."

"What for?" asked Louis.

"To announce some good news to you."

Colbert, minus grandeur of person, less largeness of heart, resembled
Fouquet in many points. He had the same penetration, the same knowledge
of men; moreover, that great power of self-compression which gives to
hypocrites time to reflect, and gather themselves up to take a spring.
He guessed that Fouquet was going to meet the blow he was about to deal
him. His eyes glittered ominously.

"What news?" asked the king. Fouquet placed a roll of papers on the
table.

"Let your majesty have the goodness to cast your eyes over this work,"
said he. The king slowly unfolded the paper.

"Plans?" said he.

"Yes, sire."

"And what are these plans?"

"A new fortification, sire."

"Ah, ah!" said the king, "you amuse yourself with tactics and
strategies, then, M. Fouquet?"

"I occupy myself with everything that may be useful to the reign of your
majesty," replied Fouquet.

"Beautiful descriptions!" said the king, looking at the design.

"Your majesty comprehends, without doubt," said Fouquet, bending over
the paper; "here is the circle of the walls, here are the forts, there
the advanced works."

"And what do I see here, monsieur?"

"The sea."

"The sea all round?"

"Yes, sire."

"And what is, then, the name of this place of which you show me the
plan?"

"Sire, it is Belle-Isle-en-Mer," replied Fouquet with simplicity.

At this word, at this name, Colbert made so marked a movement, that the
king turned round to enforce the necessity for reserve. Fouquet did
not appear to be the least in the world concerned by the movement of
Colbert, or the king's signal.

"Monsieur," continued Louis, "you have then fortified Belle-Isle?"

"Yes, sire; and I have brought the plan and the accounts to your
majesty," replied Fouquet, "I have expended sixteen hundred thousand
livres in this operation."

"What to do?" replied Louis, coldly, having taken the initiative from a
malicious look of the intendant.

"For an aim very easy to seize," replied, Fouquet. "Your majesty was on
cool terms with Great Britain."

"Yes; but since the restoration of King Charles II. I have formed an
alliance with him."

"A month since, sire, your majesty has truly said; but it is more than
six months since the fortifications of Belle-Isle were begun."

"Then they have become useless."

"Sire, fortifications are never useless. I fortified Belle-Isle against
MM. Monk and L