He ate quickly and somewhat greedily.

Porthos, who from the beginning had, out of respect, been waiting for a jog of D'Artagnan's arm, seeing the king make such rapid progress, turned to the musketeer and said in a low voice: "It seems as if one might go on now; his majesty is very encouraging, from the example he sets.

Look." "The king eats," said D'Artagnan, "but he talks at the same time; try and manage matters in such a manner that, if he should happen to address a remark to you, he will not find you with your mouth full--which would be very disrespectful." "The best way, in that case," said Porthos, "is to eat no supper at all; and yet I am very hungry, I admit, and everything looks and smells most invitingly, as if appealing to all my senses at once." "Don't think of not eating for a moment," said D'Artagnan; "that would put his majesty out terribly.

The king has a saying, 'that he who works well, eats well,' and he does not like people to eat indifferently at his table." "How can I avoid having my mouth full if I eat ?" said Porthos.
"All you have to do," replied the captain of the musketeers, "is simply to swallow what you have in it, whenever the king does you the honor to address a remark to you." "Very good," said Porthos; and from that moment he began to eat with a certain well-bred enthusiasm.
The king occasionally looked at the different persons who were at table with him, and, _en connoisseur_, could appreciate the different dispositions of his guests.
"Monsieur du Vallon!" he said.
Porthos was enjoying a _salmi de lievre_, and swallowed half of the back.

His name, pronounced in such a manner, made him start, and by a vigorous effort of his gullet he absorbed the whole mouthful.
"Sire," replied Porthos, in a stifled voice, but sufficiently intelligible, nevertheless.
"Let those _filets d'agneau_ be handed to Monsieur du Vallon," said the king; "do you like brown meats, M.du Vallon ?" "Sire, I like everything," replied Porthos.
D'Artagnan whispered: "Everything your majesty sends me." Porthos repeated: "Everything your majesty sends me," an observation which the king apparently received with great satisfaction.
"People eat well who work well," replied the king, delighted to have _en tete-a-tete_ a guest who could eat as Porthos did.