“A superintendent who is never sordid or niggardly,” added Monsieur; “and who pays in gold all the orders I have on him.”
“Every one in this thinks too much of himself, and nobody for the state,” said the old queen. “M. Fouquet, it is a fact, M. Fouquet is ruining the state.”
“Well, mother!” replied Philippe, in rather a lower key, “do you likewise constitute yourself the buckler of M. Colbert?”
“How is that?” replied the old queen, rather surprised.
“Why, in truth,” replied Philippe, “you speak that just as your old friend Madame de Chevreuse would speak.”
“Why do you mention Madame de Chevreuse to me?” said she, “and what sort of humor are you in to-day towards me?”
Philippe continued: “Is not Madame de Chevreuse always in league against somebody? Has not Madame de Chevreuse been to pay you a visit, mother?”
“Monsieur, you speak to me now in such a manner that I can almost fancy I am listening to your father.”
“My father did not like Madame de Chevreuse, and had good reason for not liking her,” said the prince. “For my part, I like her no better than he did, and if she thinks proper to come here as she formerly did, to sow divisions and hatreds under the pretext of begging money—why—”
“Well! what?” said Anne of Austria, proudly, herself provoking the storm.