“A million,” said the latter, bluntly; delighted to take his revenge.
Fouquet turned his back upon the intendant to listen to the king. He did not turn round, but waited till the king repeated, or rather murmured, “A million.”
“Oh! sire,” replied Fouquet disdainfully, “a million! what will your majesty do with a million?”
“It appears to me, nevertheless—” said Louis XIV.
“That is not more than is spent at the nuptials of one of the most petty princes of Germany.”
“Monsieur!”
“Your majesty must have two millions at least. The horses alone would run away with five hundred thousand livres. I shall have the honor of sending your majesty sixteen hundred thousand livres this evening.”
“How,” said the king, “sixteen hundred thousand livres?”
“Look, sire,” replied Fouquet, without even turning towards Colbert, “I know that wants four hundred thousand livres of the two millions. But this monsieur of l’intendance” (pointing over his shoulder to Colbert, who if possible, became paler, behind him) “has in his coffers nine hundred thousand livres of mine.”
The king turned round to look at Colbert.