“Come, then, where shall we begin to undermine this Colossus; let us see;” and his majesty began to laugh bitterly.
“He has grown great by money; kill him by money, sire.”
“If I were to deprive him of his charge?”
“A bad means, sire.”
“The good—the good, then?”
“Ruin him, sire, that is the way.”
“But how?”
“Occasions will not be wanting; take advantage of all occasions.”
“Point them out to me.”
“Here is one at once. His royal highness Monsieur is about to be married; his nuptials must be magnificent. That is a good occasion for your majesty to demand a million of M. Fouquet. M. Fouquet, who pays twenty thousand livres down when he need not pay more than five thousand, will easily find that million when your majesty demands it.”