Aramis looked up: "Good-evening," said he; and his searching look detected his host's sadness and disordered state of mind.

"Was your play as good as his majesty's ?" asked Aramis, by way of beginning the conversation.
Fouquet threw himself upon a couch, and then pointed to the door to the servant who had followed him; when the servant had left he said, "Excellent." Aramis, who had followed every movement with his eyes, noticed that he stretched himself upon the cushions with a sort of feverish impatience.
"You have lost as usual ?" inquired Aramis, his pen still in his hand.
"Even more than usual," replied Fouquet.
"You know how to support losses ?" "Sometimes." "What, Monsieur Fouquet a bad player!" "There is play and play, Monsieur d'Herblay." "How much have you lost ?" inquired Aramis, with a slight uneasiness.
Fouquet collected himself a moment, and then, without the slightest emotion, said, "The evening has cost me four millions," and a bitter laugh drowned the last vibration of these words.
Aramis, who did not expect such an amount, dropped his pen.

"Four millions," he said; "you have lost four millions,--impossible!" "Monsieur Colbert held my cards for me," replied the superintendent, with a similar bitter laugh.
"Ah, now I understand; so, so, a new application for funds ?" "Yes, and from the king's own lips.

It was impossible to ruin a man with a more charming smile.

What do you think of it ?" "It is clear that your destruction is the object in view." "That is your opinion ?" "Still.