Part 75 (1/2)
”That fight in favor of M Fouquet? What are they? Stop, let me help you”
”Do, madame”
”La Valliere?”
”Oh! very little influence; no knowledge of business, and small means
M Fouquet has paid his court to her”
”To defend him would be to accuse herself, would it not?”
”I think it would”
”There is still another influence, what do you say to that?”
”Is it considerable?”
”The queen-mother, perhaps?”
”Her majesty, the queen-mother, has a weakness for M Fouquet very prejudicial to her son”
”Never believe that,” said the old duchesse, s
”Oh!” said Colbert, with incredulity, ”I have often experienced it”
”Formerly?”
”Very recently,M Fouquet arrested”
”People do not forever entertain the same opinions, my dear monsieur
That which the queen may have wished recently, she would not wish, perhaps, to-day”
”And why not?” said Colbert, astonished
”Oh! the reason is of very little consequence”
”On the contrary, I think it is of great consequence; for, if I were certain of not displeasing her majesty, the queen-mother, my scruples would be all removed”
”Well! have you never heard talk of a certain secret?”
”A secret?”
”Call it what you like In short, the queen-mother has conceived a bitter hatred for all those who have participated, in one fashi+on or another, in the discovery of this secret, and M Fouquet I believe is one of these”
”Then,” said Colbert, ”we may be sure of the assent of the queen-mother?”
”I have just left her majesty, and she assures me so”