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Updated: June 29, 2025
Yet Colbert's work remained in the mighty palaces his constructive energy had planned, the bridges and fortresses and factories which he had held necessary for France's future greatness as a nation.
"It is strange," said D'Artagnan, "that I don't yet see the king's flag on the walls, or hear the drums beat the chamade." He launched three hundred fresh men, under a high-spirited officer, and ordered another breach to be made. Then, more tranquilly, he turned towards the coffret, which Colbert's envoy held out to him. It was his treasure he had won it.
Dennis, the Hotel of Invalids, and many other things of like nature which adorn and do honor to the city, owe their existence to him. He also raised up his father's family from great poverty to wealth and honor. Colbert's first step to distinction was an act of honor and honesty which deprived him of the means of earning his daily bread.
To my mind, however, the manner of M. de Perrencourt's arrival and the incident of M. Colbert's Star found scarcely a sufficient explanation in this ingenious conjecture; yet the story, thus circulated, was generally accepted and served its office of satisfying curiosity and blunting question well enough. Something it seemed, or his conduct was most mysterious.
"Yes, by ruining himself for the king." "A most eccentric, one might say, sinister calculation, that." "Necessity, necessity, my friend." "I don't see that, dear Aramis." "Do you not? Have you not remarked M. Colbert's daily increasing antagonism, and that he is doing his utmost to drive the king to get rid of the superintendent?" "One must be blind not to see it."
But scarcely had the abbe uttered this imprudent speech, when the partly open door was thrown back, and D'Artagnan appeared. "Eh! Monsieur Fouquet," said he, "I was well aware there was no money for musketeers here. Therefore I did not come to obtain any, but to have it refused. That being done, receive my thanks. I give you good-day, and will go and seek it at M. Colbert's."
"Mordioux! my dear monsieur," said he, "there are sad lessons which you gentlemen of finance teach us; I come to M. Fouquet to receive a sum accorded by his majesty, and I am received like a mendicant who comes to ask charity, or a thief who comes to steal a piece of plate." "But you pronounced the name of M. Colbert, my dear M. d'Artagnan; you said you were going to M. Colbert's?"
"Mordioux! my dear monsieur," said he, "these are sad lessons which you gentlemen of finance teach us; I come to M. Fouquet to receive a sum accorded by his majesty, and I am received like a mendicant who comes to ask charity, or a thief who comes to steal a piece of plate." "But you pronounced the name of M. Colbert, my dear M. d'Artagnan; you said you were going to M. Colbert's?"
At court Talon took the side of Perrot, as did the Abbe d'Urfe, whose cousin, the Marquise d'Allegre, was about to marry Colbert's son. Nevertheless the king declined to uphold Frontenac's enemies. Perrot was given three weeks in the Bastille, not so much for personal chastisement as to show that the governor's authority must be respected.
Claude Lepelletier, a relative of Le Tellier, became comptroller of finance; he entered the council; M. de Blainville, Colbert's second son, was obliged to resign in Louvois' favor the superintendence of buildments, of which the king had previously promised him the reversion. All business passed into the hands of Louvois.
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