detected, and a hundred thousand crowns serve to feed a
regiment during six months; and is the price of ten thousand
good muskets or the value of a vessel of ten guns, ready for
sea.”
“That is true,” said Louis XIV., considering more
attentively, “and, ma foi! that was a well placed economy;
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besides, it was ridiculous for soldiers to wear the same
lace as noblemen.”
“I am happy to be approved of by your majesty.”
“Is that the only appointment you held about the cardinal?”
asked the king.
“It was I who was appointed to examine the accounts of the
superintendent, sire.”
“Ah!” said Louis, who was about to dismiss Colbert, but whom
that word stopped; “ah! it was you whom his eminence had
charged to control M. Fouquet, was it? And the result of the
examination?”
“Is that there is a deficit, sire; but if your majesty will
permit me —- ”
“Speak, M. Colbert.”
“I ought to give your majesty some explanations.”
“Not at all, monsieur, it is you who have controlled these
accounts, give me the result.”
“That is very easily done, sire; emptiness everywhere, money
nowhere.”
“Beware, monsieur; you are roughly attacking the
administration of M. Fouquet, who, nevertheless, I have
heard say, is an able man.”
Colbert colored, and then became pale, for he felt that from
that minute he entered upon a struggle with a man whose
power almost equaled the sway 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 that
ability, 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 to
me. 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 next
year?”
“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.”
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“They must have three, sire.”
“I will create offices to make them resign, and the salary
of the posts shall be paid into the treasury.”
“Impossible, sire, for there have already been creations
upon creations of offices, the provisions of which are given
in blank, so that the purchasers enjoy them without filling
them. That is why your majesty cannot make them resign.
Further, upon each agreement M. Fouquet has made an
abatement of a third, so that the people have been
plundered, without your majesty profiting by it. Let your
majesty set down clearly your thought, and tell me what you
wish me to explain.”
“You are right, clearness is what you wish, is it not?”
“Yes, sire, clearness. God is God above all things, because
He made light.”
“Well, for example,” resumed Louis XIV., “if today, the
cardinal being dead, and I being king, suppose I wanted
money?”
“Your majesty would not have any.”
“Oh! that is strange, monsieur! How! my superintendent would
not find me any money?”
Colbert shook his large head.
“How is that?” said the king, “is the income of the state so
much in debt that there is no longer any revenue?”
“Yes, sire.”
The king started. “Explain me that, M. Colbert,” added he
with a frown. “If it be so, I will get together the
ordonnances to obtain a discharge from the holders, a
liquidation at a cheap rate.”
“Impossible, for the ordonnances have been converted into
bills, which bills, for the convenience of return and
facility of transaction, are divided into so many parts that
the 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 to
reign.”
“You are, in fact, sire,” said the impassible caster-up of
figures.
“Well, but yet, monsieur, the money is somewhere?”