Porthos showed that he could keep pace with his sovereign; and instead of eating the half, as D'Artagnan had told him, he ate three-fourths of it.

"It is impossible," said the king in an undertone, "that a gentleman who eats so good a supper every day, and who has such beautiful teeth, can be otherwise than the most straightforward, upright man in my kingdom." "Do you hear ?" said D'Artagnan in his friend's ear.
"Yes; I think I am rather in favor," said Porthos, balancing himself on his chair.
"Oh! you are in luck's way." The king and Porthos continued to eat in the same manner, to the great satisfaction of the other guests, some of whom, from emulation, had attempted to follow them, but had been obliged to give up on the way.
The king soon began to get flushed, and the reaction of the blood to his face announced that the moment of repletion had arrived.

It was then that Louis XIV., instead of becoming gay and cheerful, as most good livers generally do, became dull, melancholy and taciturn.

Porthos, on the contrary, was lively and communicative.

D'Artagnan's foot had more than once to remind him of this peculiarity of the king.