“I say there are four years engaged beforehand.
“They must have a loan, then.”
“They must have three, sire.”
“I will create offices to make them resign, and the salary of the posts shall be paid into the treasury.”
“Impossible, sire, for there have already been creations upon creations of offices, the provisions of which are given in blank, so that the purchasers enjoy them without filling them. That is why your majesty cannot make them resign. Further, upon each agreement M. Fouquet has made an abatement of a third, so that the people have been plundered, without your majesty profiting by it. Let your majesty set down clearly your thought, and tell me what you wish me to explain.”
“You are right, clearness is what you wish, is it not?”
“Yes, sire, clearness. God is God above all things, because He made light.”
“Well, for example,” resumed Louis XIV., “if today, the cardinal being dead, and I being king, suppose I wanted money?”
“Your majesty would not have any.”
“Oh! that is strange, monsieur! How! my superintendent would not find me any money?”