"Do not fancy the capture so easy," said she; "do not promise it so lightly." "Why not, madame ?" "Because M.d'Herblay is not one of those people who can be taken when and where you please." "He is a rebel, then ?" "Oh! Monsieur Colbert, we have passed all our lives in making rebels, and yet you see plainly, that so far from being taken, we take others." Colbert fixed upon the old duchesse one of those fierce looks of which no words can convey the expression, accompanied by a firmness not altogether wanting in grandeur.

"The times are gone," said he, "in which subjects gained duchies by making war against the king of France.

If M.
d'Herblay conspires, he will perish on the scaffold.

That will give, or will not give, pleasure to his enemies,--a matter, by the way, of little importance to _us_." And this _us_, a strange word in the mouth of Colbert, made the duchesse thoughtful for a moment.

She caught herself reckoning inwardly with this man--Colbert had regained his superiority in the conversation, and he meant to keep it.
"You ask me, madame," he said, "to have this M.d'Herblay arrested ?" "I ?--I ask you nothing of the kind!" "I thought you did, madame.