.

A Quarter of an Hour's Delay.
Fouquet, on leaving his house for the second time that day, felt himself less heavy and less disturbed than might have been expected.

He turned towards Pelisson, who was meditating in the corner of the carriage some good arguments against the violent proceedings of Colbert.
"My dear Pelisson," said Fouquet, "it is a great pity you are not a woman." "I think, on the contrary, it is very fortunate," replied Pelisson, "for, monseigneur, I am excessively ugly." "Pelisson! Pelisson!" said the superintendent, laughing: "You repeat too often, you are 'ugly', not to leave people to believe that it gives you much pain." "In fact it does, monseigneur, much pain; there is no man more unfortunate than I: I was handsome, the small-pox rendered me hideous; I am deprived of a great means of attraction; now, I am your principal clerk, or something of that sort; I take great interest in your affairs, and if, at this moment, I were a pretty woman, I could render you an important service." "What ?" "I would go and find the _concierge_ of the Palais.

I would seduce him, for he is a gallant man, extravagantly partial to women; then I would get away our two prisoners." "I hope to be able to do so myself, although I am not a pretty woman," replied Fouquet.
"Granted, monseigneur; but you are compromising yourself very much." "Oh!" cried Fouquet, suddenly, with one of those secret transports which the generous blood of youth, or the remembrance of some sweet emotion, infuses into the heart.

"Oh! I know a woman who will enact the personage we stand in need of, with the lieutenant-governor of the _concierge_." "And, on my part, I know fifty, monseigneur; fifty trumpets, which will inform the universe of your generosity, of your devotion to your friends, and, consequently, will ruin you sooner or later in ruining themselves." "I do not speak of such women, Pelisson; I speak of a noble and beautiful creature who joins to the intelligence and wit of her sex the valor and coolness of ours; I speak of a woman, handsome enough to make the walls of a prison bow down to salute her, discreet enough to let no one suspect by whom she has been sent." "A treasure!" said Pelisson; "you would make a famous present to monsieur the governor of the _concierge! Peste!_ monseigneur, he might have his head cut off; but he would, before dying, have had such happiness as no man had enjoyed before him." "And I add," said Fouquet, "that the _concierge_ of the Palais would not have his head cut off, for he would receive of me my horses, to effect his escape, and five hundred thousand livres wherewith to live comfortably in England: I add, that this lady, my friend, would give him nothing but the horses and the money.