第章

advertisedaseven-shooter。Ididn’tsayanythingaboutarevolver。Itwillshootsevenshot，ortwicethatnumber，ifyouonlyputthemin。IfanybodyisgreenenoughtosupposeImeantarevolver，that’shislookout，notmine。“

“Wearenotcalledupontodecidethepoint，“saidthespecialagent。“Thequestionisoneforthecourtandthejury。ButyoumustgowithmetoCleveland。Sogetready。“

Findingpersuasion，argument，andremonstrancealikeuseless，thegreatmechanicalgeniuspackedhissatchelinpreparationforthejourney。Oncefairlyontheroad，hebecamecommunicative，andexplainedthereasonswhichledhimtoembarkintheenterprise。

“Inthefirstplace，“saidhe，“IreadBarnum’sLife，andacceptedthedoctrinethattheAmericanpeopleliketobehumbugged。I

plannedtheshootermyself，and，inwordingthecircular，aimedtocoverthepointsandkeepwithinthelaw。IthinkIhavesucceeded。“

“Ibegleavetodiffer，“arguedthespecialagent。“Asidefromthegeneralfalsityofthedescription，therearespecificclaimswhichyoucannotmakegood。“

“Idon’tseethematterinthatlight，“repliedthechampionoftheseven-shooter。“Isay，’Whereverintroduced，theyadvertisethemselves。’Well，don’tthey？Whoevergetsonewillbeapttotellhisneighbors。Isn’tthatadvertisingitself？Ialsosay，’Thesaleofoneopensthemarketforadozeninanyneighborhood；’

butobserve，Idon’tclaimthatanymorewillbesoldinthatneighborhood，evenifthemarketisopened。Sofarasmyguarantyisconcerned，Ionlywarrantthemtobeasgoodafterthreeyears’

useaswhenfirstpurchased。Willyou，orwillanycourt，callthatinquestion？“

“Itischarged，“saidtheofficer，changingthesubject，“thatyouneglectedtofillagoodmanyorders。Howdoyouexplainthat？“

“Why，tofurnishtheshooterandpaythepostagecutsdowntheprofitsterribly，“wastheuniqueandcharacteristicreply。

Ordersbegantoarriveinresponsetothecircularnearlyfivemonthsbeforethefirstshootercamefromthehandsofthemanufacturer；andasnoneofthemwereeverfilled，orevenrecorded，itisimpossibletoestimatehowmanydupeslongwatchedthemailsinanxiousexpectancy，andperhapsattributedtheirdisappointmenttodishonestyamongtheemployeesofthedepartment。

Ofcoursethepaperswhichprintedtheadvertisementwouldhavespurnedtheimpostorandexposedthefraud，hadtheydiscoveredthefacts。Themostscrupulousandcarefulpublishersareoftendeceivedinthecharacterofadvertisementsthatcomethroughtheregularchannelsofbusiness，andappearplausibleontheirface。

Infact，thereligiousjournalsarethefavoritevehiclesoftheswindlers。Thesolicitudefeltbythenewspapers，notonlyfortheirownreputation，butfortheinterestsoftheirpatrons，wasillustratedinthecorrespondencefoundonthepersonofWilcox。

Aninfluentialwesternjournalhadaddressedhimtwonoteswhichranthus：——

GENTS：Wereceivefrequentlettersfromsubscribers，sayingtheyreceivenoanswerstoletterstheysendyoucontainingmoneyfor’7-Shooters。’Howisit？Areyouswindlers？“

Wilcox，thoughfullyabletoanswertheconundrum，didnotseefittodoso；andhence，onthe3dofNovember，thesamepartiesdeployedtheirforcestorenewthecharge。

“Wehavewrittenyouoncebefore，thatourpatronscomplaintousthatyoudonotfilltheircashorders，andwillnotanswertheirlettersofinquiryastowhyyoudon’t。Wehavereceivedsomanysuchthatwesuspectthereissomethingwrong，and，unlessyouexplainsatisfactorily，wewillhavetoexposeyou。“

Asthespecialagentarrivedonthesamedaywiththeinquiry，theyoungmanhadnoopportunitytomakethedesiredexplanation。

Indeeditisdoubtfulifonesomodestandreticentonmattersofpersonalmerit，wouldhaveansweredthequestionevenifpermittedtotakeallwintertodoitin。

TheUnitedStatescommissioner，whilefullyrecognizingtheingenuityofthecircular，differedsomewhatfromitsauthorininterpretingitslegalconstruction，andaccordinglyplacedhimunderabondoffifteenhundreddollarstoappearfortrial。

AndrewLangSaint-GermaintheDeathlessAmongthebestbriefmasterpiecesoffictionareLytton’sTheHauntersandtheHaunted，andThackeray’sNotchontheAxeinRoundaboutPapers。*Bothdealwithamysteriousbeingwhopassesthroughtheages，rich，powerful，alwaysbehindthescenes，comingnomanknowswhence，anddying，orpretendingtodie，obscurely——

youneverfindauthenticevidenceofhisdisease。Inotherlatertimes，atothercourts，suchanonereappearsandrunsthesamecourseofluxury，marvel，andhiddenpotency。

*Bothgivenintheaccompanyingvolumecontaining“OldTimeEnglish“Stories。Seealsothefirststoryinthe“NorthEurope“

volume——Editor。

LyttonreturnedtoandelaboratedhisideaintheMargraveofA

StrangeStory，whohasno“soul，“andprolongshisphysicalandintellectuallifebymeansofanelixir。Margraveisnotbad，butheisinferiortothehero，lesselaboratelydesigned，ofTheHauntersandtheHaunted。Thackeray’staleiswritteninatoneofmockmysticism，butheconfessesthathelikeshisownstory，inwhichthestrangeherothroughallhismanylivesorreappearances，andthroughallthecountlesslovesonwhichhefatuouslyplumeshimself，retainsaslightGerman-Jewishaccent。

ItappearstomethatthehistoricoriginaloftheseromanticcharactersisnootherthanthemysteriousComtedeSaint-Germain——

not，ofcourse，thecontemporaryandnormalFrenchsoldierandminister，of1707-1778，whoborethesamename。Ihavefoundthename，withdimallusions，intheunpublishedlettersandMSS。ofPrinceCharlesEdwardStuart，andhavenotalwaysbeencertainwhetherthereferencewastothemanofactionortothemanofmystery。Onthesecretofthelatter，thedeathlessone，Ihavenonewlighttothrow，andonlyspeakofhimforasinglereason。

Aristotleassuresus，inhisPoetics，thatthebest-knownmythsdramatizedontheAthenianstagewereknowntoveryfewoftheAthenianaudience。ItisnotimpossiblethatthestoryofSaint-

Germain，thoughitseemsasfamiliarasthemythofOedipusorThyestes，may，afterall，notbevividlypresenttothememoryofeveryreader。TheomniscentLarousse，oftheDictionnaireUniversel，certainlydidnotknowoneveryaccessiblefactaboutSaint-Germain，norhaveIseenitmentionedinotherversionsofhislegend。Weread，inLarousse，“Saint-GermainisnotheardofinFrancebefore1750，whenheestablishedhimselfinParis。Noadventurehadcalledattentiontohisexistence；itwasonlyknownthathehadmovedaboutEurope，livedinItaly，Holland，andinEngland，andhadbornethenamesofMarquisdeMonteferrat，andofComtedeBellamye，whichheusedatVenice。“

LascellesWraxall，again，inRemarkableAdventures(1863)，says：

“WhatevertruththeremaybeinSaint-Germain’stravelsinEnglandandtheEastIndies，itisundubitablethat，forfrom1745to1755，hewasamanofhighpositioninVienna，“whileinParishedoesnotappear，accordingtoWraxall，till1757，havingbeenbroughtfromGermanybytheMarechaldeBelle-Isle，whose“oldboots，“saysMacallesterthespy，PrinceCharlesfreelydamned，“becausetheywerealwaysstuffedwithprojects。“NowwehearofSaint-Germain，bythatname，asresident，notinVienna，butinLondon，attheverymomentwhenPrinceCharles，evadingCumberland，wholaywithhisarmyatStone，inStaffordshire，marchedtoDerby。HoraceWalpolewritestoManninFlorence(December9，1745)：

“Webegintotakeuppeople……theotherdaytheyseizedanoddmanwhogoesbythenameofCountSaint-Germain。Hehasbeenherethesetwoyears，andwillnottellwhoheis，orwhence，butprofessesthathedoesnotgobyhisrightname。Hesings，playsontheviolinwonderfully，composes，ismad，andnotverysensible。

HeiscalledanItalian，aSpaniard，aPole；asomebodythatmarriedagreatfortuneinMexico，andranawaywithherjewelstoConstantinople；apriest，afiddler，avastnobleman。ThePrinceofWaleshashadunsatiatedcuriosityabouthim，butinvain。

However，nothinghasbeenmadeoutagainsthim；heisreleased，and，whatconvincesmeheisnotagentleman，stayshere，andtalksofhisbeingtakenupforaspy。“

HereisourearliestauthenticnoteonSaint-Germain；anoteomittedbyhisFrenchstudents。HewasinLondonfrom1743to1745，underanamenothisown，butthatwhichhelaterboreattheCourtofFrance。Fromtheallusiontohisjewels(thoseofadesertedMexicanbride)，itappearsthathewasalreadyasrichinthesetreasuresashewasafterwards，whenhisFrenchacquaintancesmarveledatthem。(Astohisbeing“mad，“WalpolemayrefertoSaint-Germain’swayoftalkingasifhehadlivedinremoteages，andknownfamouspeopleofthepast)。

HavingcaughtthisdaylightglimpseofSaint-GermaininWalpole，havinglearnedthatinDecember，1745，hewasarrestedandexaminedasapossibleJacobiteagent，wenaturallyexpecttofindourcontemporaryofficialdocumentsabouthisexaminationbytheGovernment。Scoresofsuchrecordsexist，containingthequestionsputto，andtheanswersgivenby，suspectedpersons。ButwevainlyhuntthroughtheNewcastleMSS。，andtheStatePapers，Domestic，intheRecordOffice，foratraceoftheexaminationofSaint-Germain。

Iamnotawarethathewasanywherelefthistrailinofficialdocuments；helivesinmoreorlesslegendarymemoirs，alone。

AtwhatprecisedateSaint-GermainbecameanintimateofLouisXV。，theDucdeChoiseul，MadamedePompadour，andtheMarechaldeBelle-Isle，onecannotascertain。Thewritersofmemoirsarethevaguestofmortalsaboutdates；onlyonediscernsthatSaint-

GermainwasmuchabouttheFrenchCourt，andhighinthefavoroftheKing，havingroomsatChambord，duringtheSevenYears’War，andjustbeforethetimeofthepeacenegotiationsof1762-1763。

Theartofcompilingfalseorforgedmemoirsofthatperiodwaswidelypracticed；butthememoirsofMadameduHausset，whospeaksofSaint-Germain，areauthentic。Shewasthewidowofapoormanofnoblefamily，andwasoneoftwofemmesdechambreofMadamedePompadour。Hermanuscriptwaswritten，sheexplains，byaidofabriefdiarywhichshekeptduringhertermofservice。OnedayM。

SenacdeMeilhanfoundMadamedePompadour’sbrother，M。deMarigny，abouttoburnapacketofpapers。“Itisthejournal，“hesaid，“ofafemmedechambreofmysister，agood，kindwoman。“DeMeilhanaskedforthemanuscript，whichhelatergavetoMr。

Crawford，oneoftheKilwinningfamily，inAyrshire，wholaterhelpedintheescapeofLouisXVI。andMarieAntoinettetoVarennes，wheretheywerecaptured。WiththejournalofMadameduHaussetwereseveralletterstoMarignyonpointsofhistoricalanecdote。[1]

[1]OneofthesegivesMadamedeVieux-Maisonastheauthorofaromanaclef，SecretMemoirsoftheCourtofPersia，whichcontainsanearlyreferencetotheManintheIronMask(died1703)。Theletter-writeraversthatD’Argenson，thefamousministerofLouisXV。，saidthattheManintheIronMaskwasreallyapersonfortpeudechose，’ofverylittleaccount，’andthattheRegentd’Orleanswasofthesameopinion。Thiscorroboratesmytheory，thattheMaskwasmerelythevaletofaHuguenotconspirator，RouxdeMarsilly，capturedinEngland，andimprisonedbecausehewassupposedtoknowsometerriblesecret——whichheknewnothingabout。

SeeTheValet’sTragedy，Longmans，1903。

CrawfordpublishedthemanuscriptofMadameduHausset，whichhewasgivenbydeMeilhan，andthememoirsarethusfromanauthenticsource。TheauthorsaysthatLouisXV。wasalwayskindtoher，butspokelittletoher，whereasMadamedePompadourremarked，“TheKingandItrustyousomuchthatwetreatyoulikeacatoradog，andtalkfreelybeforeyou。“

AstoSaint-Germain，MadameduHaussetwrites：“AmanwhowasasamazingasawitchcameoftentoseeMadamedePompadour。ThiswastheComtedeSaint-Germain，whowishedtomakepeoplebelievethathehadlivedforseveralcenturies。OnedayMadamesaidtohim，whileathertoilet，“WhatsortofmanwasFrancisI。，akingwhomIcouldhaveloved？““Agoodsortoffellow，“saidSaint-Germain；

“toofiery——Icouldhavegivenhimausefulpieceofadvice，buthewouldnothavelistened。“Hethendescribed，inverygeneralterms，thebeautyofMaryStuartandLaReineMargot。“Youseemtohaveseenthemall，“saidMadamedePompadour，laughing。

“Sometimes，“saidSaint-Germain，“Iamusemyself，notbymakingpeoplebelieve，butbylettingthembelieve，thatIhavelivedfromtimeimmemorial。““Butyoudonottellusyourage，andyougiveyourselfoutasveryold。MadamedeGergy，whowaswifeoftheFrenchambassadoratVenicefiftyyearsago，Ithink，saysthatsheknewyouthere，andthatyouarenotchangedintheleast。““Itistrue，Madame，thatIknewMadamedeGergylongago。““Butaccordingtoherstoryyoumustnowbeoveracenturyold。““Itmaybeso，butIadmitthatevenmorepossiblytherespectedladyisinherdotage。“

AtthistimeSaint-Germain，saysMadameduHausset，lookedaboutfifty，wasneitherthinnorstout，seemedclever，anddressedsimply，asarule，butingoodtaste。Saythatthedatewas1760，Saint-Germainlookedfifty；buthehadlookedthesameage，accordingtoMadamedeGergy，atVenice，fiftyyearsearlier，in1710。WeseehowpleasantlyheleftMadamedePompadourindoubtonthatpoint。

Hepretendedtohavethesecretofremovingflawsfromdiamonds。

TheKingshowedhimastonevaluedat6，000francs——withoutaflawitwouldhavebeenworth10，000。Saint-Germainsaidthathecouldremovetheflawinamonth，andinamonthhebroughtbackthediamond——flawless。TheKingsentit，withoutanycomment，tohisjeweler，whogave9，600francsforthestone，buttheKingreturnedthemoney，andkeptthegemasacuriosity。Probablyitwasnottheoriginalstone，butanothercutinthesamefashion，Saint-

Germainsacrificing3，000or4，000francstohispracticaljoke。

Healsosaidthathecouldincreasethesizeofpearls，whichhecouldhaveprovedveryeasily——inthesamemanner。HewouldnotobligeMadamedePompadourbygivingtheKinganelixiroflife：“I

shouldbemadifIgavetheKingadrug。“ThereseemstobeareferencetothisdesireofMadamedePompadourinanunlikelyplace，aletterofPickletheSpytoMr。Vaughan(1754)!ThisconversationMadameduHaussetwrotedownonthedayofitsoccurrence。