"Believe what you want young one, but I'm telling you I didn't fire. I have to go to Saxony on business, but I think you should know that the news of this is spreading quickly. As it turns out, the late Joubert wasn't quite as well liked as we thought. You're already somewhat of a celebrity. I recommend you get up and about as soon as possible, I think you'll have a lot of work to do. I'll see you around." Ramsay turned and walked to the open door where she was greeted by the tall, dark-haired Le Brun.

"Madame Ruebal, always a pleasure," he said, kissing her gloved hand.

"Likewise." She smiled at Louis before disappearing around the door.

Le Brun watched her walk down the hall before he entered. He carried a cane in his hands. "How are you?"

"I'll be fine in a few days. I want you to know I plan to resume work as soon as possible."

"Yes," he said opening a window. "I suppose congratulations are in order."

"What do you mean?"

"Come now. You know exactly what I mean. I just wish it hadn't come to this. I'm giving you the contract, you're the only qualified glassier left in France as far as I know. But just between you and me, I'd have given it to you anyway. Here," he said, holding out the cane, "this is for you. The doctor says you're going to need it. The contracts are in my office waiting for you. Come by as soon as you're able. Good day Monsieur." He left without looking back. Louis held the cane and looked into the dragon's blue sapphire eyes as long as he could without blinking.

1 Pendergrast in his book Mirror Mirror, details “Louis Lucas de Nehou experimented with the new casting method and succeeded in making astonishingly large planes of glass, nearly five feet high. Few panes survived the complex manufacturing process.”

2 LeBrun may have had less of a say in the architecture of the palace if we are to believe modern historians who name Hardouin-Mansart as the architect and often at odds with LeBrun on the design and execution of the hall. Versailles by Jean-Marie Perouse de Montclos 1991

3 At the time, Tourlaville was a small village in Cherbourg, Northwest France. A fledgling glass native blowing industry (all previous glass blowing in Europe had been confined to Venetian Murano) had sprung up around this town due to the availability of natural resources (i.e. timber for fuel and sand for glass stock) and river transport. Later this factory would move to Saint Gobain. From Sun to Earth 1665-1999 A History of Saint-Gobain.

4 A legend in French royal politics, Jean-Baptiste Colbert served as King Louis XIV’s minister of finance after the disgraceful exit of his predecessor Fouquet. Colbert was also appointed the king’s overseer of buildings and was charged with complete control over the Versailles project. Versailles by Jean-Marie Perouse de Montclos 1991 p. 48

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