CHAPTER XLIX.
THE SKIN OF THE BEAR.
Colbert handed the duchesse the letter, and gently drew aside the chairbehind which she was standing; Madame de Chevreuse, with a very slightbow, immediately left the room. Colbert, who had recognized Mazarin'shandwriting and had counted the letters, rang to summon his secretary,whom he enjoined to go in immediate search of M. Vanel, a counselor ofthe parliament. The secretary replied that, according to his usualpractice, M. Vanel had just that moment entered the house, in order torender to the intendant an account of the principal details of thebusiness which had been transacted during the day in the sitting of theparliament. Colbert approached one of the lamps, read the letters of thedeceased cardinal over again, smiled repeatedly as he recognized thegreat value of the papers Madame de Chevreuse had just delivered to him,and burying his head in his hands for a few minutes, reflectedprofoundly. In the meantime, a tall, large-made man entered the room;his spare, thin face, steady look, and hooked nose, as he enteredColbert's cabinet, with a modest assurance of manner, revealed acharacter at once supple and decided--supple toward the master who couldthrow him the prey, firm toward the dogs who might possibly be disposedto dispute it with him. M. Vanel carried a voluminous bundle of papersunder his arm, and placed it on the desk on which Colbert was leaningboth his elbows, as he supported his head.
"Good-day, M. Vanel," said the latter, rousing himself from hismeditation.
"Good-day, monseigneur," said Vanel, naturally.
"You should say monsieur, and not monseigneur," replied Colbert, gently.
"We give the title of monseigneur to ministers," returned Vanel, withextreme self-possession, "and you are a minister."
"Not yet."
"You are so in point of fact, and I call you monseigneur accordingly;besides, you are my seigneur for me, and that is sufficient; if youdislike my calling you monseigneur before others, allow me, at least, tocall you so in private."
Colbert raised his head as if to read, or to try to read, upon Vanel'sface how much actual sincerity entered into this protestation ofdevotion. But the counselor knew perfectly well how to sustain theweight of his look, even were it armed with the full authority of thetitle he had conferred. Colbert sighed; he could not read anything inVanel's face, and Vanel might possibly be honest in his profession, butColbert recollected that this man, inferior to himself in every otherrespect, was actually his superior through the fact of his having a wifeunfaithful to him. At the moment he was pitying this man's lot, Vanelcoldly drew from his pocket a perfumed letter, sealed with Spanish wax,and held it toward Colbert saying, "A letter from my wife, monseigneur."
Colbert coughed, took, opened, and read the letter, and then put itcarefully away in his pocket, while Vanel turned over the leaves of thepapers he had brought with him with an unmoved and unconcerned air."Vanel," he said suddenly to his protege, "you are a hard-working man,I know; would twelve hours' daily labor frighten you?"
"I work fifteen hours every day."
"Impossible. A counselor need not work more than three hours a day inthe parliament."
"Oh! I am working up some returns for a friend of mine in the departmentof accounts, and, as I still have time left on my hands, I am studyingHebrew."
"Your reputation stands high in the parliament, Vanel."
"I believe so, monseigneur."
"You must not grow rusty in your post of counselor."
"What must I do to avoid it?"
"Purchase a high place. Mean and low ambitions are very difficult tosatisfy."
"Small purses are the most difficult to fill, monseigneur."
"What post have you in view?" said Colbert.
"I see none--not one."
"There is one, certainly, but one need be almost the king himself to beable to buy it without inconvenience! and the king will not be inclined,I suppose, to purchase the post of procureur-general."
At these words, Vanel fixed his at once humble and dull look uponColbert, who could hardly tell whether Vanel had comprehended him ornot. "Why do you speak to me, monseigneur," said Vanel, "of the post ofprocureur-general to the parliament; I know no other post than the oneM. Fouquet fills."
"Exactly so, my dear counselor."
"You are not over fastidious, monseigneur; but before the post can bebought, it must be offered for sale."
"I believe, Monsieur Vanel, that it will be for sale before long."
"For sale! What, M. Fouquet's post of procureur-general?"
"So it is said."
"The post which renders him so perfectly inviolable, for sale! Oh! oh!"said Vanel, beginning to laugh.
"Would you be afraid, then, of the post?" said Colbert, gravely.
"Afraid! no, but--"
"Nor desirous of obtaining it?"
"You are laughing at me, monseigneur," replied Vanel; "is it likely thata counselor of the parliament would not be desirous of becomingprocureur-general?"
"Well, Monsieur Vanel, since I tell you that the post, as report goes,will be shortly for sale--"
"I cannot help repeating, monseigneur, that it is impossible; a mannever throws away the buckler, behind which he maintains his honor, hisfortune, his very life."
"There are certain men mad enough, Vanel, to fancy themselves out of thereach of all mischances."
"Yes, monseigneur; but such men never commit their mad acts for theadvantage of the poor Vanels of the world."
"Why not?"
"For the very reason that those Vanels are poor."
"It is true that M. Fouquet's post might cost a good round sum. Whatwould you bid for it, Monsieur Vanel?"
"Everything I am worth."
"Which means?"
"Three or four hundred thousand francs."
"And the post is worth--"
"A million and a half at the very lowest. I know persons who haveoffered one million seven hundred thousand francs, without being able topersuade M. Fouquet to sell. Besides, supposing it were to happen thatM. Fouquet wished to sell, which I do not believe, in spite of what Ihave been told--"
"Ah! you have heard something about it, then; who told you?"
"M. de Gourville, M. Pellisson, and others."
"Very good; if, therefore, M. Fouquet did wish to sell--"
"I could not buy it just yet, since the surintendant will only sell forready money, and no one has a million and a half to throw down at once."
Colbert suddenly interrupted the counselor by an imperious gesture; hehad begun to meditate. Observing his superior's serious attitude, andhis perseverance in continuing the conversation on this subject, Vanelawaited the solution without venturing to precipitate it. "Explain fullyto me the privileges which this post confers."
"The right of impeaching every French subject who is not a prince of theblood; the right of quashing all proceedings taken against any Frenchmanwho is neither king nor prince. The procureur-general is the king'sright hand to punish the guilty; he is the means whereby also he canevade the administration of justice. M. Fouquet, therefore, will beable, by stirring up the parliaments, to maintain himself even againstthe king; and the king could as easily, by humoring M. Fouquet, get hisedicts registered in spite of every opposition and objection. Theprocureur-generalship can be made a very useful or very dangerousinstrument."
"Vanel, would you like to be procureur-general?" said Colbert, suddenly,softening both his look and his voice.
"I!" exclaimed the latter; "I have already had the honor to represent toyou that I want about eleven hundred thousand francs to make up theamount."
"Borrow that sum from your friends."
"I have no friends richer than myself."
"You are an honest and honorable man, Vanel."
"Ah! monseigneur, if the world were to think as you do!"
"I think so, and that is quite enough; and if it should be needed, Iwill be your security."
"Do you forget the proverb, monseigneur?"
"What is that?"
"That he who becomes respo
nsible for another has to pay for hisresponsibility."
"Let that make no difference."
Vanel rose, quite bewildered by this offer, which had been so suddenlyand unexpectedly made to him. "You are not trifling with me,monseigneur?" he said.
"Stay; you say that M. Gourville has spoken to you about M. Fouquet'spost?"
"Yes, and M. Pellisson also."
"Officially so, or only by their own suggestion?"
"These were their very words: 'These parliamentary people are as proudas they are wealthy; they ought to club together two or three millionsamong themselves, to present to their protector and great luminary, M.Fouquet.'"
"And what did you reply?"
"I said that, for my own part, I would give ten thousand francs ifnecessary."
"Ah! you like M. Fouquet, then!" exclaimed Colbert, with a look full ofhatred.
"No; but M. Fouquet is our chief. He is in debt--is on the high road toruin; and we ought to save the honor of the body of which we aremembers."
"Exactly; and that explains why M. Fouquet will be always safe andsound, so long as he occupies his present post," replied Colbert.
"Thereupon," said Vanel, "M. Gourville added, 'If we were to do anythingout of charity to M. Fouquet, it could not be otherwise than mosthumiliating to him: and he would be sure to refuse it. Let theparliament subscribe among themselves to purchase, in a proper manner,the post of procureur-general; in that case all would go on well; thehonor of our body would be saved, and M. Fouquet's pride spared.'"
"That is an opening."
"I considered it so, monseigneur."
"Well, Monsieur Vanel, you will go at once, and find out either M.Gourville or M. Pellisson. Do you know any other friend of M. Fouquet?"
"I know M. de la Fontaine very well."
"La Fontaine, the rhymester?"
"Yes, he used to write verses to my wife, when M. Fouquet was one of ourfriends."
"Go to him, then, and try and procure an interview with thesurintendant."
"Willingly--but the sum itself?"
"On the day and hour you arrange to settle the matter, Monsieur Vanel,you shall be supplied with the money; so do not make yourself uneasy onthat account."
"Monseigneur, such munificence! You eclipse kings even--you surpass M.Fouquet himself."
"Stay a moment--do not let us mistake each other. I do not make you apresent of fourteen hundred thousand francs, Monsieur Vanel; for I havechildren to provide for--but I will lend you that sum."
"Ask whatever interest, whatever security you please, monseigneur; I amquite ready. And when all your requisitions are satisfied, I will stillrepeat, that you surpass kings and M. Fouquet in munificence. Whatconditions do you impose?"
"The repayment in eight years, and a mortgage upon the appointmentitself."
"Certainly. Is that all?"
"Wait a moment. I reserve to myself the right of purchasing the postfrom you at one hundred and fifty thousand francs profit for yourself,if, in your mode of filling the office, you do not follow out a line ofconduct in conformity with the interests of the king and with myprojects."
"Ah! ah!" said Vanel, in a slightly altered tone.
"Is there anything in that which can possibly be objectionable to you,Monsieur Vanel?" said Colbert, coldly.
"Oh! no, no!" replied Vanel, quickly.
"Very good. We will sign an agreement to that effect whenever you like.And now, go as quickly as you can to M. Fouquet's friends, obtain aninterview with the surintendant; do not be too difficult in makingwhatever concessions may be required of you; and when once thearrangements are all made--"
"I will press him to sign."
"Be most careful to do nothing of the kind; do not speak of signatureswith M. Fouquet, nor of deeds, nor even ask him to pass his word.Understand this, otherwise you will lose everything. All you have to dois to get M. Fouquet to give you his hand on the matter. Go, go."