house. Planchet left his job directly he received the comte’s message.
“Ah! monsieur le comte!” exclaimed he, “how glad I am to see you! What good star brings you here?”
“My dear Planchet,” said Athos, pressing the hand of his son, whose sad look he silently observed, — ”we are come to learn of you — But in what confusion do I find you! You are as white as a miller; where have you been rummaging?”
“Ah, diable! take care, monsieur; don’t come near me till I have well shaken myself.”
“What for? Flour or dust only whiten.”
“No, no; what you see on my arms is arsenic.”