"What news?" asked the king. Fouquet placed a roll of papers on the table.
"Let your majesty have the goodness to cast your eyes over this work," said he. The king slowly unfolded the paper.
"Plans?" said he.
"Yes, sire."
"And what are these plans?"
"A new fortification, sire."
"Ah, ah!" said the king, "you amuse yourself with tactics and strategies then, M. Fouquet?"
"I occupy myself with everything that may be useful to the reign of your majesty," replied Fouquet.
"Beautiful descriptions!" said the king, looking at the design.
"Your majesty comprehends, without doubt," said Fouquet, bending over the paper; "here is the circle of the walls, here are the forts, there the advanced works."
"And what do I see here, monsieur?"
"The sea."
"The sea all round?"
"Yes, sire."
"And what is, then, the name of this place of which you show me the plan?"
"Sire, it is Belle-Ile-en-Mer," replied Fouquet with simplicity.
At this word, at this name, Colbert made so marked a movement, that the king turned round to enforce the necessity for reserve. Fouquet did not appear to be the least in the world concerned by the movement of Colbert, or the king's signal.
"Monsieur," continued Louis, "you have then fortified Belle-Isle?"
"Yes, sire; and I have brought the plan and the accounts to your majesty," replied Fouquet; "I have expended sixteen hundred livres in this operation."
"What to do?" replied Louis, coldly, having taken the initiative from a malicious look of the intendant.
"For an aim very easy to seize," replied Fouquet. "Your majesty was on cool terms with Great Britain."
"Yes; but since the restoration of King Charles II. I have formed an alliance with him."
"A month since, sire, your majesty has truly said; but it is more than six months since the fortifications of Belle-Isle were begun."
"Then they have become useless."
"Sire, fortifications are never useless. I fortified Belle-Isle against MM. Monk and Lambert and all those London citizens who were playing at soldiers. Belle-Isle will be ready fortified against the Dutch, against whom either England or your majesty cannot fail to make war."
The king was again silent, and looked askant at Colbert. "Belle-Isle, I believe," added Louis, "is yours, M. Fouquet?"
"No, sire."