"Madame," continued Mazarin, "will your majesty be good enough to assure the king yourself of the truth of what I have just said ?" Anne of Austria rose; she herself was anxious to have the question of the forty millions settled--the question which seemed to lie heavy on the mind of everyone.

Anne of Austria went out; Mazarin made a great effort, and, raising himself up towards Colbert: "Well, Colbert," said he, "two days have passed away--two mortal days--and, you see, nothing has been returned from yonder." "Patience, my lord," said Colbert.
"Are you mad, you wretch?
You advise me to have patience! Oh, in sad truth, Colbert, you are laughing at me.

I am dying and you call out to me to wait!" "My lord," said Colbert, with his habitual coolness, "it is impossible that things should not come out as I have said.

His majesty is coming to see you, and no doubt he brings back the deed himself." "Do you think so?
Well, I, on the contrary, am sure that his majesty is coming to thank me." At this moment Anne of Austria returned.

On her way to the apartments of her son she had met with a new empiric.