"Dumas, Alexandre - The Man In The Iron Mask" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dumas Alexandre)

bowed his head, and ran to M. Colbert's room.
The minister could not control a sudden exclamation as he opened the
paper; and the valet, gathering from it the interest with which his
master regarded the mysterious visitor, returned as fast as he could
to beg the duchess to follow him. She ascended to the first floor of
the beautiful new house very slowly, rested herself on the
landing-place in order not to enter the apartment out of breath, and
appeared before M. Colbert, who with his own hands held open the
folding-doors. The duchess paused at the threshold for the purpose
of studying well the character of the man with whom she was about to
converse. At the first glance the round, large, heavy head, thick
brows, and ill-favored features of Colbert, who wore, thrust low
down on his head, a cap like a priest's calotte, seemed to indicate
that but little difficulty was likely to be met with in her
negotiations with him, but also that she was to expect little interest
in the discussion of particulars; for there was scarcely any
indication that that rude man could be susceptible to the
attractions of a refined revenge or of an exalted ambition. But when
on closer inspection the duchess perceived the small, piercingly black
eyes, the longitudinal wrinkles of his high and massive forehead,
the imperceptible twitching of the lips, on which were apparent traces
of rough good-humor, she changed her mind and said to herself, "I have
found the man I want."
"What has procured me the honor of your visit, Madame?" he inquired.
"The need I have of you, Monsieur," returned the duchess, "and
that which you have of me."
"I am delighted, Madame, with the first portion of your sentence;
but so far as the second portion is concerned-"
Madame de Chevreuse sat down in the arm-chair which M. Colbert
placed before her. "M. Colbert, you are the intendant of finances?"
"Yes, Madame."
"And are ambitious of becoming the superintendent?"
"Madame!"
"Nay, do not deny it! That would only unnecessarily prolong our
conversation,- it is useless."
"And yet, Madame," replied the intendant, "however well disposed and
inclined to show politeness I may be towards a lady of your position
and merit, nothing will make me confess that I have ever entertained
the idea of supplanting my superior."
"I said nothing about supplanting, M. Colbert. Could I
accidentally have made use of that word? I hardly think so. The word
'replace' is less aggressive in its signification, and more
grammatically suitable, as M. de Voiture would say. I presume,
therefore, that you are ambitious of replacing M. Fouquet."
"M. Fouquet's fortune, Madame, enables him to withstand all
attempts. The superintendent in this age plays the part of the
Colossus of Rhodes; the vessels pass beneath him, and do not overthrow
him."
"I ought to have availed myself of that very comparison. It is true.
M. Fouquet plays the part of the Colossus of Rhodes; but I remember to