Part 138 (1/1)
”No doubt”
”I shall want--” Louis hesitated The sued to refuse Charles II He turned towards Colbert, that he ive the blow
”I shall want, to- at Colbert
”A hted to take his revenge
Fouquet turned his back upon the intendant to listen to the king He did not turn round, but waited till the king repeated, or rather murmured, ”A million”
”Oh! sire,” replied Fouquet disdainfully, ”a million! ill your majesty do with a million?”
”It appears to me, nevertheless--” said Louis XIV
”That is not more than is spent at the nuptials of one of the most petty princes of Germany”
”Monsieur!”
”Your majesty must have two millions at least The horses alone would run aith five hundred thousand livres I shall have the honor of sending your ”
”How,” said the king, ”sixteen hundred thousand livres?”
”Look, sire,” replied Fouquet, without even turning towards Colbert, ”I know that wants four hundred thousand livres of the twoover his shoulder to Colbert, who if possible, became paler, behind him) ”has in his coffers nine hundred thousand livres ofturned round to look at Colbert
”But--” said the latter
”Monsieur,” continued Fouquet, still speaking indirectly to Colbert, ”o, sixteen hundred thousand livres; he has paid a hundred thousand livres to the guards, sixty-four thousand livres to the hospitals, twenty-five thousand to the Swiss, an hundred and thirty thousand for provisions, a thousand for arms, ten thousand for accidental expenses; I do not err, then, in reckoning upon nine hundred thousand livres that are left” Then turning towards Colbert, like a disdainful head of office towards his inferior, ”Take care, monsieur,” said he, ”that those nine hundred thousand livres be reold”
”But,” said the king, ”that will make two millions five hundred thousand livres”
”Sire, the five hundred thousand livres over will serve as pocket hness You understand, Monsieur Colbert, this evening before eight o'clock”
And with these words, bowing respectfully to the king, the superintendent le look the envious man, whose head he had just half shaved
Colbert tore his ruffles to pieces in his rage, and bit his lips till they bled
Fouquet had not passed the door of the cabinet, when an usher pushi+ng by hine for his ht,”out his watch; ”an hour and fifty-five elonne The next text in the series is Ten Years Later