uch the worse for Colbert. The surintendant, therefore,
coming up to him, replied with that arrogant winking of the eyes
peculiar to him, "What! is that you, M. Colbert?"

"To offer you my respects, monseigneur," said the latter.

"Were you in that lighter?" pointing to the one with twelve rowers.

"Yes, monseigneur."

"Of twelve rowers?" said Fouquet; "what luxury, M. Colbert. For a
moment, I thought it was the queen-mother or the king."

"Monseigneur!" and Colbert blushed.

"This is a voyage that will cost those who have to pay for it dear, M.
l'Intendant!" said Fouquet. "But you have, happily, arrived!--You see,
however," added he, a moment after, "that I, who had but eight rowers,
arrived ahead of you." And he turned his back toward him, leaving him
uncertain whether all the tergiversations of the second lighter had
escaped the notice of the first. At least he did not give him the
satisfaction of showing that he had been frightened. Colbert, so
annoyingly attacked, did not give way.

"I have not been quick, monseigneur," he replied, "because I followed
your example whenever you stopped."

"And why did you do that, M. Colbert?" cried Fouquet, irritated by this
base audacity; "as you had a superior crew to mine, why did you not
either join me or pass me?"

"Out of respect," said the intendant, bowing to the ground.

Fouquet got into a carriage which the city sent to him, we know not why
or how, and he repaired to _la Maison de Nantes_, escorted by a vast
crowd of people, who, for several days, had been boiling with the
expectation of a convocation of the States. Scarcely was he installed,
when Gourville went out to go and order horses, upon the route to
Poitiers and Vannes, and a boat at Paimboeuf. He performed these
various operations with so much mystery, activity, and generosity, that
never was Fouquet, then laboring under an access of fever, more near
being saved, except for the co-operation of that immense disturber of
human projects--chance. A report was spread during the night that the
king was coming in great haste upon post-horses, and that he would
arrive within ten or twelve hours at latest. The people, while waiting
for the king, were greatly rejoiced to see the musketeers, freshly
arrived with M. d'Artagnan, their captain, and quartered in the castle,
of which they occupied all the posts, in quality of guard of honor. M.
d'Artagnan, who was very polite, presented himself about ten o'clock at
t