“In the same manner as, in opposition to the king’s expectation, you refused to pay me.”
“I did not refuse, monsieur, I only begged you to wait. And you say that M. Fouquet paid you your five thousand livres?”
“Yes, as you might have done; but he did even better than that, M. Colbert.”
“And what did he do?”
“He politely counted me down the sum-total, saying, that for the king, his coffers were always full.”
“The sum-total! M. Fouquet has given you twenty thousand livres instead of five thousand?”
“Yes, monsieur.”
“And what for?”
“In order to spare me three visits to the money-chest of the superintendent, so that I have the twenty thousand livres in my pocket in good new coin. You see, then, that I am able to go away without standing in need of you, having come here only for form’s sake.” And D’Artagnan slapped his hand upon his pocket, with a laugh which disclosed to Colbert thirty-two magnificent teeth, as white as teeth of twenty-five years old and which seemed to say in their language: “Serve up to us thirty-two little Colberts, and we will chew them willingly.” The serpent is as brave as the lion, the hawk as courageous as the eagle, that cannot be contested. It can only be said of animals that are decidedly cowardly, and are so called, that they will be brave only when they have to defend themselves. Colbert was not frightened at the thirty-two teeth of D’Artagnan. He recovered, and suddenly,—“Monsieur,” said he, “monsieur le surintendant has done what he had no right to do.”
“What do you mean by that?” replied D’Artagnan.