“But he cannot hold himself on. Look at him.”

“Oh! if he takes time to reflect — ” said the intrepid Pelisson.

“He is right,” murmured Fouquet.

“Monseigneur! Monseigneur!” cried Gourville, rushing up the stairs, four steps at once. “Monseigneur!”

“Well! what?”

“I escorted, as you desired, the king’s courier with the money.”

“Yes.”

“Well! when I arrived at the Palais Royal, I saw — ”

“Take breath, my poor friend, take breath; you are suffocating.”