All that remains now is D'Artagnan, will he stand against his long time friends, or do what is best for his country?Ruling France with an iron fist, two long decades after Queen Anne gave birth to a boy, the cruel young monarch, King Louis XIV, squanders the treasury on war and women, condemning the people to a life of poverty and hunger. my remark is not then original?� cried Porthos, astounded. Porthos made his sturdy knees crack again in rising, and crossing the room in two strides found himself face to face with his friend, whom he folded to his breast with a force of affection that seemed to increase with every day. not one that fits you? They measured him down to the ground, and the end of the skirt came just below my knee.� �What a wonder you are, Porthos! The worthy baron had a pensive,- nay, more, a melancholy air. Your tailor never told me.� �And this to such an extent, Monsieur,� continued Porthos, �that the fellow in two years has gained eighteen inches in girth, and so my last dozen coats are all too large in progressive measure from a foot to a foot and a half!� �But the rest,- those which were made when you were of the same size?� �They are no longer the fashion, my dear friend.
I should like to strangle somebody or destroy something!� �Neither strangle anybody nor destroy anything, Porthos; I will manage it all. See, now, when we leave the measurer�s hands, we are like those strongholds whose angles and different thicknesses have been ascertained by a spy.� �In truth, my dear Porthos, you possess ideas entirely your own.� �And has fortified Belle-Isle,- �tis natural, my friend.� �Well, I had an idea, which would doubtless have proved a good one but for Mouston�s carelessness.� D�Artagnan glanced at Mouston, who replied by a slight movement of his body, as if to say, �You will see whether I am at all to blame in all this.� �I congratulated myself, then,� resumed Porthos, �at seeing Mouston get fat; and I did all I could, by means of substantial feeding, to make him stout,- always in the hope that he would come to equal myself in girth, and could then be measured in my stead.� �Ah,� cried d�Artagnan, �I see!
D�Artagnan, ever faithful, one morning during an interval of service thought about Porthos, and being uneasy at not having heard anything of him for a fortnight, directed his steps towards his hotel, and pounced upon him just as he was getting up. Consider my joy when one morning I perceived Mouston was obliged, like myself, to compress himself to get through the little secret door that those fools of architects had made in the chamber of the late Madame du Vallon, in the ch�teau of Pierrefonds. He was sitting on his bed, only half dressed, and with legs dangling over the edge, contemplating a great number of garments, which with their fringes, lace, embroidery, and slashes of ill-assorted hues were strewed all over the floor.
Louis casts his eye on penniless Christine, the sweetheart of Raoul, a soldier and only son of retired musketeer, Athos. �From that moment I determined to put Mouston in communication with my tailors, and to have him measured instead of myself.� �A capital idea, Porthos; but Mouston is a foot and a half shorter than you.� �Exactly! Can the twin be substituted for the real king?Paris is starving, but the King of France is more interested in money and bedding women. �You were in Paris; and as for us, we were in Pierrefonds.� �Well, well, my dear Porthos; there was a time when Mouston began to grow fat. ah!
�Wonderfully. �Ah!� exclaimed Porthos, whose countenance brightened with joy, �ah!
I have always noticed that ideas run parallel. ah, yes!� said Porthos, who wished to appear to know the King�s tailor, but now heard his name mentioned for the first time; �to M. Percerin�s, by Jove! are you ill?� cried d�Artagnan. After the departure of Athos for Blois, Porthos and d’Artagnan were seldom together. le Baron du Vallon is informed that the King has condescended to place him on the invitation list-�� �And when I think,� cried Porthos, stamping on the floor,- �when I think I shall have no clothes, I am ready to burst with rage! Well, then, I resolved, as at any time I might be invited to court to spend a week,- I resolved to have always seven suits ready for the occasion.� �Capitally reasoned, Porthos! You are invited on the part of M. Fouquet?� �By no means,- by the King, dear friend. But suppose we return to Mouston. �That�s true.