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154, was, that Montalais had committed an indiscretion, which had certainly affected her companion, for Mlle, de la Valliere, less clear-sighted, perhaps, turned pale when the king blushed; and her attendance being required upon madame, she tremblingly followed the princess without thinking of taking the gloves, which court etiquette required her to do. True it is that this young country girl might allege as her excuse the agitation into which the king seemed to be thrown, for Mlle. de la Valliere, busily engaged in closing the door, had involuntarily fixed her eyes upon the king, who, as he retired backward, had his face toward it. The king returned to the room where the card-tables were set out. He wished to speak to the different persons there, but it could easily be seen that his mind was absent. He jumbled different accounts together, which was taken advantage of by some of the noblemen who had retained those habits since the time of M. Mazarin, he who had memory, but was a good calculator. In this way, M. Manicamp, with a thoughtless and absent air, for M. Manicamp was the honestest man in the world, appropriated simply twenty thousand francs, which were littering the table, and the ownership of which did not seem legitimately to belong to any person in particular. In the same way, M. de Wardes, whose head was doubtless a little bewildered by the occurrences of the evening, somehow forgot to leave the sixty double louis which he had won for the Duke of Buckingham, and which the duke, incapable, like his father, of soiling his hands with coin of any sort, had left lying on the table before him. The king only recovered his attention in some degree at the moment that M. Colbert, who had been narrowly observant for some minutes, approached, and, doubtless, with great respect, yet with much perseverance, whispered a counsel of some sort into the still tingling ears of the king. The king, at the suggestion, listened with renewed attention, and immediately looking around him, said: "Is Monsieur Fouquet no longer here?"

"Yes, sire, I am here,"" replied the surintendant, who was engaged with Buckingham, and approached the king, who advanced a step toward him with a smiling yet negligent air. "Forgive me," said Louis, "if I interrupt your conversation; but I claim your attention wherever I may require your services."

"I am always at the king's service," replied Fouquet.

"And your cash-box, too," said the king, laughing with a false smile.