de Bercy put down his name for a thousand livres," says the journal of Oliver d'Ormesson.

"M.

de Colbert laughed at him, and said that it could not be for his pocket's sake; and the end of it was, that he put down three thousand livres." Colbert could not get over the mortifying success of the company of the Dutch Indies.

"I cannot believe that they pay forty per cent.," said he.

It was with the Dutch that he most frequently had commercial difficulties.