“Then,” said Colbert, “we may be sure of the assent of the queen-mother?”
“I have just left her majesty, and she assures me so.”
“So be it, then, madame.”
“But there is something further; do you happen to know a man who was the intimate friend of M. Fouquet, M. d’Herblay, a bishop, I believe?”
“Bishop of Vannes.”
“Well! this M. d’Herblay, who also knew the secret, the queen-mother is pursuing with the utmost rancor.”
“Indeed!”
“So hotly pursued, that if he were dead, she would not be satisfied with anything less than his head, to satisfy her he would never speak again.”
“And is that the desire of the queen-mother?”
“An order is given for it.”