"But the labors of the mind have not affected the health of the body, I trust?"
"Ah! I had heard that, for a short time after your arrival--"
"That I could hardly move a limb, I suppose?"
"How was it?" said D'Artagnan, smiling; "and why was it you could not move?"
Porthos, perceiving that he had made a mistake, wished to correct it. "Yes, I came from Belle-Isle here upon very hard horses," he said, "and that fatigued me."
"I am no longer astonished, then, since I, who followed you, found seven or eight lying dead on the road."
"I am very heavy, you know," said Porthos.
"My fat melted, and that made me very ill."
"Poor Porthos! But how did Aramis act toward you under those circumstances?"
"Very well indeed. He had me attended to by M. Fouquet's own doctor. But just imagine, at the end of a week I could not breathe any longer."
"The room was too small, I absorbed too much air."
"I was told so, at least; and so I was removed into another apartment."
"Where you were able to breathe that time, I hope."
"Yes, more freely; but no exercise--nothing to do. The doctor pretended that I was not to stir; I, on the contrary, felt that I was stronger than ever; that was the cause of a very serious accident."
"Fancy, my dear fellow, that I revolted against the directions of that ass of a doctor, and I resolved to go out, whether it suited him or not; and, consequently, I told the valet who waited on me to bring me my clothes."
"Oh, no! on the contrary, I had a magnificent dressing-gown to wear; the lackey obeyed; I dressed myself in my own clothes, which had become too large for me; but a strange circumstance had happened--my feet had become too large."
"Pardieu! And is that the accident you were going to tell me about?"
"Oh yes! I did not make the same reflection you have done. I said to myself: 'Since my feet have entered my boots ten times, there is no reason why they should not go in an eleventh.'"
"Allow me to tell you, my dear Porthos, that, on this occasion, you failed in your logic."
"In short, then, they placed me opposite to a part of the room which was partitioned; I tried to get my boot on; I pulled it with my hands, I pushed with all the strength of the muscles of my leg, making the most unheard-of efforts, when suddenly, the two tags of my boot remained in my hands, and my foot struck out like a catapult."