penly, that is to say, to make a profession of faith; or you will be
forced to abandon them irrevocably."

"Never!"

"Pardon me,--the king will propose the alternative to you, rigorously,
or else you will propose it to him yourself."

"That is true."

"That is the reason why conflict must be avoided. Let us return to
Saint-Mande, monseigneur."

"Gourville, I will not stir from this place, where the crime is to be
carried out, where my disgrace is to be accomplished; I will not stir, I
say, till I have found some means of combating my enemies."

"Monseigneur," replied Gourville, "you would excite my pity, if I did
not know you for one of the great spirits of this world. You possess a
hundred and fifty millions, you are equal to the king in position, and
a hundred and fifty millions his superior in money. M. Colbert has not
even had the wit to have the will of Mazarin accepted. Now, when a man
is the richest person in a kingdom, and will take the trouble to spend
the money, if things are done he does not like it is because he is a
poor man. Let us return to Saint-Mande, I say."

"To consult with Pellisson?--we will."

"So be it," said Fouquet, with angry eyes;--"yes, to Saint-Mande!" He
got into his carriage again and Gourville with him. Upon their road, at
the end of the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, they overtook the humble equipage
of Vatel, who was quietly conveying home his vin de Joigny. The black
horses, going at a swift pace, alarmed as they passed, the timid hack of
the maitre d'hotel, who, putting his head out at the window, cried, in a
fright, "Take care of my bottles!"

CHAPTER 57. The Gallery of Saint-Mande

Fifty persons were waiting for the superintendent. He did not even take
the time to place himself in the hands of his valet de chambre for a
minute, but from the perron went straight into the premier salon. There
his friends were assembled in full chat. The intendant was about to
order supper to be served, but, above all, the Abbe Fouquet watched for
the return of his brother, and was endeavoring to do the honors of the
house in his absence. Upon the arrival of the superintendent, a murmur
of joy and affection was heard; Fouquet, full of affability, good humor,
and munificence, was beloved by his poets, his artists, and his men of
business. His brow, upon which his little court read, as upon that of
a god, all the movements of his soul, and thence drew rules of
conduct,--his brow, upon whi