"What do you allude to ?" he said.
"Sire, men are but men, and M.Fouquet has his defects as well as his great qualities." "Ah! defects, who is without them, M.Colbert ?" "Your majesty, hardly," said Colbert, boldly; for he knew how to convey a good deal of flattery in a light amount of blame, like the arrow which cleaves the air notwithstanding its weight, thanks to the light feathers which bear it up.
The king smiled.

"What defect has M.Fouquet, then ?" he said.
"Still the same, sire; it is said he is in love." "In love! with whom ?" "I am not quite sure, sire; I have very little to do with matters of gallantry." "At all events you know, since you speak of it." "I have heard a name mentioned." "Whose ?" "I cannot now remember whose, but I think it is one of Madame's maids of honor." The king started.

"You know more than you like to say, M.Colbert," he murmured.
"I assure you, no, sire." "At all events, Madame's maids of honor are all known, and in mentioning their names to you, you will perhaps recollect the one you allude to." "No, sire." "At least, try." "It would be useless, sire.

Whenever the name of any lady who runs the risk of being compromised is concerned, my memory is like a coffer of bronze, the key of which I have lost." A dark cloud seemed to pass over the mind as well as across the face of the king; then, wishing to appear as if he were perfect master of himself and his feelings, he said, "And now for the affair concerning Holland." "In the first place, sire, at what hour will your majesty receive the ambassadors ?" "Early in the morning." "Eleven o'clock ?" "That is too late--say nine o'clock." "That will be too early, sire." "For friends, that would be a matter of no importance; one does what one likes with one's friends; but for one's enemies, in that case nothing could be better than if they _were_ to feel hurt.

I should not be sorry, I confess, to have to finish altogether with these marsh-birds, who annoy me with their cries." "It shall be precisely as your majesty desires.