saying, that for the king,
his coffers were always full."

"The sum-total! M. Fouquet has given you twenty thousand livres instead
of five thousand?"

"Yes, monsieur."

"And what for?"

"In order to spare me three visits to the money-chest of the
superintendent, so that I have the twenty thousand livres in my pocket
in good new coin. You see, then, that I am able to go away without
standing in need of you, having come here only for form's sake."
And D'Artagnan slapped his hand upon his pocket, with a laugh which
disclosed to Colbert thirty-two magnificent teeth, as white as teeth of
twenty-five years old and which seemed to say in their language: "Serve
up to us thirty-two little Colberts, and we will chew them willingly."
The serpent is as brave as the lion, the hawk as courageous as the
eagle, that cannot be contested. It can only be said of animals that are
decidedly cowardly, and are so called, that they will be brave only
when they have to defend themselves. Colbert was not frightened at the
thirty-two teeth of D'Artagnan. He recovered, and suddenly,--"Monsieur,"
said he, "monsieur le surintendant has done what he had no right to do."

"What do you mean by that?" replied D'Artagnan.

"I mean that your note--will you let me see your note, if you please?"

"Very willingly; here it is."

Colbert seized the paper with an eagerness which the musketeer did not
remark without uneasiness, and particularly without a certain degree of
regret at having trusted him with it. "Well, monsieur, the royal order
says this:--'At sight, I command that there be paid to M. d'Artagnan
the sum of five thousand livres, forming a quarter of the pension I have
made him.'"

"So, in fact, it is written," said D'Artagnan, affecting calmness.

"Very well; the king only owed you five thousand livres; why has more
been given to you?"

"Because there was more; and M. Fouquet was willing to give me more;
that does not concern anybody."

"It is natural," said Colbert, with a proud ease, "that you should be
ignorant of the usages of state-finance; but, monsieur, when you have a
thousand livres to pay, what do you do?"

"I never have a thousand livres to pay," replied D'Artagnan.

"Once more," said Colbert, irritated--"once more, if you had any sum to
pay, would you not pay what you ought?"

"That only proves one thing," said D'Artagnan; "and that is, that you
have your particular customs in finance, and M. Fouquet has his own."

"