"He sequestrates me! Do you mean to say I am sequestrated?"
"I wish you would have the goodness to prove that to me."
"Are your friends allowed to come and see you?"
"Very well, then; never to go out, never to ride on horseback, never to be allowed to see your friends, that is called being sequestrated."
"But why should Aramis sequestrate me?" inquired Porthos.
"Come," said D'Artagnan, "be frank, Porthos."
"It was Aramis who drew the plan of the fortifications at Belle-Isle, was it not?"
Porthos colored as he said, "Yes; but that was all that he did."
"Exactly, and my own opinion is that it was no very great affair after all."
"Very good; I am delighted we are of the same opinion."
"He never even came to Belle-Isle," said Porthos.
"It was I who went to Vannes, as you may have seen."
"Say, rather, as I did see. Well, that is precisely the state of the case, my dear Porthos. Aramis, who only drew the plans, wishes to pass himself off as the engineer, while you, who, stone by stone, built the wall, the citadel, and the bastions, he wishes to reduce to the rank of a mere builder."
"Oh! oh! my dear Aramis, you seem to think you are only five-and-twenty years of age still."
"Yes, and that is not all, for he believes you are fifty."
"I should have amazingly liked to have seen him at work."
"While I, look at mine." And Porthos, opening his large mouth very wide, displayed two rows of teeth rather less white than snow, but as even, hard, and sound as ivory.
"You can hardly believe, Porthos," said D'Artagnan, "what a fancy the king has for good teeth. Yours decide me; I will present you to the king myself."
"Why not? Do you think I have less credit at court than Aramis?"
"Do you think that I have the slightest pretensions upon the fortifications at Belle-Isle?"
"It is your own interest alone which would induce me to do it."
"Well! I am the intimate friend of the king; and a proof of that is, that whenever there is anything disagreeable to tell him, it is I who have to do it."
"But, dear D'Artagnan, if you present me--"
"Bah! whether he or I present you, since you are to be presented, what does it matter?"
"They were going to get me some clothes made."
"Oh! those I had ordered were far more beautiful."