Part 85 (1/2)
”Are youhis arms on his breast ”Do people utter such enormities, even when they have the misfortune to think them?”
”Ah! sire, you cannot expect that I should be an enemy to M Fouquet, after what he has just done for you and me No, no; if you desire that he should ree to e, the bird would, in the end, take wing”
”I a, in his sternest tone, ”you did not follow the fortunes of the man M Fouquet wished to place upon ratitude In my service, monsieur, you will only find a one to seek you in the Bastile, sire,” replied D'Artagnan, with a deeply ione there, and I should have been that ht to a pause Before that speech of his captain of thehad nothing to offer On hearing D'Artagnan, Louis renan of former times; him who, at the Palais Royal, held himself concealed behind the curtains of his bed, when the people of Paris, led by Cardinal de Retz, ca; the D'Artagnan whoe, when repairing to Notre Dame on his return to Paris; the soldier who had quitted his service at Blois; the lieutenant he had recalled to be beside his person when the death of Mazarin restored his power; the eous, devoted Louis advanced towards the door and called Colbert Colbert had not left the corridor where the secretaries were at work He reappeared
”Colbert, did you make a perquisition on the house of M Fouquet?”
”Yes, sire”
”What has it produced?”
”M de Roncherolles, as sent with your majesty's musketeers, has remitted me some papers,” replied Colbert
”I will look at them Give me your hand”
”My hand, sire!”
”Yes, that I nan In fact, M
d'Artagnan,” added he, with a sht of the clerk, had resuhty attitude, ”you do not know this man; make his acquaintance” And he pointed to Colbert ”He has been made but a moderately valuable servant in subaltern positions, but he will be a great man if I raise him to the foremost rank”
”Sire!” stammered Colbert, confused with pleasure and fear
”I always understood why,” 's ear; ”he was jealous”
”Precisely, and his jealousy confined his wings”
”He will henceforward be a winged-serpent,” gruainst his recent adversary
But Colbert, approaching hinomy so different from that which he had been accustoood, so ence so noble, that D'Artagnan, a connoisseur in physiognoed in his convictions Colbert pressed his hand
”That which the king has just told you, monsieur, proves hoell his majesty is acquainted with men The inveterate opposition I have displayed, up to this day, against abuses and not against lorious reign, for nan You will see theood fortune to conquer the friendshi+p of honest men, I am at least certain, monsieur, that I shall obtain their esteeive e, this sudden elevation, this ave the musketeer matter for profound reflection He bowed civilly to Colbert, who did not take his eyes off hi, when he saw they were reconciled, disether As soon as they were out of the cabinet, the newthe captain, said:
”Is it possible, M d'Artagnan, that with such an eye as yours, you did not, at the first glance, at the first impression, discover what sort of man I am?”
”Monsieur Colbert,” replied the musketeer, ”a ray of the sun in our eyes prevents us fro the most vivid flame The man in power radiates, you know; and since you are there, why should you continue to persecute hirace, and fallen froht?”
”I, monsieur!” said Colbert; ”oh, monsieur! I would never persecute him I wished to administer the finances and to administer them alone, because I am ambitious, and, above all, because I have the most entire confidence in old of this country will ebb and flow beneath old; because, if I live thirty years, in thirty years not a _denir_ of it will reranaries, castles, cities, and harbors; because I will create a marine, I will equip navies that shall waft the name of France to the most distant people; because I will create libraries and academies; because I will make France the first country in the world, and the wealthiest These are the ainst M Fouquet, who prevented , when France is great and strong, in my turn, then, will I cry, 'Mercy'!”
”Mercy, did you say? then ask his liberty of the king The king is only crushi+ng hiain raised his head ”Monsieur,” said he, ”you know that is not so, and that the king has his own personal aniainst M
Fouquet; it is not for row tired; he will forget”