“Muster all the troops in Paris,” he said.
“All the necessary orders are given for that purpose,” replied Fouquet.
“You have given orders!” exclaimed the king.
“For that purpose, yes, sire; your majesty will be at the head of ten thousand men in less than an hour.”
The only reply the king made was to take hold of Fouquet’s hand with such an expression of feeling, that it was very easy to perceive how strongly he had, until that remark, maintained his suspicions of the minister, notwithstanding the latter’s intervention.
“And with these troops,” he said, “we shall go at once and besiege in your house the rebels who by this time will have established and intrenched themselves therein.”
“I should be surprised if that were the case,” replied Fouquet.
“Why?”
“Because their chief—the very soul of the enterprise—having been unmasked by me, the whole plan seems to me to have miscarried.”
“You have unmasked this false prince also?”