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"Madame," replied Aramis, "I must ask your pardon, but I know not how to hide my indignation at seeing how a daughter of Henry IV. is treated at the court of France." "Monsieur Aramis is not an officer?" asked the queen of Lord de Winter. "That gentleman is the Abbe d'Herblay," replied he. Aramis blushed. "Madame," he said, "I am an abbe, it is true, but I am so against my will.
"Because I am too full of happiness at this present moment," he replied, in a trembling voice. "You, my dear D'Herblay, who are so learned, will remember the history of a certain tyrant of Samos. What can I throw into the sea to avert approaching evil? Yes!
"From to-morrow," interrupted Aramis, quietly, "you will occupy yourself, without the slightest delay, with your fete at Vaux, which must hereafter be spoken of as one of the most magnificent productions of your most prosperous days." "Are you mad, Chevalier d'Herblay?" "I! do you think so?" "What do you mean, then?
"True!" said Aramis, "let us not anticipate, but wait the conclusion." "And then, dear Monsieur d'Herblay," added the superintendent, hardly able to appreciate the sentiments which La Valliere had just expressed, "it is very often sound calculation to seem disinterested with monarchs." "Exactly what I was thinking this very minute," said Aramis. "Let us listen."
"I wish to see upon the throne of France a king devoted to Monsieur Fouquet, and I wish Monsieur Fouquet to be devoted to me." "Oh!" exclaimed Fouquet, pressing his hand, "as for being devoted to you, I am yours, entirely; but believe me, my dear D'Herblay, you are deceiving yourself." "In what respect?" "The king will never become devoted to me."
Away with such weakness; let me imitate M. d'Herblay, who asserts that a man's action should be always one degree above his thoughts; let me imitate M. d'Herblay, whose thoughts are of and for himself alone, who regards himself as a man of honor, so long as he injures or betrays his enemies only.
M. d'Herblay is not ambitious, but he knows when he can be of service. Your majesty needs a representative at Rome, who would be able to exercise a powerful influence there; may I request a cardinal's hat for M. d'Herblay?" The king started. "I do not often solicit anything of your majesty," said Fouquet.
It was Heaven's will that the usurper should possess, in the person of his first minister, a man of great talent, of large and generous nature." "Well, well," said Fouquet, "I understand you; you have relied upon me to repair the wrong which has been done to this unhappy brother of Louis XIV. You have thought well; I will help you. I thank you, D'Herblay, I thank you."
As the word "business" had aroused the attention of some of the epicureans present, Fouquet rose, saying: "Business first of all, Monsieur d'Herblay; we are too happy when matters of business arrive only at the end of a meal."
I, I alone, should have occupied this bed, if Louis XIV. had not, owing to my mother's criminal abandonment, stood in my way; and this handkerchief, embroidered with the arms of France, would in right and justice belong to me alone, if, as M. d'Herblay observes, I had been left my royal cradle.
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