was gilding the horizon, and the first rays of the sun
bathed in flame the young king’s brow. “This is the dawn of
my reign,” murmured Louis XIV. “It’s a presage sent by the
Almighty.”
CHAPTER 50
The First Day of the Royalty of Louis XIV
In the morning, the news of the death of the cardinal was
spread through the castle, and thence speedily reached the
city. The ministers Fouquet, Lyonne, and Letellier entered
la salle des seances, to hold a council. The king sent for
them immediately. “Messieurs,” said he, “as long as monsieur
le cardinal lived, I allowed him to govern my affairs; but
now I mean to govern them myself. You will give me your
advice when I ask it. You may go.”
The ministers looked at each other with surprise. If they
concealed a smile it was with a great effort, for they knew
that the prince, brought up in absolute ignorance of
business, by this took upon himself a burden much too heavy
for his strength. Fouquet took leave of his colleagues upon
the stairs, saying: — “Messieurs! there will be so much
less labor for us.”
And he climbed gayly into his carriage. The others, a little
uneasy at the turn things had taken, went back to Paris
together. Towards ten o’clock the king repaired to the
apartment of his mother, with whom he had a long and private
conversation. After dinner, he got into his carriage, and
went straight to the Louvre. There he received much company,
and took a degree of pleasure in remarking the hesitation of
each, and the curiosity of all. Towards evening he ordered
the doors of the Louvre to be closed, with the exception of
one only, which opened on the quay. He placed on duty at
this point two hundred Swiss, who did not speak a word of
French, with orders to admit all who carried packages, but
no others; and by no means to allow any one to go out. At
eleven o’clock precisely, he heard the rolling of a heavy
carriage under the arch, then of another, then of a third;
after which the gate grated upon its hinges to be closed.
Soon after, somebody scratched with his nail at the door of
the cabinet. The king opened it himself, and beheld Colbert,
whose first word was this: — “The money is in your
majesty’s cellar.”
The king then descended and went himself to see the barrels
of specie, in gold and silver, which, under the direction of
Colbert, four men had just rolled into a cellar of which the
king had given Colbert the key in the morning. This review
completed, Louis returned to his apartments, followed by
Colbert, who had not apparently warmed with one ray of
personal satisfaction.
“Monsieur,” said the king, “what do you wish that I should
give you, as a recompense for this devotedness and probity?”
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“Absolutely nothing, sire.”
“How nothing? Not even an opportunity of serving me?”
“If your majesty were not to furnish me with that
opportunity, I should not the less serve you. It is
impossible for me not to be the best servant of the king.”
“You shall be intendant of the finances, M. Colbert.”
“But there is already a superintendent, sire.”
“I know that.”
“Sire, the superintendent of the finances is the most
powerful man in the kingdom.”
“Ah!” cried Louis, coloring, “do you think so?”
“He will crush me in a week, sire. Your majesty gives me a
controle for which strength is indispensable. An intendant
under a superintendent, — that is inferiority.”
“You want support — you do not reckon upon me?”
“I had the honor of telling your majesty that during the
lifetime of M. de Mazarin, M. Fouquet was the second man in
the kingdom; now M. de Mazarin is dead, M. Fouquet is become
the first.”
“Monsieur, I agree to what you told me of all things up to
to-day; but to-morrow, please to remember, I shall no longer
suffer it.”
“Then I shall be of no use to your majesty?”
“You are already, since you fear to compromise yourself in