“Whether the year be good or bad, there are fifty prisoners, who, on an average, bring you in a thousand francs a year each.”
“I don’t deny it.”
“Well, there is at once an income of fifty thousand francs; you have held the post three years, and must have received in that time one hundred and fifty thousand francs.”
“You forget one circumstance, dear M. d’Artagnan.”
“What is that?”
“That while you received your appointment as captain from the king himself, I received mine as governor from Messieurs Tremblay and Louviere.”
“Quite right, and Tremblay was not a man to let you have the post for nothing.”
“Nor Louviere either: the result was, that I gave seventy-five thousand francs to Tremblay as his share.”
“Very agreeable that! and to Louviere?”
“The very same.”