The king had already taken up the pen, and was applying it to the paper. "Sire," said Colbert, in a subdued voice, "I beg to warn your majesty that if an example be necessary that example may find some difficulty in the execution."
"What do you say?" said Louis.
"You must not conceal from yourself," continued Colbert quietly, "that attacking the farmers-general is attacking the surintendance. The two unfortunate guilty men in question are the particular friends of a powerful personage, and the day of punishment, which otherwise might be stifled in the Chatelet, disturbances will arise without doubt."
Louis colored and turned toward D'Artagnan, who took a slight bite at his mustache, not without a smile of pity for the financier, as likewise for the king who had to listen to him so long. But Louis seized the pen, and with a movement so rapid that his hand shook, he affixed his signature at the bottom of the two papers presented by Colbert, then looking the latter in the face, "Monsieur Colbert," said he, "when you speak to me of affairs, exclude more frequently the word difficulty from your reasonings and opinions; as to the word impossibility, never pronounce it."
Colbert bowed, much humiliated at having undergone such a lesson before the musketeer. He was about to go out, but, jealous to repair his check, "I forgot to announce to your majesty," said he, "that the confiscations amount to the sum of five millions of livres."
"That's pretty!" thought D'Artagnan.
"Which makes in my coffers?" said the king.
"Eighteen millions of livres, sire," replied Colbert, bowing.
"Mordioux!" grumbled D'Artagnan, "that's glorious!"
"Monsieur Colbert," added the king, "you will, if you please, go through the gallery where Monsieur Lyonne is waiting, and tell him to bring hither what he has drawn up — by my order."
"Directly, sire; if your majesty wants me no more this evening."
"No, monsieur; adieu!" And Colbert went out.
"Now, let us return to our affair, Monsieur d'Artagnan." said the king, as if nothing had happened. "You see that, with respect to money, there is already a notable change?"
"Something like from zero to eighteen millions," replied the musketeer gayly. "Ah! that was what your majesty
