She interrupted him. — ”I will say no more to you about M. Fouquet. The journey the king is about to take to Nantes will give a good account of him. M. Fouquet, for me, is a man gone by — and for you also.”

Colbert made no reply. “On his return from Nantes,” continued the duchesse, “the king, who is only anxious for a pretext, will find that the States have not behaved well — that they have made too few sacrifices. The States will say that the imposts are too heavy, and that the surintendant has ruined them.

The king will lay all the blame on M. Fouquet, and then — ”

“And then?” said Colbert.

“Oh! he will be disgraced. Is not that your opinion?”