# How Jean de La Fontaine Came to Write His First Tale explained — The Vicomte de Bragelonne

> Chapter companion for The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas.

## What happens

At Saint-Mandé, Fouquet's friends gather for a reception, but the superintendent is in financial distress. The guests, including Pélisson, Gourville, Loret, and La Fontaine, contribute money to help pay off Fouquet's debts. La Fontaine humorously recounts his failed attempt to sell land to help, and instead offers proceeds from a risqué poem he wrote. Fouquet is deeply moved by their generosity.

## Themes in this chapter

### Friendship and Betrayal

Fouquet's friends rally to support him financially in his time of need, demonstrating loyalty and camaraderie.

### Greed and Corruption

Fouquet's lavish past and current financial distress highlight the consequences of greed and mismanagement.

## Character check-ins

### Nicolas Fouquet

The superintendent, host of the gathering, is in financial trouble but touched by his friends' support.

### Jean de La Fontaine

The poet contributes money from a risqué poem and recounts his comical misadventures at Château-Thierry.

### Gourville

Fouquet's treasurer, organizes the collection of funds from the friends.

### Pélisson

A friend of Fouquet, contributes borrowed money and writes speeches for the superintendent.

### Loret

A poet and guest, contributes 150 livres to the fund.

## Key lines

> Poor offering, you will disappear into the smallest corner of my empty purse, but you have filled to overflowing that which no one can ever exhaust, my heart.

Fouquet says that the small amount of money will be lost in his empty purse, but the love and loyalty behind it fill his heart completely.

_Fouquet's emotional response to his friends' generosity._

> if your creditors will only wait a couple of years, I shall have written a hundred other tales, which, at two editions each, will pay off the debt.

La Fontaine jokes that if Fouquet's creditors are patient, he will write many more stories and sell enough copies to settle the debt.

_La Fontaine's humorous and optimistic offer to help through his writing._

## Links

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