Colbert, bowing with profound respect, advanced two steps towards his majesty.

Louis re-entered his chamber, making Colbert a sign to follow.

Colbert entered; Louis dismissed the nurse, who closed the door as she went out.

Colbert remained modestly standing near that door.
"What do you come to announce to me, monsieur ?" said Louis, very much troubled at being thus surprised in his private thoughts, which he could not completely conceal.
"That monsieur le cardinal has just expired, sire; and that I bring your majesty his last adieu." The king remained pensive for a minute; and during that minute he looked attentively at Colbert;--it was evident that the cardinal's last words were in his mind.

"Are you, then, M.Colbert ?" asked he.
"Yes, sire." "His faithful servant, as his eminence himself told me ?" "Yes, sire." "The depositary of many of his secrets ?" "Of all of them." "The friends and servants of his eminence will be dear to me, monsieur, and I shall take care that you are well placed in my employment." Colbert bowed.
"You are a financier, monsieur, I believe ?" "Yes, sire." "And did monsieur le cardinal employ you in his stewardship ?" "I had that honor, sire." "You never did anything personally for my household, I believe ?" "Pardon me, sire, it was I who had the honor of giving monsieur le cardinal the idea of an economy which puts three hundred thousand francs a year into your majesty's coffers." "What economy was that, monsieur ?" asked Louis XIV.
"Your majesty knows that the hundred Swiss have silver lace on each side of their ribbons ?" "Doubtless." "Well, sire, it was I who proposed that imitation silver lace should be placed upon these ribbons; it could not be detected, and a hundred thousand crowns serve to feed a regiment during six months; and is the price of ten thousand good muskets or the value of a vessel of ten guns, ready for sea." "That is true," said Louis XIV., considering more attentively, "and, _ma foi!_ that was a well placed economy; besides, it was ridiculous for soldiers to wear the same lace as noblemen." "I am happy to be approved of by your majesty." "Is that the only appointment you held about the cardinal ?" asked the king.
"It was I who was appointed to examine the accounts of the superintendent, sire." "Ah!" said Louis, who was about to dismiss Colbert, but whom that word stopped; "ah! it was you whom his eminence had charged to control M.
Fouquet, was it?
And the result of that examination ?" "Is that there is a deficit, sire; but if your majesty will permit me--" "Speak, M.Colbert." "I ought to give your majesty some explanations." "Not at all, monsieur, it is you who have controlled these accounts; give me the result." "That is very easily done, sire: emptiness everywhere, money nowhere." "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.