“Not at all, monsieur.”
“Well! what will you do, then? You will not take my rouleaux from me, will you?”
“You must return them to my chest.”
“I! Oh! Monsieur Colbert, don’t reckon upon that.”
“The king wants his money, monsieur.”
“And I, monsieur, I want the king’s money.”
“That may be so; but you must return this.”
“Not a sou. I have always understood that in matters of comptabilite, as you call it, a good cashier never gives back or takes back.”
“Then, monsieur, we shall see what the king will say about it. I will show him this note, which proves that M. Fouquet not only pays what he does not owe, but that he does not even take care of vouchers for the sums that he has paid.”
“Ah! now I understand why you have taken that paper, M. Colbert!”