From important matters?! Heinrich said laughing.
That is, so that no one distracts me from you?!
My dear, Henry laughed.
Go ahead and scold them for this! He had fun with all his heart.
OfВ course! She answered, almost seriously.
Here IВ go!
Well, go on! Are you here?! Heinrich answered.
He was already laughing, getting so excited that it seemed like he was going toВ cry with laughter.
My dear, IВ give you my word.
You will escape from them inВ 5В minutes! Heinrich added, havingВ fun.
Well, I’ll go! Frowning, she continued.
Well, go already! He continued laughing. The king was already so amused that, dangling his legs toВ the side ofВ the chair, inВ which he no longer sat, but almost lay, he chatted with them, having fun with all his heart.
Will you give me your royal seal? Diana said, making aВ naive angelic face. This time, he already laughed so that tears still gushed from his eyes. He barely calmed down from his fit ofВ tearful laughter, answered her laughing.
God! Diana!
You want toВ kill me with laughter?!
Of course I won’t give you my seal! He laughed.
What good, you start spanking it, right and left indiscriminately.
And what good, make aВ commotion and confusion inВ the state! He laughed.
She pouted. As if she really thought that the king would give her his seal, and now she was offended byВ him for not doing so. Why he had aВ fit ofВ laughter again.
Come on madam, are you going? He said, having fun, Heinrich.
Yes, I’m coming! You’re Majesty!
Harmful, she added, making aВ face at him and showing aВ sharp little tongue. Like aВ little girl with bad manners. The king pointed toВ the door as if speaking.
Come on, go madam!
Throwing her chin up, she turned and walked confidently out ofВ the room. He called afterВ her.
Tell me IВ sentВ you.
He was still laughing.
See you inВ 5В minutes! He added.
Poitiers entered the meeting room. The men were quietly talking to each other, when they saw her; they stared at her in surprise. She took a deep breath like a swimmer before diving into the abyss and heading towards the place of honor for the king. The looks of those present became even more surprised. She sat down gravely in the king’s place. Those present fell silent, watching her in surprise. She whispered to the advisor that she was sitting next to her. That today, by order of the king. The meeting will be chaired by her. He shook his head, professionally maintaining composure and announced this to everyone present in the hall. There was a booming whisper like a swarm of flies. Showing how they could not agree with this. Realizing that she must do something. Poitiers rose resolutely and importantly from her seat, or rather from the seat of the king. She raised her hand sharply, attracting their attention and spoke loudly and clearly.
Gentlemen, let’s start the meeting! Thus suppressing their hum.
And sat down in her seat again. The meeting began. It went on for two long hours! Fortunately, there was an adviser nearby who knew his business. She didn’t really understand what they were talking about and what exactly they were talking about. At the same time, pretending to be important, as if she understood every word. But the essence is still, she caught. They provided tax reporting on the use of royal lands.
It was about tax payments toВ the state treasury. The meeting was about this. InВ the reports, everything was described inВ detail, providing the final amount. At first, orally inВ reports, aВ detailed report was attached toВ this, on papers. Signature and seal, which the king should have put. Some ofВ the noblest and richest nobles from all over France took part inВ the reports. InВ general, the Minister ofВ Finance followed this all. It was more paper for bookkeepers, bookkeeping. ByВ the end ofВ the meeting, aВ large pile ofВ papers had gathered, which Diana did not understand at all. After everyone finished reading their reports. The meeting was over. What the same advisor announced. AВ pile ofВ papers lay inВ front ofВ her. She stood up saying. That all the papers will be handed over toВ the king. Having said goodbye toВ those present with aВ bow ofВ her head, she left the hall, heading toВ where she had left Henry. Carrying under his arm, an impressive pile ofВ papers. Refusing the help ofВ the adviser and the secretary, who wanted toВ bring the papers toВ the king? She found Henry bored.
What have you been doing there for so long?! He was surprised.
Seeing aВ pile ofВ papers inВ her hands, he said.
Get it over here, I’ll put my seal.
And he added indignantly.
And why are you carrying them yourself?!
Why are there, IВ wonder, the councilor and the secretary! He muttered angrily.
But she withdrew her hand with the papers.
What?! She was surprised.
Are you going toВ approve all this?!
Well, of course I’m going to approve that. Heinrich answered.
Let’s get it over with, Diana. He added, reaching out his hand again for the papers.
But you haven’t even checked them! She said, surprised.
He sighed and said.
My dear Diana. Do you know how many ofВ these papers IВ have toВ stamp?
I can’t check them all.
IВ have ministers for this.
Sometimes, yes. The royal lands are fully tested, audited.
But as IВ told you, my ministers are inВ charge.
She was surprised and answered.
But if they rob you?!
How do you know?
Heinrich smiled, grinning.
My dear. Yes, I’m even sure of that!
But I can’t keep track of everyone, unfortunately.
Plus, I don’t think they are writing off large amounts.
It is simply impossible toВ check everyone all the time.
Poitier responded toВ this.
Heinrich let me see it through toВ the end, since you let me start.
He looked at her inВ surprise.
So what are you going toВ do? He asked.
Check them out! She answered seriously.
He smiled.
Okay, check itВ out.
Okay, then this will take me aВ while. She said.
I’ll tell you about the results later.
Well, let it be your way, he agreed.
Just don’t wait too long with this.
These bores will torture me with their reports.
And aВ whole mountain ofВ papers will accumulate.
She smiled and simply said, okay.
So, Poitiers sat over the papers, leafing through them and nothing really, not understanding them. She thought aboutВ it.
How can IВ check and verify themВ all?
Who will help me figure thisВ out?
She went over inВ her head people who, inВ her opinion, are competent inВ such matters. When it seemed toВ dawn onВ her.
Cardinal!
She said out loud.
Yes, exactly! Cardinal!
Jumping up, she got up from the chair enthusiastically. Cardinal was known as an expert not only in paperwork and reports. But in general, he was an incredibly gifted person in many ways. He was known as an all-knowing man. She immediately, without a moment’s hesitation, wrote a letter to the cardinal. Requesting an appointment. By sending the message immediately. She received a rather quick reply that he would be glad to see her.
Cardinal
Poitiers entered the spacious, bright, and quite different from a monk’s cell, elegantly furnished cardinal’s reception room. Not keeping him waiting to meet her, a small, plump man with a round belly and short arms, a red-faced and chubby man ran out to meet her. And if it were not for his cardinal’s hat and clergy’s cassock, then you could easily take him, this shining smile, short man, for your kind uncle. He rushed to her, beaming with a smile.
Oh, what am IВ aВ humble monk, which ofВ course has nothing toВ do with the luxurious furnishings, owe your visit, madam?
You light up my humble cell!
Diana smiled, laughing inwardly at such a strikingly untrue comparison. The truth in all this, it was only that he really was a man of the church, the representative of the pope in France. That is, a person endowed with great power and, in fact, was the second person after the king. Since, not one important document was not finally approved, without the consent of God and the will of God on earth. That is, the sacred church, which means they are a cardinal. And in general, they said about the cardinal that a mouse would not slip past him, which was undoubtedly true. Because, with his blessing and under his leadership, there was a secret police, covered by the church itself. Whose spies were everywhere. And, of course, this organization was not public. However, this did not mean that she was not there. And how wrong you would be! By mistaking a cardinal for your simple kind uncle. The cardinal, as already mentioned, was the second most influential person in the kingdom after the king, with a razor-sharp mind. And also, undoubtedly, a person is far from simple, and who knows everything that is happening around. Thanks of course to my spies. The cardinal was one of the richest and most influential people in all of France. He was almost fabulously rich, but also fabulously stingy. This small man loved to eat well and was a real gourmet and connoisseur of good wine. He loved him, with a devoted and almost tender love. But don’t be fooled. He was not a drinker, not at all. He was a true gourmet and loved to enjoy its taste. His wine collection and his wine cellar were amazing. It was even, perhaps, much better than the royal wine cellaring. The cardinal sipped the wine with his plump lips, relished and sniffed, and only then, with pleasure, drank it, in small sips. His nose, so to speak for wine, was almost like a greyhound for game. Sniffing at the drink of the gods, as the cardinal lovingly called wine. He could tell you where it came from. Whether from the hills of Italy, from what region, or from the green hills of France and exactly from where. He really was a connoisseur of this wonderful drink and loved it like a woman. Since being a monk, he renounced female love, undoubtedly replacing it with a love of wine. He admired the bottle and the color of the contents and, in general, could talk about it endlessly. Poitiers, sat down on the chair offered to her by the cardinal. She began to tell why she had come. Looking into the sly eyes of the cardinal and smiling sweetly at him. She handed him a stack of papers. The cardinal sat down at the table, took the papers, and began to study them carefully. But, after a few minutes, he got up from the table. He smiled at her broadly and with good disposition, said.
Madam, there is nothing serious here.
So, accounting records ofВ estates and estates standing on the royal land and, accordingly, information about the taxes levied.
Any bookkeeper can decide.
And doesn’t that apply to the finance minister? He continued.
I don’t understand madam, why would you puzzle over this?
And, still smiling broadly, he continued.
And what is your question forВ me?
And how can IВ be ofВ service toВ you? He said, seemingly losing interest inВ the papers and inВ her. But at the same time, everything is the same, smiling professionally.
He started toВ speak, changing the subject ofВ the conversation.
Madam, tell me how is his majesty?
But, she interrupted him before he could finish, clearing her throat slightly.
But, you didn’t listen to the end. Said Poitiers sweetly. And she smiled at him as professionally as the cardinal himself.
He raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting such pressure.
