IV

In the morning, the news of the death of the cardinal was spread through
the castle, and thence speedily reached the city. The ministers Fouquet,
Lyonne, and Letellier entered la salle des seances, to hold a council.
The king sent for them immediately. "Messieurs," said he, "as long as
monsieur le cardinal lived, I allowed him to govern my affairs; but now
I mean to govern them myself. You will give me your advice when I ask
it. You may go."

The ministers looked at each other with surprise. If they concealed a
smile it was with a great effort, for they knew that the prince, brought
up in absolute ignorance of business, by this took upon himself a burden
much too heavy for his strength. Fouquet took leave of his colleagues
upon the stairs, saying:--"Messieurs! there will be so much less labor
for us."

And he climbed gayly into his carriage. The others, a little uneasy
at the turn things had taken, went back to Paris together. Towards ten
o'clock the king repaired to the apartment of his mother, with whom
he had a long and private conversation. After dinner, he got into
his carriage, and went straight to the Louvre. There he received much
company, and took a degree of pleasure in remarking the hesitation of
each, and the curiosity of all. Towards evening he ordered the doors of
the Louvre to be closed, with the exception of one only, which opened on
the quay. He placed on duty at this point two hundred Swiss, who did not
speak a word of French, with orders to admit all who carried packages,
but no others; and by no means to allow any one to go out. At eleven
o'clock precisely, he heard the rolling of a heavy carriage under the
arch, then of another, then of a third; after which the gate grated upon
its hinges to be closed. Soon after, somebody scratched with his nail at
the door of the cabinet. The king opened it himself, and beheld Colbert,
whose first word was this:--"The money is in your majesty's cellar."

The king then descended and went himself to see the barrels of specie,
in gold and silver, which, under the direction of Colbert, four men had
just rolled into a cellar of which the king had given Colbert the key
in the morning. This review completed, Louis returned to his apartments,
followed by Colbert, who had not apparently warmed with one ray of
personal satisfaction.

"Monsieur," said the king, "what do you wish that I should give you, as
a recompense for this devotedness and probity?"

"Absol