I am less loving, perhaps; when my heart has been once wounded, it remains so always." "But M.Fouquet has not wounded you," said Marguerite Vanel, with the most perfect simplicity.
"You perfectly understand what I mean.

M.Fouquet has not wounded me; I do not know of either obligation or injury received at his hands, but you have reason to complain of him.

You are my friend, and I am afraid I should not advise you as you would like." "Ah! you are prejudging the case." "The sighs you spoke of just now are more than indications." "You overwhelm me," said the young woman suddenly, as if collecting her whole strength, like a wrestler preparing for a last struggle; "you take only my evil dispositions and my weaknesses into calculation, and do not speak of my pure and generous feelings.

If, at this moment, I feel instinctively attracted towards the superintendent, if I even make an advance to him, which, I confess, is very probable, my motive for it is, that M.Fouquet's fate deeply affects me, and because he is, in my opinion, one of the most unfortunate men living." "Ah!" said the marquise, placing her hand upon her heart, "something new, then, has occurred ?" "Do you not know it ?" "I am utterly ignorant of everything about him," said Madame de Belliere, with the poignant anguish that suspends thought and speech, and even life itself.
"In the first place, then, the king's favor is entirely withdrawn from M.Fouquet, and conferred on M.Colbert." "So it is stated." "It is very clear, since the discovery of the plot of Belle-Isle." "I was told that the discovery of the fortifications there had turned out to M.Fouquet's honor." Marguerite began to laugh in so cruel a manner that Madame de Belliere could at that moment have delightedly plunged a dagger in her bosom.
"Dearest," continued Marguerite, "there is no longer any question of M.
Fouquet's honor; his safety is concerned.

Before three days are passed the ruin of the superintendent will be complete." "Stay," said the marquise, in her turn smiling, "that is going a little fast." "I said three days, because I wish to deceive myself with a hope; but probably the catastrophe will be complete within twenty-four hours." "Why so ?" "For the simplest of all reasons,--that M.Fouquet has no more money." "In matters of finance, my dear Marguerite, some are without money to-day, who to-morrow can procure millions." "That might be M.Fouquet's case when he had two wealthy and clever friends who amassed money for him, and wrung it from every possible or impossible source; but those friends are dead." "Money does not die, Marguerite; it may be concealed, but it can be looked for, bought and found." "You see things on the bright side, and so much the better for you.