“Give it me, I will pay you myself; come with me.” He made a sign to Gourville and the abbe, who remained in the chamber where they were. He led D’Artagnan into his cabinet. As soon as the door was shut, — ”how much is due to you, monsieur?”
“Why, something like five thousand livres, monseigneur.”
“For arrears of pay?”
“For a quarter’s pay.”
“A quarter consisting of five thousand livres!” said Fouquet, fixing upon the musketeer a searching look. “Does the king, then, give you twenty thousand livres a year?”
“Yes, monseigneur, twenty thousand livres a year. Do you think it is too much?”