Part 72 (1/2)
Of this intrigue Letellier held the thread He had just received a letter froly co Mazarin; but, as he already played the double part which served hied two ene the them, Michel Letellier wished to send Anne of Austria's letter to Mazarin, in order that he ht be acquainted with it, and consequently pleased with his having so willingly rendered him a service To send the letter was an easycommunicated it, that was the difficulty Letellier cast his eyes around hi brow, scribbling away in his office, he preferred hin
Colbert was commanded to set out for Sedan, with positive orders to carry the letter to Mazarin, and bring it back to Letellier He listened to his orders with scrupulous attention, required the instructions to be repeated twice, and was particular in learning whether the bringing back was as necessary as the co, and Letellier replied sternly, ”More necessary” Then he set out, traveled like a courier, without any care for his body, and placed in the hands of Mazarin, first a letter fro of the precious letter, and then that letter itself Mazarin colored greatly whilst reading Anne of Austria's letter, gave Colbert a gracious smile and disneur?”
”To-?”
”Yes,his very best bow The next day he was at his post at seven o'clock Mazarin made him wait till ten
He re coave him a sealed packet On the envelope of this packet were these words:--Monsieur Michel Letellier, etc Colbert looked at the packet with much attention; the cardinal put on a pleasant countenance and pushed him towards the door
”And the letter of the queen-mother, my lord?” asked Colbert
”It is in with the rest, in the packet,” said Mazarin
”Oh! very well,” replied Colbert; and placing his hat between his knees, he began to unseal the packet
Mazarin uttered a cry ”What are you doing?” said he, angrily
”I a the packet, my lord”
”You mistrust me, then, master pedant, do you? Did any one ever see such iry with me! It is certainly not your eminence's word I place in doubt, God forbid!”
”What then?”
”It is the carefulness of your chancery, otten? And look, otten the rag; the letter is not in the packet”
”You are an insolent fellow, and you have not looked,” cried Mazarin, very angrily; ”begone and waitthese words, with perfectly Italian subtlety he snatched the packet from the hands of Colbert, and re-entered his apart as to be replaced in ti his closet door, found the figure of Colbert like a sentinel behind the bench, and this disagreeable figure never failed to ask him humbly, but with tenacity, for the queen-er, and was obliged to give it up He accompanied this restitution with awhich Colbert contented hi, as it were, the paper, the characters, and the signature, neither er in the kingdom Mazarin behaved stillobtained a certainty that the letter was the true one, went off as if he had been deaf This conduct obtained for him afterwards the post of Joubert; for Mazarin, instead of bearingso le anecdote, what the character of Colbert was Events, developing therees allowed all the powers of hishiraces of the cardinal: he became even indispensable to him
The clerk was acquainted with all his accounts without the cardinal's ever having spoken to him about them This secret between them was a powerful tie, and this hen about to appear before the Master of another world, Mazarin was desirous of taking good counsel in disposing the wealth he was so unwillingly obliged to leave in this world After the visit of Guenaud, he therefore sent for Colbert, desired him to sit down, and said to him: ”Let us converse, Monsieur Colbert, and seriously, for I am very ill, and I may chance to die”
”Man is mortal,” replied Colbert
”I have always remembered that, M Colbert, and I have worked with that end in view You know that I have aneur”
”At how much do you estimate, as near as you can, the amount of this wealth, M Colbert?”
”At forty millions, five hundred and sixty thousand, two hundred livres, nine cents, eight farthings,” replied Colbert