r," continued Fouquet, still speaking indirectly to Colbert,
"monsieur has received a week ago sixteen hundred thousand livres; he
has paid a hundred thousand livres to the guards, sixty-four thousand
livres to the hospitals, twenty-five thousand to the Swiss, a hundred
and thirty thousand for provisions, a thousand for arms, ten thousand
for accidental expenses; I do not err, then, in reckoning upon nine
hundred thousand livres that are left." Then turning towards Colbert,
like a disdainful head of office towards his inferior, "Take care,
monsieur," said he, "that those nine hundred thousand livres be remitted
to his majesty this evening, in gold."

"But," said the king, "that will make two millions five hundred thousand
livres."

"Sire, the five hundred thousand livres over will serve as pocket money
for his Royal Highness. You understand, Monsieur Colbert, this evening
before eight o'clock."

And with these words, bowing respectfully to the king, the
superintendent made his exit backwards, without honoring with a single
look the envious man, whose head he had just half shaved.

Colbert tore his ruffles to pieces in his rage, and bit his lips till
they bled.

Fouquet had not passed the door of the cabinet, when an usher pushing by
him, exclaimed: "A courier from Bretagne for his majesty."

"M. d'Herblay was right," murmured Fouquet, pulling out his watch; "an
hour and fifty-five minutes. It was quite true."

CHAPTER 76. In which D'Artagnan finishes by at length placing his Hand
upon his Captain's Commission

The reader guesses beforehand whom the usher preceded in announcing
the courier from Bretagne. This messenger was easily recognized. It was
D'Artagnan, his clothes dusty, his face inflamed, his hair dripping with
sweat, his legs stiff; he lifted his feet painfully at every step, on
which resounded the clink of his blood-stained spurs. He perceived
in the doorway he was passing through, the superintendent coming out.
Fouquet bowed with a smile to him who, an hour before, was bringing him
ruin and death. D'Artagnan found in his goodness of heart, and in his
inexhaustible vigor of body, enough presence of mind to remember
the kind reception of this man; he bowed then, also, much more from
benevolence and compassion, than from respect. He felt upon his lips the
word which had so many times been repeated to the Duc de Guise: "Fly."
But to pronounce that word would have been to betray his cause; to sp