nsequence; for, if I were
certain of not displeasing her majesty the queen-mother, all my scruples
would be removed."

"Well! have you never heard talk of a certain secret?"

"A secret?"

"Call it what you like. In short, the queen-mother has conceived a
horror for all those who have participated, in one fashion or another,
in the discovery of this secret, and M. Fouquet, I believe to be one of
these."

"Then," said Colbert, "we may be sure of the assent of the
queen-mother?"

"I have just left her majesty, and she assures me so."

"So be it then, madame."

"But there is something further: do you happen to know a man who was the
intimate friend of M. Fouquet, a M. d'Herblay, a bishop, I believe?"

"Bishop of Vannes."

"Well! this M. d'Herblay, who also knew the secret, the queen-mother is
having him pursued with the utmost rancor."

"Indeed!"

"So hotly pursued, that if he were dead she would not be satisfied with
anything less than his head, to satisfy her he would never speak
again."

"And is that the desire of the queen-mother?"

"An order is given for it."

"This Monsieur d'Herblay shall be sought for, madame."

"Oh! it is well known where he is."

Colbert looked at the duchesse.

"Say where, madame."

"He is at Belle-Isle-en-Mer."

"At the residence of M. Fouquet?"

"At the residence of M. Fouquet."

"He shall be taken."

It was now the duchesse's turn to smile. "Do not fancy that so easy,"
said she, "and do not promise it so lightly."

"Why not, madame?"

"Because M. d'Herblay is not one of those people who can be taken just
when you please."

"He is a rebel, then!"

"Oh! Monsieur Colbert, we folks have passed all our lives in making
rebels, and yet you see plainly, that so far from being taken, we take
others."

Colbert fixed upon the old duchesse one of those fierce looks of which
no words can convey the expression, accompanied by a firmness which was
not wanting in grandeur. "The times are gone," said he, "in which
subjects gained duchies by making war against the king of France. If M.
d'Herblay conspires, he will perish on the scaffold. That will give, or
will not give, pleasure to his enemies--that is of very little
importance to _us_."

And this _us_, a strange word in the mouth of Colbert, made the duchesse
thoughtful for a moment. She caught herself reckoning inwardly with this
man.--Colbert had regained his superiority in the conversation, and he
was desirous of k