ourself."

"I will think of it," said Fouquet; "besides, we have all the night
before us."

"Do not reckon too much on time; were the hours we have twice as many as
they are, they would not be too much," replied Pelisson; "it is never a
fault to arrive too soon."

"Adieu!" said the superintendent; "come with me, Pelisson. Gourville, I
commend my guests to your care." And he set off. The Epicureans did
not perceive that the head of the school had left them; the violins
continued playing all night long.

Chapter LIX. A Quarter of an Hour's Delay.

Fouquet, on leaving his house for the second time that day, felt himself
less heavy and less disturbed than might have been expected. He turned
towards Pelisson, who was meditating in the corner of the carriage some
good arguments against the violent proceedings of Colbert.

"My dear Pelisson," said Fouquet, "it is a great pity you are not a
woman."

"I think, on the contrary, it is very fortunate," replied Pelisson,
"for, monseigneur, I am excessively ugly."

"Pelisson! Pelisson!" said the superintendent, laughing: "You repeat too
often, you are 'ugly', not to leave people to believe that it gives you
much pain."

"In fact it does, monseigneur, much pain; there is no man more
unfortunate than I: I was handsome, the small-pox rendered me hideous;
I am deprived of a great means of attraction; now, I am your principal
clerk, or something of that sort; I take great interest in your affairs,
and if, at this moment, I were a pretty woman, I could render you an
important service."

"What?"

"I would go and find the _concierge_ of the Palais. I would seduce him,
for he is a gallant man, extravagantly partial to women; then I would
get away our two prisoners."

"I hope to be able to do so myself, although I am not a pretty woman,"
replied Fouquet.

"Granted, monseigneur; but you are compromising yourself very much."

"Oh!" cried Fouquet, suddenly, with one of those secret transports which
the generous blood of youth, or the remembrance of some sweet emotion,
infuses into the heart. "Oh! I know a woman who will enact the personage
we stand in need of, with the lieutenant-governor of the _concierge_."

"And, on my part, I know fifty, monseigneur; fifty trumpets, which
will inform the universe of your generosity, of your devotion to your
friends, and, consequently, will ruin you sooner or later in ruining
themselves."

"I do not speak of such women, Pelisson; I sp