I am looked upon as a madman, am I not ?" "Yes, sire." "And no one is known here but Marchiali ?" "Certainly." "Well; change nothing in the position of affairs.

Let the poor madman rot between the slimy walls of the Bastile, and M.d'Herblay and M.
du Vallon will stand in no need of my forgiveness.

Their new king will absolve them." "Your majesty does me a great injustice, sire; and you are wrong," replied Fouquet, dryly; "I am not child enough, nor is M.d'Herblay silly enough, to have omitted to make all these reflections; and if I had wished to make a new king, as you say, I had no occasion to have come here to force open the gates and doors of the Bastile, to free you from this place.

That would show a want of even common sense.

Your majesty's mind is disturbed by anger; otherwise you would be far from offending, groundlessly, the very one of your servants who has rendered you the most important service of all." Louis perceived that he had gone too far; that the gates of the Bastile were still closed upon him, whilst, by degrees, the floodgates were gradually being opened, behind which the generous-hearted Fouquet had restrained his anger.