TRANSGRESSIONOFTHELAW

NicolasFouquet,LouisXIVsfinanceministerinthefirstyearsofhisreign,wasagenerousmanwho lovedlavishparties,prettywomen,andpoetry.Healsolovedmoney,forheledanextravagantlifestyle. Fouquetwascleverandverymuchindispensabletotheking,sowhentheprimeminister,Jules Mazarin,died,in1661,thefinanceministerexpectedtobenamedthesuccessor.Instead,theking decidedtoabolishtheposition.ThisandothersignsmadeFouquetsuspectthathewasfallingoutof favor,andsohedecidedtoingratiatehimselfwiththekingbystagingthemostspectacularpartythe worldhadeverseen.Thepartysostensiblepurposewouldbetocommemoratethecompletionof Fouquetschteau,Vaux-le-Vicomte,butitsrealfunctionwastopaytributetotheking,theguestof honor. ThemostbrilliantnobilityofEuropeandsomeofthegreatestmindsofthetimeLaFontaine,La Rochefoucauld,MadamedeSvignattendedtheparty.Molirewroteaplayfortheoccasion,inwhich hehimselfwastoperformattheeveningsconclusion.Thepartybeganwithalavishseven-course dinner,featuringfoodsfromtheOrientneverbeforetastedinFrance,aswellasnewdishescreated especiallyforthenight.ThemealwasaccompaniedwithmusiccommissionedbyFouquettohonorthe king. Afterdinnertherewasapromenadethroughthechteausgardens.Thegroundsandfountainsof Vaux-le-VicomteweretobetheinspirationforVersailles. Fouquetpersonallyaccompaniedtheyoungkingthroughthegeometricallyalignedarrangementsof shrubberyandflowerbeds.Arrivingatthegardenscanals,theywitnessedafireworksdisplay,which wasfollowedbytheperformanceofMoliresplay.Thepartyranwellintothenightandeveryone agreeditwasthemostamazingaffairtheyhadeverattended. Thenextday,Fouquetwasarrestedbythekingsheadmusketeer,DArtagnan.Threemonthslaterhe wentontrialforstealingfromthecountrystreasury.(Actually,mostofthestealinghewasaccusedof hehaddoneonthekingsbehalfandwiththekingspermission.)Fouquetwasfoundguiltyandsentto themostisolatedprisoninFrance,highinthePyreneesMountains,wherehespentthelasttwentyyears ofhislifeinsolitaryconfinement.

Interpretation

LouisXIV,theSunKing,wasaproudandarrogantmanwhowantedtobethecenterofattentionatall times;hecouldnotcountenancebeingoutdoneinlavishnessbyanyone,andcertainlynothisfinance minister.TosucceedFouquet,LouischoseJean-BaptisteColbert,amanfamousforhisparsimonyand forgivingthedullestpartiesinParis.Colbertmadesurethatanymoneyliberatedfromthetreasury wentstraightintoLouisshands.Withthemoney,Louisbuiltapalaceevenmoremagnificentthan FouquetsthegloriouspalaceofVersailles.Heusedthesamearchitects,decorators,andgarden designer.AndatVersailles,LouishostedpartiesevenmoreextravagantthantheonethatcostFouquet hisfreedom. Letusexaminethesituation.Theeveningoftheparty,asFouquetpresentedspectacleonspectacleto Louis,eachmoremagnificentthantheonebefore,heimaginedtheaffairasdemonstratinghisloyalty anddevotiontotheking.Notonlydidhethinkthepartywouldputhimbackinthekingsfavor,he thoughtitwouldshowhisgoodtaste,hisconnections,andhispopularity,makinghimindispensableto thekinganddemonstratingthathewouldmakeanexcellentprimeminister.Instead,however,eachnew spectacle,eachappreciativesmilebestowedbytheguestsonFouquet,madeitseemtoLouisthathis ownfriendsandsubjectsweremorecharmedbythefinanceministerthanbythekinghimself,andthat Fouquetwasactuallyflauntinghiswealthandpower.RatherthanflatteringLouisXIV,Fouquets elaboratepartyoffendedthekingsvanity.Louiswouldnotadmitthistoanyone,ofcourseinstead,he foundaconvenientexcusetoridhimselfofamanwhohadinadvertentlymadehimfeelinsecure. Suchisthefate,insomeformorother,ofallthosewhounbalancethemasterssenseofself,poke holesinhisvanity,ormakehimdoubthispre-eminence.