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The Vicomte De Bragelonne
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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 519 at Prostate Health
Fouquet, seriously; "let the business be a serious
one if it is to be one at all. But, first of all, let us show we are
hospitable. Make my apologies, La Fontaine, to M. Vanel, and tell him
how distressed I am to have kept him waiting, but that I was not aware
he was there."
La Fontaine set off at once, fortunately accompanied by Gourville, for,
absorbed in his own calculations, the poet would have mistaken the
route, and was hurrying as fast as he could toward the village of
Saint-Mandé. Within a quarter of an hour afterward, M. Vanel was
introduced into the surintendants cabinet, the description and details
of which have already been given at the beginning of this story. When
Fouquet saw him enter, he called to Pellisson and whispered a few words
in his ear. "Do not lose a word of what I am going to say: let all the
silver and gold plate, together with the jewels of every description, be
packed up in the carriage. You will take the black horses: the jeweler
will accompany you; and you will postpone the supper until Madame de
Bellieres arrival."
"Will it be necessary to inform Madame de Belliere of it?" said
Pellisson.
"No, that will be useless; I will do that. So away with you, my dear
friend."
Pellisson set off, not quite clear as to his friends meaning or
intention, but confident, like every true friend, in the judgment of the
man he was blindly obeying. It is that which constitutes the strength of
such men; distrust only arises in the minds of inferior natures.
Vanel bowed lowly to the surintendant, and was about to begin a speech.
"Do not trouble yourself, monsieur," said Fouquet, politely; "I am told
that you wish to purchase a post I hold. How much can you give me for
it?"
"It is for you, monseigneur, to fix the amount you require. I know that
offers of purchase have already been made to you for it."
"Madame Vanel, I have been told, values it at fourteen hundred thousand
livres."
"That is all we have."
"Can you give me the money immediately?"
"I have not the money with me," said Vanel, frightened almost by the
unpretending simplicity, amounting to greatness, of the man, for he had
expected disputes, and difficulties, and opposition of every kind.
"When will you be able to have it?"
"Whenever you please, monseigneur;" for he began to be afraid that
Fouquet was trifling with him.
"If it were not for the trouble you would have in returning to Paris, I
would say at once; but we will arrange that the payment and the
signature shall take place at six oclock to-morrow morning."
"Very good," said Vanel, as cold as ice, and feeling quite bewildered.
"Adieu, Monsieur Vanel, present my humblest respects to Madame Vanel,"
said Fouquet, as he rose; upon which Vanel, who felt the blood rushing
up to his head, for he was quite confounded by his success, said
seriously to the surintendant, "Will you give me your word, monseigneur,
upon this affair?"
Fouquet turned round his head, saying:
"Pardieu! and you, monsieur?"
Vanel hesitated, trembled all over, and at last finished by hesitatingly
holding out his hand. Fouquet opened and nobly extended his own; this
loyal hand lay for a moment in Vanels moist hypocritical palm, and he
pressed it in his own, in order the better to convince himself of its
truth. The surintendant gently disengaged his hand, as he again said:
"Adieu!"
And then Vanel ran hastily to the door, hurried along the vestibules,
and fled away as quickly as he could.
CHAPTER LIV.
MADAME DE BELLIERES PLATE AND DIAMONDS.
Hardly had Fouquet dismissed Vanel, than he began to reflect for a few
moments: "A man never can do too much for the woman he has once loved.
Marguerite wishes to be the wife of a procureur-general--and why not
confer this pleasure upon her? And now that the most scrupulous and
sensitive conscience will be unable to reproach me with anything, let my
thoughts be bestowed on her who has shown so much devotion for me.
Madame de Belliere ought to be there by this time," he said, as he
turned toward the secret door.
After he had locked himself in, he opened the subterranean passage, and
rapidly hastened toward the means of communicating between the house at
Vincennes and his own residence. He had neglected to apprise his friend
of his approach by ringing the bell, perfectly assured that she would
never fail to be exact at the rendezvous; as, indeed, was the case, for
she
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