Germain，whomheadmittedtogreatintimacy。ToTheHaguewentSaint-Germain，diamonds，rubies，sennatea，andall，andbegantodiplomatizewiththeDutch。ButtheregularFrenchministeratTheHague，d’Affry，foundoutwhatwasgoingonbehindhisback——founditouteitherbecausehewassharperthanotherambassadors，orbecauseapersonagesoextraordinaryasSaint-Germainwascertaintobeverycloselywatched，orbecausetheDutchdidnottaketotheUndyingOne，andtoldd’Affrywhathewasdoing。D’AffrywrotetodeChoiseul。Animmortalbutdubiouspersonage，hesaid，wastreatingintheinterestsofFrance，forpeace，whichitwasd’Affry’sbusinesstodoifthethingwastobedoneatall。
Choiseulrepliedinaragebythesamecourier。Saint-Germain，hesaid，mustbeextradited，boundhandandfoot，andsenttotheBastille。Choiseulthoughtthathemightpracticehisregimenanddrinkhissennatea，totheadvantageofpublicaffairs，withinthosevenerablewalls。ThentheangryministerwenttotheKing，toldhimwhatordershehadgiven，andsaidthat，ofcourse，inacaseofthiskinditwassuperfluoustoinquireastotheroyalpleasure。LouisXV。wascaught；sowastheMarechaldeBelle-Isle。
Theyblushedandweresilent。
Itmustberememberedthatthisreportofaprivateincidentcouldonlycometothenarrator，VonGleichen，fromdeChoiseul，withwhomheprofessestohavebeenintimate。TheKingandtheMarechaldeBelle-Islewouldnottellthestoryoftheirowndiscomfiture。
ItisnotverylikelythatdeChoiseulhimselfwouldblab。
However，theanecdoteaversthattheKingandtheMinisterforWarthoughtitbesttosaynothing，andthedemandforSaint-Germain’sextraditionwaspresentedatTheHague。ButtheDutchwerenotfondofgivinguppoliticaloffenders。TheyletSaint-Germainhaveahint；heslippedovertoLondon，andaLondonpaperpublishedakindofveiledinterviewwithhiminJune1760。
Hisname，weread，whenannouncedafterhisdeath，willastonishtheworldmorethanallthemarvelsofhislife。HehasbeeninEnglandalready1743-17——？；heisagreatunknown。Nobodycanaccusehimofanythingdishonestordishonorable。Whenhewasherebeforewewereallmadaboutmusic，andsoheenchanteduswithhisviolin。ButItalyknowshimasanexpertintheplasticarts，andGermanyadmiresinhimamasterinchemicalscience。InFrance，wherehewassupposedtopossessthesecretofthetransmutationofmetals，thepolicefortwoyearssoughtandfailedtofindanynormalsourceofhisopulence。Aladyofforty-fiveonceswallowedawholebottleofhiselixir。Nobodyrecognizedher，forshehadbecomeagirlofsixteenwithoutobservingthetransformation!
Saint-GermainissaidtohaveremainedinLondonbutforashortperiod。HoraceWalpoledoesnotspeakofhimagain，whichisodd，butprobablytheCountdidnotagaingointosociety。Ourinformation，mainlyfromVonGleichen，becomesverymisty，athingofsurmises，reallyworthless。TheCountiscreditedwithagreatpartinthepalaceconspiraciesofSt。Petersburg；helivedatBerlin，and，underthenameofTzarogy，attheCourtoftheMargraveofAnspach。Thenhewent，theysay，toItaly，andthennorthtotheLandgraveCharlesofHesse，whodabbledinalchemy。
Hereheissaidtohavediedabout1780-85，leavinghispaperstotheLandgravebutallisveryvagueafterhedisappearedfromParisin1760。WhennextImeetSaint-GermainheisagainatParis，againmysteriouslyrich，againheratherdisappearsthandies，hecallshimselfMajorFraser，andthedateisinthelastyearsofLouisPhilippe。Myauthoritymaybecaviledat；itisthatofthelateingeniousMr。VanDamme，whodescribesMajorFraserinabookonthecharactersoftheSecondEmpire。HedoesnotseemtohaveheardofSaint-Germain，whomhedoesnotmention。
MajorFraser，“inspiteofhisEnglishsicname，wasdecidedlynotEnglish，thoughhespokethelanguage。“HewaslikeSaint-
Germain“oneofthebestdressedmenoftheperiod……Helivedalone，andneveralludedtohisparentage。Hewasalwaysflushofmoney，thoughthesourcesofhisincomewereamysterytoeveryone。“TheFrenchpolicevainlysoughttodetecttheoriginofSaint-Germain’ssupplies，openinghislettersatthepost-office。
MajorFraser’sknowledgeofeverycivilizedcountryateveryperiodwasmarvelous，thoughhehadveryfewbooks。“Hismemorywassomethingprodigious……Strangetosay，heusedoftentohintthathiswasnomerebookknowledge。“’Ofcourse，itisperfectlyridiculous，’“heremarked，withastrangesmile，“’buteverynowandthenIfeelasifthisdidnotcometomefromreading，butfrompersonalexperience。AttimesIbecomealmostconvincedthatIlivedwithNero，thatIknewDantepersonally，andsoforth。’“[1]
Atthemajor’sdeathnotaletterwasfoundgivingaclewtohisantecedents，andnomoneywasdiscovered。DIDhedie？AsinthecaseofSaint-Germain，nodateisgiven。Theauthorhadanideathatthemajorwas“anillegitimatesonofsomeexaltedperson“oftheperiodofCharlesIV。andFerdinandVII。ofSpain。
[1]AnEnglishmaninParis，vol。i。，pp。130-133。London，1892。
TheauthordoesnotmentionSaint-Germain，andmayneverhaveheardofhim。IfhisaccountofMajorFraserisnotmereromance，inthatwarriorwehavetheundyingfriendofLouisXV。andMadamedePompadour。HehaddrunkatMedmenhamwithJackWilkes；asRicciohehadsungduetswiththefairestofunhappyqueens；hehadextractedfromBlanchedeBechamelthesecretofGobydeMouchy。
AsPinto，hetoldmuchofhissecrethistorytoMr。Thackeray，whosays：“IamrathersorrytolosehimafterthreelittlebitsofRoundaboutPapers。“
DidSaint-GermainreallydieinapalaceofPrinceCharlesofHesseabout1780-85？Didhe，ontheotherhand，escapefromtheFrenchprisonwhereGrosleythoughthesawhim，duringtheFrenchRevolution？WasheknowntoLordLyttonabout1860？WashethenMajorFraser？IshethemysteriousMuscoviteadviseroftheDalaiLama？Whoknows？Heisawill-o’-the-wispofthememoir-writersoftheeighteenthcentury。WheneveryouthinkyouhaveachanceoffindinghimingoodauthenticStatepapers，hegivesyoutheslip；
andifhisexistencewerenotvouchedforbyHoraceWalpole，I
shouldinclinetodeemhimasBetsyPrigthoughtofMrs。Harris。
TheManintheIronMaskI
THELEGEND
TheMysteryoftheManintheIronMaskis，despiteapleasantsayingofLordBeaconsfield’s，oneofthemostfascinatinginhistory。Byacuriouscoincidencethewildestlegendonthesubject，andthecorrectexplanationoftheproblem，wereofferedtotheworldinthesameyear，1801。Accordingtothisformofthelegend，theManintheIronMaskwasthegenuineLouisXIV。，deprivedofhisrightsinfavorofachildofAnneofAustriaandofMazarin。ImmuredintheIslesSainte-Marguerite，inthebayofCanneswhereyouareshownhiscell，lookingnorthtothesunnytown，hemarried，andbegotason。ThatsonwascarriedtoCorsica，wasnameddeBuonaParte，andwastheancestorofNapoleon。TheEmperorwasthusthelegitimaterepresentativeoftheHouseofBourbon。
Thislegendwascirculatedin1801，andisreferredtoinaproclamationoftheRoyalistsofLaVendee。Inthesameyear，1801，RouxFazaillac，aCitoyenandarevolutionarylegislator，publishedaworkinwhichheassertedthattheManintheIronMaskasknowninrumorwasnotoneman，butamyth，inwhichtheactualfactsconcerningatleasttwomenwereblended。ItiscertainthatRouxFazaillacwasright；orthat，ifhewaswrong，theManintheIronMaskwasanobscurevalet，ofFrenchbirth，residinginEngland，whoserealnamewasMartin。
Beforeweenteronthetopicofthispoormenial’stragichistory，itmaybeaswelltotracetheprogressoftheromanticlegend，asitblossomedafterthedeathoftheMan，whoseMaskwasnotofiron，butofblackvelvet。Laterweshallshowhowthelegendstruckrootandflowered，fromthemomentwhenthepoorvalet，Martinbyhisprisonpseudonym“EustacheDauger“，wasimmuredintheFrenchfortressofPignerol，inPiedmontAugust，1669。
TheMan，inconnectionwiththeMask，isfirstknowntousfromakindofnotebookkeptbyduJunca，LieutenantoftheBastille。OnSeptember18，1698，herecordsthearrivalofthenewGovernoroftheBastille，M。deSaint-Mars，bringingwithhim，fromhislastplace，theIslesSainte-Marguerite，inthebayofCamnes，“anoldprisonerwhomhehadatPignerol。Hekeepstheprisoneralwaysmasked，hisnameisnotspoken……andIhaveputhimalone，inthethirdchamberoftheBertaudieretower，havingfurnisheditsomedaysbeforewitheverything，byorderofM。deSaint-Mars。
TheprisoneristobeservedandcaredforbyM。deRosarges，“theofficernextincommandunderSaint-Mars。[1]
[1]Funck-Brentano，LegendesetArchivesdelaBastille，pp。86，87。Paris，1898，p。277，afacsimileofthisentry。
Theprisoner’sdeathisenteredbyduJuncaonNovember19，1703。
Tothatentrywereturnlater。
Theexistenceofthisprisonerwasknownandexcitedcuriosity。OnOctober15，1711，thePrincessPalatinewroteaboutthecasetotheElectressSophiaofHanover，“AmanlivedforlongyearsintheBastille，masked，andmaskedhediedthere。Twomusketeerswerebyhissidetoshoothimifeverheunmasked。Heateandsleptinhismask。Theremust，doubtless，havebeensomegoodreasonforthis，asotherwisehewasverywelltreated，welllodged，andhadeverythinggiventohimthathewanted。HetooktheCommunionmasked；wasverydevout，andreadperpetually。“
OnOctober22，1711，thePrincesswritesthattheMaskwasanEnglishnobleman，mixedupintheplotoftheDukeofBerwickagainstWilliamIII——Fenwick’saffairismeant。HewasimprisonedandmaskedthattheDutchusurpermightneverknowwhathadbecomeofhim。[1]
[1]Op。cit。98，noteI。
Thelegendwasnowafloatinsociety。Thesub-commandantoftheBastillefrom1749to1787，Chevalier，declared，obviouslyontheevidenceoftradition，thatalltheMask’sfurnitureandclothesweredestroyedathisdeath，lesttheymightyieldaclewtohisidentity。LouisXV。issaidtohavetoldMadamedePompadourthattheMaskwas“theministerofanItalianprince。“LouisXVI。toldMarieAntoinetteaccordingtoMadamedeCampanthattheMaskwasaMantuanintriguer，thesamepersonasLouisXV。indicated。
Perhapshewas，itisoneoftwopossiblealternatives。Voltaire，inthefirsteditionofhis“SiecledeLouisXIV。，“merelyspokeofayoung，handsome，maskedprisoner，treatedwiththehighestrespectbyLouvois，theMinisterofLouisXIV。Atlast，in“Questionssurl’Encyclopedie“secondedition，VoltaireaverredthattheMaskwasthesonofAnneofAustriaandMazarin，anelderbrotherofLouisXIV。Changeswererungonthisnote：theMaskwastheactualKing，LouisXIV。wasabastard。OthersheldthathewasJames，DukeofMonmouth——orMoliere!In1770HeissidentifiedhimwithMattioli，theMantuanintriguer，andespeciallyaftertheappearanceofthebookbyRouxFazaillac，in1801，thatwasthegenerallyacceptedopinion。
ItMAYbetrue，inpart。MattioliMAYhavebeentheprisonerwhodiedintheBastilleinNovember1703，butthelegendoftheMask’sprisonlifeundeniablyaroseoutoftheadventureofourvalet，MartinorEustacheDauger。
AfterreadingtheargumentsoftheadvocatesofMattioli，Icouldnotbutperceivethat，whatevercaptivedied，masked，attheBastillein1703，thevaletDaugerwastherealsourceofmostofthelegendsabouttheManintheIronMask。AstudyofM。Lair’sbook“NicholasFouquet“1890confirmedthisopinion。IthereforepushedtheinquiryintoasourceneglectedbytheFrenchhistorians，namely，thecorrespondenceoftheEnglishambassadors，agents，andstatesmenfortheyears1668，1669。[1]。
OneresultistoconfirmawildtheoryofmyowntotheeffectthattheManintheIronMaskifDaugerwerehemayhavebeenasgreatamysterytohimselfastohistoricalinquirers。HemaynothaveknownWHAT
hewasimprisonedfordoing!MoreimportantistheprobableconclusionthatthelongandmysteriouscaptivityofEustacheDauger，andofanotherperfectlyharmlessvaletandvictim，wasthemereautomaticresultof“redtape“oftheoldFrenchabsolutemonarchy。Thesewretcheswerecaughtinthetoilsofthesystem，andsufferedtonopurpose，fornocrime。Thetwomen，atleastDauger，wereapparentlymeresupernumerariesintheobscureintrigueofaconspiratorknownasRouxdeMarsilly。
[1]ThepapersareintheRecordOffice；forthecontentsseethefollowingessay，TheValet’sMaster。
ThistrulyabominabletragedyofRouxdeMarsillyis“anotherstory，“narratedinthefollowingessay。Itmustsufficeheretosaythat，in1669，whileCharlesII。wasnegotiatingthefamous，orinfamous，secrettreatywithLouis——thetreatyofallianceagainstHolland，andinfavoroftherestorationofRomanCatholicisminEngland——RouxdeMarsilly，aFrenchHuguenot，wasdealingwithArlingtonandothers，infavorofaProtestantleagueagainstFrance。
WhenhestartedfromEnglandforSwitzerlandinFebruary，1669，MarsillyleftinLondonavaletcalledbyhim“Martin，“whohadquittedhisserviceandwaslivingwithhisownfamily。Thismanisthe“EustacheDauger“ofourmystery。Thenameishisprisonpseudonym，as“Lestang“wasthatofMattioli。TheFrenchGovernmentwasanxioustolayhandsonhim，forhehadcertainly，asthelettersofMarsillyprove，comeandgonefreelybetweenthatconspiratorandhisEnglishemployers。HowmuchDaugerknew，whatamountofmischiefhecouldeffect，wasuncertain。Muchorlittle，itwasamatterwhich，strangetosay，causedthegreatestanxietytoLouisXIV。andtohisMinistersforverymanyyears。ProbablylongbeforeDaugerdiedthedateisunknown，butitwasmorethantwenty-fiveyearsafterMarsilly’sexecution，hissecret，ifsecrethepossessed，hadceasedtobeofimportance。ButhewasnowinthetoilsoftheFrenchredtape，thesystemofsecrecywhichrarelyreleaseditsvictim。Hewasguarded，weshallseewithsuchunheard-ofrigorthatpopularfancyatoncetookhimforsomegreat，perhapsroyal，personage。
MarsillywaspubliclytorturedtodeathinParisonJune22，1669。
ByJuly19hisex-valet，Dauger，hadenteredonhismysterioustermofcaptivity。HowtheFrenchgotpossessionofhim，whetherheyieldedtocajolery，orwasbetrayedbyCharlesII。，isuncertain。
TheFrenchambassadoratSt。James’s，ColbertbrotherofthecelebratedMinister，writesthustoM。deLyonne，inParis，onJulyI，1669：[1]“MonsieurJolyhasspokentothemanMartin“
Dauger，“andhasreallypersuadedhimthat，bygoingtoFranceandtellingallthatheknowsagainstRoux，hewillplaythepartofaladofhonorandagoodsubject。“
[1]TranscriptsfromParisMSS。，Vol。xxxiii。，RecordOffice。