In the morning, the news of the death of the cardinal was spread throughthe 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 asmonsieur le cardinal lived, I allowed him to govern my affairs; but nowI mean to govern them myself. You will give me your advice when I askit. You may go."
The ministers looked at each other with surprise. If they concealed asmile it was with a great effort, for they knew that the prince, broughtup in absolute ignorance of business, by this took upon himself a burdenmuch too heavy for his strength. Fouquet took leave of his colleaguesupon the stairs, saying:--"Messieurs! there will be so much less laborfor us."
And he climbed gayly into his carriage. The others, a little uneasyat the turn things had taken, went back to Paris together. Towards teno'clock the king repaired to the apartment of his mother, with whomhe had a long and private conversation. After dinner, he got intohis carriage, and went straight to the Louvre. There he received muchcompany, and took a degree of pleasure in remarking the hesitation ofeach, and the curiosity of all. Towards evening he ordered the doors ofthe Louvre to be closed, with the exception of one only, which opened onthe quay. He placed on duty at this point two hundred Swiss, who did notspeak 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 eleveno'clock precisely, he heard the rolling of a heavy carriage under thearch, then of another, then of a third; after which the gate grated uponits hinges to be closed. Soon after, somebody scratched with his nail atthe 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 hadjust rolled into a cellar of which the king had given Colbert the keyin the morning. This review completed, Louis returned to his apartments,followed by Colbert, who had not apparently warmed with one ray ofpersonal satisfaction.
"Monsieur," said the king, "what do you wish that I should give you, asa recompense for this devotedness and probity?"
"Absolutely nothing, sire."
"How nothing? Not even an opportunity of serving me?"
"If your majesty were not to furnish me with that opportunity, I shouldnot the less serve you. It is impossible for me not to be the bestservant 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 inthe kingdom."
"Ah!" cried Louis, coloring, "do you think so?"
"He will crush me in a week, sire. Your majesty gives me a controlefor which strength is indispensable. An intendant under asuperintendent,--that is inferiority."
"You want support--you do not reckon upon me?"
"I had the honor of telling your majesty that during the lifetime ofM. de Mazarin, M. Fouquet was the second man in the kingdom; now M. deMazarin is dead, M. Fouquet is become the first."
"Monsieur, I agree to what you told me of all things up to to-day; butto-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 serving me."
"I only fear to be placed so that I cannot serve your majesty."
"What do you wish, then?"
"I wish your majesty to allow me assistance in the labors of the officeof intendant."
"The post would lose its value."
"It would gain in security."
"Choose your colleagues."
"Messieurs Breteuil, Marin, Harvard."
"To-morrow the ordonnance shall appear.
"Sire, I thank you."
"Is that all you ask?
"No, sire, one thing more."
"What is that?"
"Allow me to compose a chamber of justice."
"What would this chamber of justice do?"
"Try the farmers-general and contractors, who, during ten years, havebeen robbing the state."
"Well, but what would you do with them?"
"Hang two or three, and that would make the rest disgorge."
"I cannot commence my reign with executions, Monsieur Colbert."
"On the contrary, sire, you had better, in order not to have to end withthem."
The king made no reply. "Does your majesty consent?" said Colbert.
"I will reflect upon it, monsieur."
"It will be too late when reflection may be made."
"Why?"
"Because you have to deal with people stronger than ourselves, if theyare warned."
"Compose that chamber of justice, monsieur."
"I will, sire."
"Is that all?"
"No, sire; there is still another important affair. What rights doesyour majesty attach to this office of intendant?"
"Well--I do not know--the customary ones."
"Sire, I desire that this office be invested with the right of readingthe correspondence with England."
"Impossible, monsieur, for that correspondence is kept from the council;monsieur le cardinal himself carried it on."
"I thought your majesty had this morning declared that there should nolonger be a council?"
"Yes, I said so."
"Let your majesty then have the goodness to read all the lettersyourself, particularly those from England; I hold strongly to thisarticle."
"Monsieur, you shall have that correspondence, and render me an accountof it."
"Now, sire, what shall I do with respect to the finances?"
"Everything M. Fouquet has not done."
"That is all I ask of your majesty. Thanks, sire, I depart in peace;"and at these words he took his leave. Louis watched his departure.Colbert was not yet a hundred paces from the Louvre when the kingreceived a courier from England. After having looked at and examined theenvelope, the king broke the seal precipitately, and found a letter fromCharles II. The following is what the English prince wrote to his royalbrother:--
"Your majesty must be rendered very uneasy by the illness of M. leCardinal Mazarin; but the excess of danger can only prove of service toyou. The cardinal is given over by his physician. I thank you for thegracious reply you have made to my communication touching the PrincessHenrietta, my sister, and, in a week, the princess and her court willset out for Paris. It is gratifying to me to acknowledge the fraternalfriendship you have evinced towards me, and to call you, more justlythan ever, my brother. It is gratifying to me, above everything, toprove to your majesty how much I am interested in all that may pleaseyou. You are having Belle-Isle-en-Mer secretly fortified. That is wrong.We shall never be at war against each other. That measure does not makeme uneasy, it makes me sad. You are spending useless millions, tell yourministers so; and rest assured that I am well informed; render me thesame service, my brother, if occasion offers."
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