"Tell me candidly, my dear friend, whether you have not counseled Porthos to distrust me a little?"
"I admit I have, but not as you understand it. I saw that Porthos was bored to death, and I wished, by presenting him to the king, to do for him, and for you, what you would never do for yourselves."
"What is that?"
"Speak in your own praise."
"And you have done it most nobly, I thank you."
"And I brought the cardinal's hat a little nearer, just as it seemed to be retreating from you."
"Ah! I admit that," said Aramis, with a singular smile, "you are, indeed, not to be matched for making your friends' fortunes for them."
"You see, then, that I only acted with the view of making Porthos' fortune for him."
"I meant to have done that myself; but your arm reaches farther than ours."
It was now D'Artagnan's turn to smile.