“Pardon, sire, it is correct.”
“But there must be a mistake; a fortnight ago her majesty received her money.”
“Sire, but if her majesty has need of money; and we all know how well she employs it.”
“No,” cried the king; “the queen does not want this money; she said to me that she preferred a vessel to jewels. The queen thinks but of France, and when France is poor, we that are rich ought to lend to France; and if she does require this money, it will be a greater merit to wait for it; and I guarantee that she will wait.”
The ministers applauded this patriotic speech of the king,—only M. de Calonne insisted.
“Really, monsieur,” said the king, “you are more interested for us than we are for ourselves.”
“The queen, sire, will accuse us of having been backward when her interests were concerned.”
“I will plead your cause.”
“But, sire, the queen never asks without necessity.”
“If the queen has wants, they are, I trust, less imperious than those of the poor, and she will be the first to acknowledge it.”