“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.
“But——” said the latter.
“Monsieur,” continued Fouquet, still speaking indirectly to Colbert, “monsieur has received a week ago sixteen hundred thousand livres; he has paid a hundred thousand livres to the guards, sixty-four thousand livres to the hospitals, twenty-five thousand to the Swiss, a hundred and thirty thousand for provisions, a thousand for arms, ten thousand for accidental expenses; I do not err, then, in reckoning upon nine hundred thousand livres that are left.” Then turning towards Colbert, like a disdainful head of office towards his inferior, “Take care, monsieur,” said he, “that those nine hundred thousand livres be remitted to his majesty this evening, in gold.”
“But,” said the king, “that will make two millions five hundred thousand livres.”