The Man in the Iron Mask

Porthos Notice Thereof, and of the Troubles W

a fortnight, directed his steps towards his hotel, and pounced upon him just as he was getting up. The worthy baron had a pensive - nay, more than pensive - melancholy air. He was sitting on his bed, only half-dressed, and with legs dangling over the edge, contemplating a host of garments, which with their fringes, lace, embroidery, and slashes of ill-assorted hues, were strewed all over the floor. Porthos, sad and reflective as La Fontaine's hare, did not observe D'Artagnan's entrance, which was, moreover, screened at this moment by M. Mouston, whose p

brightened with joy; "ah! ah! Here is D'A

ch had prevented his reaching D'Artagnan. 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 f

e the megrims here!"

ection. "Well, then, tell me all about it,

os, "you know I have no secrets from

me first get rid of all thi

Porthos, contemptuous

wenty-five livres an ell! g

ink these cl

made, and were to live to be a hundred years of age, which wouldn't astonish me in the very least, you could still

shook

l melancholy in you frightens me. My dear Porthos,

o I will: if, inde

received bad new

ood, and it has yielded a t

a falling-off in the

d, and there is enough left to stock

t Vallon has been dest

ith lightning a hundred paces from the chateau, and a fo

world is the

itation for the fete at Vaux," said

mortal heart-burnings among the courtiers by refusing invita

eed

ee a magnif

doubt it,

and in France will be

tearing out a lock of

s, are you ill?"

s the Pont–Neuf

at is i

I have no

Porthos, no clothes!" he cried, "when I

but not one w

? But are you not measured,

ed Mouston; "but unfortuna

you s

igger than the baron. Would

ms to me that is

" said Porthos, "tha

g slightly impatient, "I don't understand why your cloth

rs kept roasting, each cooked up to a different point; so that he might be able to have his dinner at any time of the day he chose to ask for it.

e like yours to gratify such whims. Without counting the tim

s, "in regard to which I flattered mysel

is; for I don't d

what Mouston o

sed to call him

o, the period when he

I beg your pardon,

d Mouston, graciously. "You were in Paris

as a time when Mouston began to grow

nd I greatly rejoi

ve you do," excl

d Porthos, "what a world o

n't - by

n short, I have a horror of letting any one take my measure. Confound it! either one is a nobleman or not. To be scrutinized and scanned by a fellow who completely analyzes you, by inch and line -'tis degrading! Here, they find

rthos, you possess id

when a man is

Belle–Isle -'tis

doubtless have proved a good one

light movement of his body, as if to say, "You wi

d all I could, by means of substantial feeding, to make him stout - always in the hop

I see - that spared you b

a half's judicious feeding - for I use

nd myself, monsieur,"

chitects had made in the chamber of the late Madame du Vallon, in the chateau of Pierrefonds. And, by the way, about that door, my friend, I should like to ask you, who know ever

"were meant for gallants, and they hav

no gallant!" answered

the architects were probably making their calculations

urn to the subject of Mouston's fatness. But see how the two things apply to each other. I have always noticed that people's ideas run p

was t

it not ma

ar, has made the same observation as you have, and he

inal?" cried Porthos, astounded.

ore Aristotle's days - that is to

ed at the idea of having jumped to a conclusion so clo

to Mouston. It seems to me, we have l

ieur," sai

a fact of which I was well able to convince myself, by seeing the rascal, one day, in a waistcoat of mine,

ry it on, monsie

ston in communication with my tailors, an

but Mouston is a foot an

to the ground, and the end of t

are, Porthos! Such a thing

s to say, nearly two years and a half ago - that I set out for Belle–Isle, instructing Mouston (so as a

g with your instructions? Ah! tha

te the contrary; q

coats made; but he forgot to in

ult, monsieur! your t

fellow in two years has gained eighteen inches in girth, and so my

ich were made when you

to put them on, I should look like a fresh arrival from

nine? thirty-six? and yet not one to wear. Well, you must ha

atified air. "The truth is, that monsie

te; I received the invitation yesterday; made Mouston post hither with my wardrobe, and only this morning discovered my misfor

e covered all over

o! undoubted

for three days. The invitations are for W

ongly advised me to be at Vaux

, Ar

is who brought me

. You are invited on t

lowing as large as life: 'M. le Baron du Vallon is informed that

t you leave wi

en I think I shall have no clothes, I am ready to burst with

rthos; I will manage it all; put on one of your

has seen them al

M. Per

M. Per

the king

ng's tailor, but now heard his name mentioned for the first time

he will do for me what he wouldn't do for anothe

sigh, "'tis vexatious, but

rs do; as th

re the king, too? do

friend, and so are you, too,

he said; "and since he measures the king, I think, by my fait