hom the courtiers, since the favor shown towards him
on the previous evening, paid greater attention than ever. The king,
instinctively, on noticing Fouquet, turned towards Colbert, who was
smiling, and seemed full of benevolence and delight, a state of feeling
which had arisen from the very moment one of his secretaries had entered
and handed him a pocket-book, which he had put unopened into his pocket.
But, as there was always something sinister at the bottom of any delight
expressed by Colbert, Louis preferred, of the smiles of the two men,
that of Fouquet. He beckoned to the superintendent to come up, and
turning towards Lyonne and Colbert, he said:--"Finish this matter, place
it on my desk, and I will read it at my leisure." And he left the
room. At the sign the king had made to him, Fouquet had hastened up
the staircase, while Aramis, who was with the superintendent, quietly
retired among the group of courtiers and disappeared without having been
even observed by the king. The king and Fouquet met at the top of the
staircase.

"Sire," said Fouquet, remarking the gracious manner in which Louis was
about to receive him, "your majesty has overwhelmed me with kindness
during the last few days. It is not a youthful monarch, but a being of
higher order, who reigns over France, one whom pleasure, happiness, and
love acknowledge as their master." The king colored. The compliment,
although flattering, was not the less somewhat pointed. Louis
conducted Fouquet to a small room that divided his study from his
sleeping-apartment.

"Do you know why I summoned you?" said the king as he seated himself
upon the edge of the window, so as not to lose anything that might be
passing in the gardens which fronted the opposite entrance to Madame's
pavilion.

"No, sire," replied Fouquet, "but I am sure for something agreeable, if
I am to judge from your majesty's gracious smile."

"You are mistaken, then."

"I, sire?"

"For I summoned you, on the contrary, to pick a quarrel with you."

"With me, sire?"

"Yes: and that a serious one."

"Your majesty alarms me--and yet I was most confident in your justice
and goodness."

"Do you know I am told, Monsieur Fouquet, that you are preparing a grand
_fete_ at Vaux."

Fouquet smiled, as a sick man would do at the first shiver of a fever
which has left him but returns again.

"And that you have not invited me!" continued the king.

"Sire," replied Fouquet, "I have not even thought