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The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 159 at Prostate Health
of him who had just died."Yes, sire, a very able man," repeated Colbert, bowing."But if M. Fouquet is an able man, and, in spite of thatability, if money be wanting, whose fault is it?""I do not accuse, sire, I verify.""That is well; make out your accounts, and present them tome. There is a deficit, you say? A deficit may be temporary;credit returns and funds are restored.""No, sire.""Upon this year, perhaps, I understand that; but upon nextyear?""Next year is eaten as bare as the current year.""But the year after, then?""Will be just like next year.""What do you tell me, Monsieur Colbert?""I say there are four years engaged beforehand."They must have a loan, then.""They must have three, sire.""I will create offices to make them resign, and the salaryof the posts shall be paid into the treasury.""Impossible, sire, for there have already been creationsupon creations of offices, the provisions of which are givenin blank, so that the purchasers enjoy them without fillingthem. That is why your majesty cannot make them resign.Further, upon each agreement M. Fouquet has made anabatement of a third, so that the people have beenplundered, without your majesty profiting by it. Let yourmajesty set down clearly your thought, and tell me what youwish me to explain.""You are right, clearness is what you wish, is it not?""Yes, sire, clearness. God is God above all things, becauseHe made light.""Well, for example," resumed Louis XIV., "if today, thecardinal being dead, and I being king, suppose I wantedmoney?""Your majesty would not have any.""Oh! that is strange, monsieur! How! my superintendent wouldnot find me any money?"Colbert shook his large head."How is that?" said the king, "is the income of the state somuch in debt that there is no longer any revenue?""Yes, sire."The king started. "Explain me that, M. Colbert," added hewith a frown. "If it be so, I will get together theordonnances to obtain a discharge from the holders, aliquidation at a cheap rate.""Impossible, for the ordonnances have been converted intobills, which bills, for the convenience of return andfacility of transaction, are divided into so many parts thatthe originals can no longer be recognized."Louis, very much agitated, walked about, still frowning."But, if this is as you say, Monsieur Colbert," said he,stopping all at once, "I shall be ruined before I begin toreign.""You are, in fact, sire," said the impassible caster-up offigures."Well, but yet, monsieur, the money is somewhere?""Yes, sire, and even as a beginning, I bring your majesty anote of funds which M. le Cardinal Mazarin was not willingto set down in his testament, neither in any act whatever,but which he confided to me.""To you?""Yes, sire, with an injunction to remit it to your majesty.""What! besides the forty millions of the testament?""Yes, sire.""M. de Mazarin had still other funds?"Colbert bowed."Why, that man was a gulf!" murmured the king. "M. deMazarin on one side, M. Fouquet on the other, -- more than ahundred millions perhaps between them! No wonder my coffersshould be empty!" Colbert waited without stirring."And is the sum you bring me worth the trouble?" asked theking."Yes, sire, it is a round sum.""Amounting to how much?""To thirteen millions of livres, sire.""Thirteen millions!" cried Louis, trembling with joy: "doyou say thirteen millions, Monsieur Colbert?""I said thirteen millions, yes, your majesty.""Of which everybody is ignorant?""Of which everybody is ignorant.""Which are in your hands?""In my hands, yes, sire.""And which I can have?""Within two hours, sire.""But where are they, then?""In the cellar of a house which the cardinal possessed inthe city, and which he was so kind as to leave me by aparticular clause of his will.""You are acquainted with the cardinals will, then?""I have a duplicate of it, signed by his hand.""A duplicate?""Yes, sire, and here it is." Colbert drew the deed quietlyfrom his pocket and showed it to the king. The king read thearticle relative to the donation of the house."But," said he, "there is no question here but of the house;there is nothing said of the money.""Your pardon, sire, it is in my conscience.""And Monsieur Mazarin has intrusted it to you?""Why not, sire?""He! a man mistrustful of everybody?""He was not so of me, sire, as your majesty may perceive."Louis fixed his eyes with admiration upon that vulgar butexpressive face. "You are an honest man, M. Colbert,"
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