“Yes, yes, La Fontaine is right,” resumed Fouquet, who had become very thoughtful; “whenever a vulture wishes to devour a tortoise, he well knows how to break his shell; but happy is that tortoise a snake pays a million and a half for his envelope. If any one were to bring me a generous-hearted snake like the one in your fable, Pelisson, I would give him my shell.”
“Rara avis in terres!” cried Conrart. [10]
“And like a black swan, is he not?” added La Fontaine; “well, then, the bird in question, black and rare, is already found.”
“Do you mean to say that you have found a purchaser for my post of procureur-general?” exclaimed Fouquet.
“I have, monsieur.”
“But the superintendent never said that he wished to sell,” resumed Pelisson.
“I beg your pardon,” said Conrart, “you yourself spoke about it, even—”
“Yes, I am a witness to that,” said Gourville.
“He seems very tenacious about his brilliant idea,” said Fouquet, laughing. “Well, La Fontaine, who is the purchaser?”
“A perfect blackbird, for he is a counselor belonging to the parliament, an excellent fellow.”