of M. Fouquet?"

"I do not understand," said he.

"You _will_ understand. To what does your ambition aspire?"

"I have none."

"It was useless, then, to overthrow the superintendent, Monsieur
Colbert. It was idle."

"I had the honor to tell you, madame--"

"Oh! yes, I know, all about the interest of the king--but, if you
please, we will speak of your own."

"Mine! that is to say, the affairs of his majesty."

"In short, are you, or are you not endeavoring to ruin M. Fouquet?
Answer without evasion."

"Madame, I ruin nobody."

"I am endeavoring to comprehend, then, why you purchased from me the
letters of M. Mazarin concerning M. Fouquet. Neither can I conceive why
you have laid those letters before the king."

Colbert, half stupefied, looked at the duchesse with an air of
constraint.

"Madame," said he, "I can less easily conceive how you, who received the
money, can reproach me on that head--"

"That is," said the old duchesse, "because we must will that which we
wish for, unless we are not able to obtain what we wish."

"_Will!_" said Colbert, quite confounded by such coarse logic.

"You are not able, _hein!_ Speak."

"I am not able, I allow, to destroy certain influences near the king."

"That fight in favor of M. Fouquet? What are they? Stop, let me help
you."

"Do, madame."

"La Valliere?"

"Oh! very little influence; no knowledge of business, and small means.
M. Fouquet has paid his court to her."

"To defend him would be to accuse herself, would it not?"

"I think it would."

"There is still another influence, what do you say to that?"

"Is it considerable?"

"The queen-mother, perhaps?"

"Her majesty, the queen-mother, has a weakness for M. Fouquet very
prejudicial to her son."

"Never believe that," said the old duchesse, smiling.

"Oh!" said Colbert, with incredulity, "I have often experienced it."

"Formerly?"

"Very recently, madame, at Vaux. It was she who prevented the king from
having M. Fouquet arrested."

"People do not forever entertain the same opinions, my dear monsieur.
That which the queen may have wished recently, she would not wish,
perhaps, to-day."

"And why not?" said Colbert, astonished.

"Oh! the reason is of very little consequence."

"On the contrary, I think it is of great consequence; for, if I were
certain of not displeasing her majesty, the queen-mother, my scruples
would be all removed."

"Well! have you never heard talk of a certain se