"if true, as it is said to be, that the king
has made him his intendant?" Scarcely had Fouquet uttered these words,
with a marked intention, than an explosion broke forth among the guests.

"The miser!" said one.

"The mean, pitiful fellow!" said another.

"The hypocrite!" said a third.

Pelisson exchanged a meaning look with Fouquet. "Messieurs," said
he, "in truth we are abusing a man whom no one knows: it is neither
charitable nor reasonable; and here is monsieur le surintendant, who, I
am sure, agrees with me."

"Entirely," replied Fouquet. "Let the fat fowls of M. Colbert alone; our
business to-day is with the _faisans truffes_ of M. Vatel." This speech
stopped the dark cloud which was beginning to throw its shade over the
guests. Gourville succeeded so well in animating the poets with the _vin
de Joigny_; the abbe, intelligent as a man who stands in need of his
host's money, so enlivened the financiers and the men of the sword,
that, amidst the vapors of this joy and the noise of conversation,
inquietudes disappeared completely. The will of Cardinal Mazarin was the
text of the conversation at the second course and dessert; then Fouquet
ordered bowls of sweetmeats and fountains of liquor to be carried into
the _salon_ adjoining the gallery. He led the way thither, conducting
by the hand a lady, the queen, by his preference, of the evening. The
musicians then supped, and the promenades in the gallery and the gardens
commenced, beneath a spring sky, mild and flower-scented. Pelisson
then approached the superintendent, and said: "Something troubles
monseigneur?"

"Greatly," replied the minister; "ask Gourville to tell you what it is."
Pelisson, on turning round, found La Fontaine treading upon his heels.
He was obliged to listen to a Latin verse, which the poet had composed
upon Vatel. La Fontaine had, for an hour, been scanning this verse in
all corners, seeking some one to pour it out upon advantageously. He
thought he had caught Pelisson, but the latter escaped him; he turned
towards Sorel, who had, himself, just composed a _quatrain_ in honor of
the supper, and the _Amphytrion_. La Fontaine in vain endeavored to
gain attention to his verses; Sorel wanted to obtain a hearing for his
_quatrain_. He was obliged to retreat before M. le Comte de Charost,
whose arm Fouquet had just taken. L'Abbe Fouquet perceived that the
poet, absent-minded, as usual, was about to follow the two talkers; and
he interposed. La Fo