Page:Louise de la Valliere text.djvu/319

"There is no question of the gown at all," retorted Pelisson, annoyed at the laughter of those who were present.

"On the contrary, it is the gown" said Loret.

"Take the gown away from the procureur-general," said Conrart, "and we have Monsieur Fouquet left us still, of whom we have no reason to complain; but, as he is no procureur-general without his gown, we agree with Monsieur de la Fontaine, and pronounce the gown to be nothing but a bugbear."

"Fugiunt risius lepyoresque," said Loret.

"The smiles and the graces," said some one present.

"That is not the way," said Pelisson gravely, "that I translate lepores."

"How do you translate it?" said La Fontaine.

"Thus: The hares run away as soon as they see Monsieur Fouquet."

A burst of laughter, in which the surintendant joined, followed this sally.

"But why hares?" objects Conrart, vexed.

"Because the hare will be the very one who will not be overpleased to see Monsieur Fouquet surrounded by all the attributes which his parliamentary strength and power confer on him."

"Oh! oh!" murmured the poets.

"Quo noil ascendant," said Conrart, "seems impossible to me, when one is fortunate enough to wear the gown of the procureur-general."

"On the contrary, it seems so to me without that gown," said the obstinate Pelisson, "what is your opinion, De Gourville?"

"I think the gown in question is a very good thing," replied the latter; "but I equally think a million and a half is far better than the gown."

"And I am of De Gourville's opinion," exclaimed Fouquet, stopping the discussion by the expression of his own opinion, which would necessarily bear down all the others. "A million and a half," Pelisson grumbled out; "now I happen to know an Indian fable "

"Tell it me," said La Fontaine; "I ought to know it, too."

"Tell it, tell it," said the others.

"There was a tortoise, which was, as usual, well protected by its shell," said Pelisson; "whenever its enemies threatened it, it took refuge within its covering. One day some one said to it, 'You must feel very hot in such a house