penetration, the same knowledge of men; moreover, that great
power of self-compression which gives to hypocrites time to
reflect, and gather themselves up to take a spring. He
guessed that Fouquet was going to meet the blow he was about
to deal him. His eyes glittered ominously.
“What news?” asked the king. Fouquet placed a roll of papers
on the table.
“Let your majesty have the goodness to cast your eyes over
this work,” said he. The king slowly unfolded the paper.
“Plans?” said he.
“Yes, sire.”
“And what are these plans?”
“A new fortification, sire.”
“Ah, ah!” said the king, “you amuse yourself with tactics
and strategies, then, M. Fouquet?”
“I occupy myself with everything that may be useful to the
reign of your majesty,” replied Fouquet.
“Beautiful descriptions!” said the king, looking at the
design.
“Your majesty comprehends, without doubt,” said Fouquet,
bending over the paper; “here is the circle of the walls,
here are the forts, there the advanced works.”
“And what do I see here, monsieur?”
“The sea.”
“The sea all round?”
“Yes, sire.”
“And what is, then, the name of this place of which you show
me the plan?”
“Sire, it is Belle-Isle-en-Mer,” replied Fouquet with
simplicity.
At this word, at this name, Colbert made so marked a
movement, that the king turned round to enforce the
necessity for reserve. Fouquet did not appear to be the
least in the world concerned by the movement of Colbert, or
the king’s signal.
“Monsieur,” continued Louis, “you have then fortified
Belle-Isle?”
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“Yes, sire; and I have brought the plan and the accounts to
your majesty,” replied Fouquet, “I have expended sixteen
hundred thousand livres in this operation.”
“What to do?” replied Louis, coldly, having taken the
initiative from a malicious look of the intendant.
“For an aim very easy to seize,” replied, Fouquet. “Your
majesty was on cool terms with Great Britain.”
“Yes; but since the restoration of King Charles II. I have
formed an alliance with him.”
“A month since, sire, your majesty has truly said; but it is
more than six months since the fortifications of Belle-Isle
were begun.”
“Then they have become useless.”
“Sire, fortifications are never useless. I fortified
Belle-Isle against MM. Monk and Lambert and all those London
citizens who were playing at soldiers. Belle-Isle will be
ready fortified against the Dutch, against whom either
England or your majesty cannot fail to make war.”
The king was again silent, and looked askant at Colbert.
“Belle-Isle, I believe,” added Louis, “is yours, M.
Fouquet?”
“No, sire.”
“Whose then?”
“Your majesty’s.”
Colbert was seized with as much terror as if a gulf had
opened beneath his feet. Louis started with admiration,
either at the genius or the devotion of Fouquet.
“Explain yourself, monsieur,” said he.
“Nothing more easy, sire; Belle-Isle is one of my estates; I
have fortified it at my own expense. But as nothing in the
world can oppose a subject making an humble present to his
king, I offer your majesty the proprietorship of the estate,
of which you will leave me the usufruct. Belle-Isle, as a
place of war, ought to be occupied by the king. Your majesty
will be able, henceforth, to keep a safe garrison there.”
Colbert felt almost sinking down upon the floor. To keep
himself from falling, he was obliged to hold by the columns
of the wainscoting.
“This is a piece of great skill in the art of war that you
have exhibited here, monsieur,” said Louis.
“Sire, the initiative did not come from me,” replied
Fouquet: “many others have inspired me with it. The plans
themselves have been made by one of the most distinguished
engineers.”
“His name?”
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“M. du Vallon.”
“M. du Vallon?” resumed Louis, “I do not know him. It is
much to be lamented, M. Colbert,” continued he, “that I do
not know the names of the men of talent who do honor to my
reign.” And while saying these words he turned towards
Colbert. The latter felt himself crushed, the sweat flowed
from his brow, no word presented itself to his lips, he
suffered an inexpressible martyrdom. “You will recollect