Planchet," said D'Artagnan.

"If you say that you are not _even_ asleep, it is as much as to say that
you have not even the consolation of being able to sleep; or, better
still, it is precisely the same as telling me that you are getting bored
to death."

"Planchet, you know that I am never bored."

"Except to-day, and the day before yesterday."

"Bah!"

"Monsieur d'Artagnan, it is a week since you returned here from
Fontainebleau; in other words, you have no longer your orders to issue,
or your men to review and maneuver. You need the s