d Louis, "is yours, M. Fouquet?"

"No, sire."

"Whose then?"

"Your majesty's."

Colbert was seized with as much terror as if a gulf had opened beneath
his feet. Louis started with admiration, either at the genius or the
devotion of Fouquet.

"Explain yourself, monsieur," said he.

"Nothing more easy, sire; Belle-Isle is one of my estates; I have
fortified it at my own expense. But as nothing in the world can oppose
a subject making an humble present to his king, I offer your majesty the
proprietorship of the estate, of which you will leave me the usufruct.
Belle-Isle, as a place of war, ought to be occupied by the king. Your
majesty will be able, henceforth, to keep a safe garrison there."

Colbert felt almost sinking down upon the floor. To keep himself from
falling, he was obliged to hold by the columns of the wainscoting.

"This is a piece of great skill in the art of war that you have
exhibited here, monsieur," said Louis.

"Sire, the initiative did not come from me," replied Fouquet; "many
officers have inspired me with it. The plans themselves have been made
by one of the most distinguished engineers."

"His name?"

"M. du Vallon."

"M. du Vallon?" resumed Louis; "I do not know him. It is much to be
lamented, M. Colbert," continued he, "that I do not know the names of
the men of talent who do honor to my reign." And while saying these
words he turned towards Colbert. The latter felt himself crushed, the
sweat flowed from his brow, no word presented itself to his lips, he
suffered an inexpressible martyrdom. "You will recollect that name,"
added Louis XIV.

Colbert bowed, but was paler than his ruffles of Flemish lace. Fouquet
continued:

"The masonries are of Roman concrete; the architects amalgamated it for
me after the best accounts of antiquity."

"And the cannon?" asked Louis.

"Oh! sire, that concerns your majesty; it did not become me to place
cannon in my own house, unless your majesty had told me it was yours."

Louis began to float, undetermined between the hatred which this so
powerful man inspired him with, and the pity he felt for the other,
so cast down, who seemed to him the counterfeit of the former. But the
consciousness of his kingly duty prevailed over the feelings of the man,
and he stretched out his finger to the paper.

"It must have cost you a great deal of money to carry these plans into
execution," said he.

"I believe I had the honor of telling your majesty the a