In short, I have a horror of letting any one take my measure.

Confound it! either one is a nobleman or not.

To be scrutinized and scanned by a fellow who completely analyzes you, by inch and line--'tis degrading! Here, they find you too hollow; there, too prominent.

They recognize your strong and weak points.

See, now, when we leave the measurer's hands, we are like those strongholds whose angles and different thicknesses have been ascertained by a spy." "In truth, my dear Porthos, you possess ideas entirely original." "Ah! you see when a man is an engineer--" "And has fortified Belle-Isle--'tis natural, my friend." "Well, I had an idea, which would doubtless have proved a good one, but for Mouston's carelessness." D'Artagnan glanced at Mouston, who replied by a slight movement of his body, as if to say, "You will see whether I am at all to blame in all this." "I congratulated myself, then," resumed Porthos, "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.