“Beware, monsieur; you are roughly attacking the administration of M. Fouquet, who, nevertheless, I have heard say, is an able man.” Colbert colored, and then became pale, for he felt that from that minute he entered upon a struggle with a man whose power almost equaled the sway of him who had just died. “Yes, sire, a very able man,” repeated Colbert, bowing. “But if M. Fouquet is an able man, and, in spite of that ability, if money be wanting, whose fault is it?” “I do not accuse, sire, I verify.” “That is well; make out your accounts, and present them to me. There is a deficit, you say? A deficit may be temporary; credit returns and funds are restored.” “No, sire.” “Upon this year, perhaps, I understand that; but upon next year?” “Next year is eaten as bare as the current year.” “But the year after, then?” “Will be just like next year.” “What do you tell me, Monsieur Colbert?” “I say there are four years engaged beforehand. “They must have a loan, then.” “They must have three, sire.” “I will create offices to make them resign, and the salary of the posts shall be paid into the treasury.” “Impossible, sire, for there have already been creations upon creations of offices, the provisions of which are given in blank, so that the purchasers enjoy them without filling them. That is why your majesty cannot make them resign. Further, upon each agreement M. Fouquet has made an abatement of a third, so that the people have been plundered, without your majesty profiting by it. Let your majesty set down clearly your thought, and tell me what you wish me to explain.” “You are right, clearness is what you wish, is it not?” “Yes, sire, clearness. God is God above all things, because He made light.” “Well, for example,” resumed Louis XIV., “if today, the cardinal being dead, and I being king, suppose I wanted money?” “Your majesty would not have any.” “Oh! that is strange, monsieur! How! my superintendent would not find me any money?” Colbert shook his large head. “How is that?” said the king, “is the income of the state so much in debt that there is no longer any revenue?” “Yes, sire.” The king started. “Explain me that, M. Colbert,” added he with a frown. “If it be so, I will get together the ordonnances to obtain a discharge from the holders, a liquidation at a cheap rate.” “Impossible, for the ordonnances have been converted into bills, which bills, for the convenience of return and facility of transaction, are divided into so many parts that the originals can no longer be recognized.” Louis, very much agitated, walked about, still frowning. “But, if this is as you say, Monsieur Colbert,” said he, stopping all at once, “I shall be ruined before I begin to reign.” “You are, in fact, sire,” said the impassible caster-up of figures. “Well, but yet, monsieur, the money is somewhere?”