perfectly livid. "That which conferred upon me, sire, a
grand gown and a stern air of gravity; the appointment of
procureur-general."

The king involuntarily uttered a loud exclamation and looked at Colbert,
who, with his face bedewed with perspiration, felt almost on the point
of fainting. "To whom have you sold this appointment, Monsieur Fouquet?"
inquired the king.

Colbert was obliged to lean against the side of the fireplace. "To a
councilor belonging to the parliament, sire, whose name is Vanel."

"Vanel?"

"Yes, sire, a friend of the intendant Colbert," added Fouquet; letting
every word fall from his lips with the most inimitable nonchalance, and
with an admirably assumed expression of forgetfulness and ignorance. And
having finished, and having overwhelmed Colbert beneath the weight of
this superiority, the surintendant again saluted the king and quitted
the room, partially revenged by the stupefaction of the king and the
humiliation of the favorite.

"Is it really possible," said the king, as soon as Fouquet had
disappeared, "that he has sold that office?"

"Yes, sire," said Colbert, meaningly.

"He must be mad," the king added.

Colbert this time did not reply; he had penetrated the king's thought, a
thought which amply revenged him for the humiliation he had just been
made to suffer; his hatred was augmented by a feeling of bitter jealousy
of Fouquet; and a threat of disgrace was now added to the plan he had
arranged for his ruin. Colbert felt perfectly assured that for the
future, between Louis XIV. and himself, their hostile feelings and ideas
would meet with no obstacles, and that at the first fault committed by
Fouquet, which could be laid hold of as a pretext, the chastisement
impending over him would be precipitated. Fouquet had thrown aside his
weapons of defense, and hate and jealousy had picked them up. Colbert
was invited by the king to the fete at Vaux; he bowed like a man
confident in himself, and accepted the invitation with the air of one
who almost confers a favor. The king was about writing down
Saint-Aignan's name on his list of royal commands, when the usher
announced the Comte de Saint-Aignan; as soon as the royal "Mercury"
entered, Colbert discreetly withdrew.

CHAPTER LXIV.

RIVAL AFFECTIONS.

Saint-Aignan had quitted Louis XIV. hardly a couple of hours before; but
in the first effervescence of his affection, whenever Louis XIV. did
not see La Valliere he was oblig