SHOWING HOW LOUIS, ON HIS SIDE, HAD PASSED THE TIME FROM TEN TO
HALF-PAST TWELVE AT NIGHT.
When the king left the apartment of the maids of honor, he found Colbert
awaiting him to receive his directions with regard to the next day's
ceremony, as the king was then to receive the Dutch and Spanish
ambassadors. Louis XIV. had serious causes of dissatisfaction with the
Dutch; the States had already been guilty of many mean shifts, and
evasions with France, and without perceiving or without caring about the
chances of a rupture, they again abandoned the alliance with his Most
Christian Majesty, for the purpose of entering into all kinds of plots
with Spain. Louis XIV. at his accession, that is to say, at the death of
Cardinal Mazarin, had found this political question roughly sketched
out; the solution was difficult for a young man, but as, at that time,
the king represented the whole nation, anything that the head resolved
upon, the body would be found ready to carry out. Any sudden impulse of
anger, the reaction of young and hot blood to the brain, would be quite
sufficient to change an old form of policy and to create another and new
system altogether. The part that diplomatists had to play in those days
was that of arranging among themselves the different _coups-d'état_
which their sovereign masters might wish to effect.
Louis was not in that calm state of mind which could make him capable of
determining upon a wise course of policy. Still much agitated from the
quarrel he had just had with La Valliere, he walked hastily into his
cabinet, exceedingly desirous of finding an opportunity of producing an
explosion after he had controlled himself for so long a time. Colbert,
as he saw the king enter, knew the position of affairs at a glance,
understood the king's intentions, and resolved therefore to maneuver a
little. When Louis requested to be informed what it would be necessary
to say on the morrow, Colbert began by expressing his surprise that his
majesty had not been properly informed, by M. Fouquet. "M. Fouquet," he
said, "is perfectly acquainted with the whole of this Dutch affair, he
receives the dispatches himself direct."
The king, who was accustomed to hear M. Colbert speak in not
overscrupulous terms of M. Fouquet, allowed this remark to pass by
unanswered, and merely listened. Colbert noticed the effect it had
produced, and hastened to back out, saying that M. Fouquet was not on
all occasions as blamable as at the first glance might seem to be the
case, inasmuch as at that moment he was greatly occupied. The king
looked up. "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 is not," 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
brass, 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 of 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. At nine o'clock,
therefore--I will give the necessary orders. Is it to be a formal
audience?"
"No. I wish to have an explanation with them, and not to embitter
matters, as is always the case when many persons are present; but, at
the same time, I wish to clear everything with them, in order not to
have to begin over again."
"Your majesty will inform me of the persons whom you wish to be present
at the reception."
"I will draw out a list of them. Let us speak of the ambassadors; what
do they want?"
"Allies with Spain, they gain nothing; allies with France, they lose
much."
"How is that?"
"Allied with Spain, they see themselves bounded and protected by the
possessions of their allies; they cannot touch them, however anxious
they may be to do so. From Antwerp to Rotterdam is but a step, and that
by way of the Scheldt and the Meuse. If they wish to make a bite at the
Spanish cake, you, sire, the son-in-law of the king of Spain, could with
your cavalry go from your dominions to Brussels in a couple of days.
Their design is, therefore, only to quarrel so far with you, and only to
make you suspect Spain so far, as will be sufficient to induce you not
to interfere with their own affairs."
"It would be far more simple, I should think," replied the king, "to
form a solid alliance with me, by means of which I should gain
something, while they would gain everything."
"Not so; for if, by chance, they were to have you, or France rather, as
a boundary, your majesty is not an agreeable neighbor; young, ardent,
warlike, the king of France might inflict some serious mischief on
Holland, especially if he were to get near her."
"I perfectly understand, M. Colbert, and you have explained it very
clearly; but be good enough to tell me the conclusion you have arrived
at."
"Your majesty's own decisions are never deficient in wisdom."
"What will these ambassadors say to me?"
"They will tell your majesty that they are ardently desirous of forming
an alliance with you, which will be a falsehood; they will tell Spain
that the three powers ought to unite so as to check the prosperity of
England, and that will equally be a falsehood; for, at present, the
natural ally of your majesty is England, who has ships when you have
none; England, who can counteract Dutch influence in India; England, in
fact, a monarchical country, to which your majesty is attached by ties
of relationship."
"Good; but how would you answer?"
"I should answer, sire, with the greatest possible moderation of tone,
that the disposition of Holland does not seem friendly toward the king
of France; that the symptoms of public feeling among the Dutch are
alarming as regards your majesty; that certain medals have been struck
with insulting devices."
"Toward me!" exclaimed the young king, excitedly.
"Oh! no, sire, no: insulting is not the word; I was mistaken, I ought to
have said immeasurably flattering for the Dutch."
"Oh! if that be so, the pride of the Dutch is a matter of indifference
to me," said the king, sighing.
"Your majesty is right, a thousand times right. However, it is never a
mistake in politics, your majesty knows better than myself, to be unjust
in order to obtain a concession in your own favor. If your majesty were
to complain as if your susceptibility were offended, you will stand in a
far higher position with them."
"What are those medals you speak of?" inquired Louis; "for if I allude
to them, I ought to know what to say."
"Upon my word, sire I cannot very well tell you--some overweeningly
conceited device--that is the sense of it, the words have nothing to do
with the thing itself."
"Very good, I will mention the word 'medal,' and they can understand it
if they like."
"Oh! they will understand without a difficulty. Your majesty can also
slip in a few words about certain pamphlets which are being circulated."
"Never! Pamphlets befoul those who write them much more than those
against whom they are written. M. Colbert, I thank you, you can leave me
now. Do not forget the hour I have fixed, and be there yourself."
"Sire, I await your majesty's list."
"True," returned the king; and he began to meditate; he did not think of
the list in the slightest degree. The clock struck half-past eleven. The
king's face revealed a violent conflict between pride and love. The
political conversation had dispelled a good deal of the irritation which
Louis had felt, and La Valliere's pale, worn features, in his
imagination, spoke a very different language to that of the Dutch
medals, or the Batavian pamphlets. He sat for ten minutes debating
within himself whether he should or should not return to La Valliere;
but Colbert having with some urgency respectfully requested that the
list might be furnished him, the king blushed at thinking of mere
matters of affection when matters of business required his attention. He
therefore dictated: the queen-mother, the queen, Madame, Madame de
Motteville, Madame de Chatillon, Madame de Noailles; and, for the men,
M. le Prince, M. de Grammont, M. de Manicamp, M. de Saint-Aignan, and
the officers on duty.
"The ministers," said Colbert.
"As a matter of course, and the secretaries also."
"Sire, I will leave at once in order to get everything prepared; the
orders will be at the different residences to-morrow."
"Say rather to-day," replied Louis mournfully, as the clock struck
twelve. It was the very hour when poor La Valliere was almost dying from
anguish and bitter suffering. The king's attendants entered, it being
the hour of his retiring to rest; the queen, indeed, had been waiting
for more than an hour. Louis accordingly retired to his bedroom with a
sigh; but, as he sighed, he congratulated himself on his courage, and
applauded himself for having been as firm in love as in affairs of
state.