“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 — that spared you both time and humiliation.”

“Consider my joy when, after a year and a half’s judicious feeding — for I used to feed him up myself — the fellow — ”

“Oh! I lent a good hand myself, monsieur,” said Mouston, humbly.

“That’s true. Consider my joy when, one morning, I perceived Mouston was obliged to squeeze in, as I once did