He is a man of good taste,--a superior man." "A superintendent who is never sordid or niggardly," added Monsieur; "and who pays in gold all the orders I have on him." "Every one in this thinks too much of himself, and nobody for the state," said the old queen.

"M.

Fouquet, it is a fact, M.Fouquet is ruining the state." "Well, mother!" replied Philippe, in rather a lower key, "do you likewise constitute yourself the buckler of M.Colbert ?" "How is that ?" replied the old queen, rather surprised.
"Why, in truth," replied Philippe, "you speak that just as your old friend Madame de Chevreuse would speak." "Why do you mention Madame de Chevreuse to me ?" said she, "and what sort of humor are you in to-day towards me ?" Philippe continued: "Is not Madame de Chevreuse always in league against somebody?
Has not Madame de Chevreuse been to pay you a visit, mother ?" "Monsieur, you speak to me now in such a manner that I can almost fancy I am listening to your father." "My father did not like Madame de Chevreuse, and had good reason for not liking her," said the prince.

"For my part, I like her no better than _he_ did, and if she thinks proper to come here as she formerly did, to sow divisions and hatreds under the pretext of begging money--why--" "Well! what ?" said Anne of Austria, proudly, herself provoking the storm.
"Well!" replied the young man firmly, "I will drive Madame de Chevreuse out of my kingdom--and with her all who meddle with its secrets and mysteries." He had not calculated the effect of this terrible speech, or perhaps he wished to judge the effect of it, like those who, suffering from a chronic pain, and seeking to break the monotony of that suffering, touch their wound to procure a sharper pang.

Anne of Austria was nearly fainting; her eyes, open but meaningless, ceased to see for several seconds; she stretched out her arms towards her other son, who supported and embraced her without fear of irritating the king.
"Sire," murmured she, "you are treating your mother very cruelly." "In what respect, madame ?" replied he.