The queen was deceived, or feigned to be deceived, by this demonstration.
"Therefore," resumed she, "I have circumvented him with good counsels; and as certain minds, jealous, no doubt, of the glory you are about to acquire by this generosity, have endeavored to prove to the king that he ought not to accept this donation, I have struggled in your favor, and so well I have struggled, that you will not have, I hope, that distress to undergo." "Ah!" murmured Mazarin, with languishing eyes, "ah! that is a service I shall never forget for a single minute of the few hours I still have to live." "I must admit," continued the queen, "that it was not without trouble I rendered it to your eminence." "Ah, _peste!_ I believe that.

Oh! oh!" "Good God! what is the matter ?" "I am burning!" "Do you suffer much ?" "As much as one of the damned." Colbert would have liked to sink through the floor.
"So, then," resumed Mazarin, "your majesty thinks that the king--" he stopped several seconds--"that the king is coming here to offer me some small thanks ?" "I think so," said queen.

Mazarin annihilated Colbert with his last look.
At that moment the ushers announced that the king was in the ante-chambers, which were filled with people.

This announcement produced a stir of which Colbert took advantage to escape by the door of the _ruelle_.

Anne of Austria arose, and awaited her son, standing.