第章

ButMartin，afterall，wasNOTpersuaded!

MartinrepliedtoJolythatheknewnothingatall，andthat，onceinFrance，peoplewouldthinkhewaswellacquaintedwiththetraffickingsofRoux，“andsohewouldbekeptinprisontomakehimdivulgewhathedidnotknow。“ThepossibleManintheIronMaskdidnotknowhisownsecret!But，laterintheconversation，Martinfoolishlyadmittedthatheknewagreatdeal；perhapshedidthisoutofmerefatalvanity。CrosstoFrance，however，hewouldnot，evenwhenofferedasafe-conductandpromiseofreward。

ColbertthereforeproposestoaskCharlestosurrenderthevalet，andprobablyCharlesdescendedtothemeanness。ByJuly19，atallevents，Louvois，theWarMinisterofLouisXIV。，wasbiddingSaint-

Mars，atPignerolinPiedmont，expectfromDunkirkaprisoneroftheveryhighestimportance——avalet!Thisvalet，nowcalled“EustacheDauger，“canonlyhavebeenMarsilly’svalet，Martin，who，byonemeansoranother，hadbeenbroughtfromEnglandtoDunkirk。Itishardlyconceivable，atleast，thatwhenavalet，inEngland，is“wanted“bytheFrenchpoliceonJuly1，forpoliticalreasons，andwhenbyJuly19theyhavecaughtavaletofextremepoliticalimportance，thetwovaletsshouldbetwodifferentmen。

MartinmustbeDauger。

Here，then，byJuly19，1669，wefindourunhappyservingmaninthetoils。Whywashetobehandledwithsuchmysteriousrigor？

ItistruethatStateprisonersofverylittleaccountwerekeptwithgreatsecrecy。Butitcannotwellbearguedthattheywerealltreatedwiththeextraordinaryprecautionswhich，inthecaseofDauger，werenotrelaxedfortwenty-fiveorthirtyyears。TheKingsays，accordingtoLouvois，thatthesafekeepingofDaugeris“ofthelastimportancetohisservice。“Hemusthaveintercoursewithnobody。Hiswindowsmustbewherenobodycanpass；severalbolteddoorsmustcuthimofffromthesoundofhumanvoices。

Saint-Marshimself，thecommandant，mustfeedthevaletdaily。

“Youmustnever，underanypretenseslistentowhathemaywishtotellyou。Youmustthreatenhimwithdeathifhespeaksonewordexceptabouthisactualneeds。Heisonlyavalet，anddoesnotneedmuchfurniture。“[1]

[1]ThelettersareprintedbyRouxFazaillac，Jung，Lair，andothers。

Saint-Marsrepliedthat，inpresenceofM。deVauroy，thechiefofficerofDunkirk(whocarriedDaugerthencetoPignerol)，hehadthreatenedtorunDaugerthroughthebodyifheeverdaredtospeak，eventohim，Saint-Mars。Hehasmentionedthisprisoner，hesays，tonomortal。PeoplebelievethatDaugerisaMarshalofFrance，sostrangeandunusualaretheprecautionstakenforhissecurity。

AMarshalofFrance!Thelegendhasbegun。Atthistime(1669)

Saint-MarshadinchargeFouquet，thegreatfallenMinister，therichestandmostdangeroussubjectofLouisXIV。By-and-byhealsoheldLauzun，theadventurouswooeroflaGrandeMademoiselle。Butitwasnotthey，itwasthevalet，Dauger，whocaused“sensation。“

OnFebruary20，1672，Saint-Mars，forthesakeofeconomy，wishedtouseDaugerasvalettoLauzun。ThisprovesthatSaint-Marsdidnot，afterall，seethenecessityofsecludingDaugerorthoughttheKing’sfearsgroundless。IntheopinionofSaint-Mars，Daugerdidnotwanttobereleased，“wouldneverasktobesetfree。“

Thenwhywashesoanxiouslyguarded？LouvoisrefusedtoletDaugerbeputwithLauzunasvalet。In1675，however，heallowedDaugertoactasvalettoFouquet，butwithLauzun，saidLouvois，Daugermusthavenointercourse。Fouquethadthenanotherprisonervalet，LaRiviere。Thismanhadapparentlybeenaccusedofnocrime。Hewasofamelancholycharacter，andadropsicalhabitofbody：Fouquethadamusedhimselfbydoctoringhimandteachinghimtoread。

InthemonthofDecember，1678，Saint-Mars，thecommandantoftheprison，broughttoFouquetasealedletterfromLouvois，thesealunbroken。Hisownreplywasalsotobesealed，andnottobeseenbySaint-Mars。LouvoiswrotethattheKingwishedtoknowonething，beforegivingFouquetamplerliberty。Hadhisvalet，EustacheDauger，toldhisothervalet，LaRiviere，whathehaddonebeforecomingtoPignerol？(deceaquoiilaeteemployeaupravantqued’etreaPignerol)。“HisMajestybidsmeaskyou[Fouquet]

thisquestion，andexpectsthatyouwillanswerwithoutconsideringanythingbutthetruth，thathemayknowwhatmeasurestotake，“

thesedependingonwhetherDaugerhas，orhasnot，toldLaRivierethestoryofhispastlife。[1]Moreover，Lauzunwasnever，saidLouvois，tobeallowedtoenterFouquet’sroomwhenDaugerwaspresent。Thehumorouspointisthat，thankstoaholeduginthewallbetweenhisroomandFouquet’s，LauzunsawDaugerwheneverhepleased。

[1]Lair，NicholasFoucquet，ii。pp。463，464。

FromtheletterofLouvoistoFouquet，aboutDauger(December23，1678)，itisplainthatLouisXIV。hadnomorepressinganxiety，nineyearsafterDauger’sarrest，thantoconcealwhatitwasthatDaugerhaddone。ItisapparentthatSaint-Marshimselfeitherwasunacquaintedwiththissecret，orwassupposedbyLouvoisandtheKingtobeunawareofit。HehadbeenorderednevertoallowDaugertotellhim；hewasnotallowedtoseethelettersonthesubjectbetweenLauzunandFouquet。Westilldonotknow，andnevershallknow，whetherDaugerhimselfknewhisownsecret，orwhether(ashehadanticipated)hewaslockedupfornotdivulgingwhathedidnotknow。

TheanswerofFouquettoLouvoismusthavesatisfiedLouisthatDaugerhadnotimpartedhissecrettotheothervalet，LaRiviere，forFouquetwasnowallowedagreatdealofliberty。In1679，hemightseehisfamily，theofficersofthegarrison，andLauzun——itbeingprovidedthatLauzunandDaugershouldnevermeet。InMarch，1680，Fouquetdied，andhenceforththetwovaletsweremostrigorouslyguarded；Dauger，becausehewassupposedtoknowsomething；LaRiviere，becauseDaugermighthaveimpartedtherealorfanciedsecrettohim。Weshallreturntothesepoorservingmen，buthereitisnecessarytostatethat，tenmonthsbeforethedeathoftheirmaster，Fouquet，animportantnewcaptivehadbeenbroughttotheprisonofPignerol。

ThiscaptivewastheothercandidateforthehonorsoftheMask，CountMattioli，thesecretaryoftheDukeofMantua。HewaskidnapedonItaliansoilonMay2，1679，andhurriedtothemountainfortressofPignerol，thenonFrenchground。HisoffensewasthebetrayingofthesecretnegotiationsforthecessionofthetownandfortressofCasal，bytheDukeofMantua，toLouisXIV。

ThedisappearanceofMattioliwas，ofcourse，knowntotheworld。

Thecauseofhisenlevement，andtheplaceofhiscaptivity，Pignerol，weremattersofnewspapercommentatleastasearlyas1687。Stillearlier，in1682，thestoryofMattioli’sarrestandseclusioninPignerolhadbeenpublishedinaworknamed“LaPrudenzaTrionfantediCasale。“[1]Therewasthusnomystery，atthetime，aboutMattioli；hiscrimeandpunishmentwereperfectlywellknowntostudentsofpolitics。HehasbeenregardedasthemysteriousManintheIronMask，but，foryearsafterhisarrest，hewastheleastmysteriousofStateprisoners。

[1]Brentano，op。cit。，p。117。

Here，then，isMattioliinPignerolinMay，1679。WhileFouquetthenenjoyedrelativefreedom，whileLauzunschemedescapesormadeinsultinglovetoMademoiselleFouquet，Mattiolilivedonthebreadandwaterofaffliction。HewasthreatenedwithtorturetomakehimdeliverupsomepaperscompromisingLouisXIV。Itwasexpresslycommandedthatheshouldhavenothingbeyondthebarestnecessariesoflife。Hewastobekeptdansladureprison。Inbrief，hewasusednobetterthanthemeanestofprisoners。Theawfullifeofisolation，withoutemployment，withoutbooks，withoutwritingmaterials，withoutsightorsoundofmansavewhenSaint-

Marsorhislieutenantbroughtfoodfortheday，drovecaptivesmad。

InJanuary，1680，twoprisoners，amonk[1]andoneDubreuil，hadbecomeinsane。ByFebruary14，1680，MattioliwasdailyconversingwithGodandhisangels。“Ibelievehisbrainisturned，“saysSaint-Mars。InMarch，1680，aswesaw，Fouquetdied。Theprisoners，notcountingLauzun(releasedsoonafter)，werenowfive：(1)Mattioli(mad)；(2)Dubreuil(mad)；(3)Themonk(mad)；

(4)Dauger，and(5)LaRiviere。Thesetwo，beingemployedasvalets，kepttheirwits。OnthedeathofFouquet，LouvoiswrotetoSaint-Marsaboutthetwovalets。Lauzunmustbemadetobelievethattheyhadbeensetatliberty，but，infact，theymustbemostcarefullyguardedINASINGLECHAMBER。Theywereshutupinoneofthedungeonsofthe“Tourd’enbas。“DaugerhadrecentlydonesomethingastowhichLouvoiswrites：“LetmeknowhowDaugercanpossiblyhavedonewhatyoutellme，andhowhegotthenecessarydrugs，asIcannotsupposethatyousuppliedhimwiththem“(July10，1680)。[2]

[1]Amonk，whoMAYhavebeenthismonk，appearsinthefollowingessay，p。34，infra。

[2]Lair，NicholasFoucquet，ii。，pp。476，477。

Here，then，byJuly，1680，arethetwovaletslockedinonedungeonofthe“Tourd’enbas。“BySeptemberSaint-MarshadplacedMattioli，withthemadmonk，inanotherchamberofthesametower。

Hewrites：“Mattioliisalmostasmadasthemonk，“whoarosefrombedandpreachednaked。MattiolibehavedsorudelyandviolentlythatthelieutenantofSaint-Marshadtoshowhimawhip，andthreatenhimwithaflogging。Thishaditseffect。Mattioli，tomakehispeace，offeredavaluableringtoBlainvilliers。Theringwaskepttoberestoredtohim，ifeverLouislethimgofree——acontingencymentionedmorethanonceinthecorrespondence。

ApparentlyMattiolinowsobereddown，andprobablywasgivenaseparatechamberandavalet；hecertainlyhadavaletatPignerollater。ByMay1681，DaugerandLaRivierestilloccupiedtheircommonchamberinthe“Tourd’enbas。“TheywereregardedbyLouvoisasthemostimportantofthefiveprisonersthenatPignerol。They，notMattioli，werethecaptivesaboutwhosesafeandsecretkeepingLouisandLouvoisweremostanxious。ThisappearsfromaletterofLouvoistoSaint-Mars，ofMay12，1681。

Thejailer，Saint-Mars，istobepromotedfromPigneroltoExiles。

“Thither，“saysLouvois，“thekingdesirestotransportsuchofyourprisonersashethinkstooimportanttohaveinotherhandsthanyours。“Theseprisonersare“thetwointhelowchamberofthetower，“thetwovalets，DaugerandLaRiviere。

FromaletterofSaint-Mars(June，1681)weknowthatMattioliwasnotoneofthese。Hesays：“IshallkeepatExilestwobirds(merles)whomIhavehere：theyareonlyknownasthegentryofthelowroominthetower；MattiolimaystayonhereatPignerolwiththeotherprisoners“(Dubreuilandthemadmonk)。ItisatthispointthatLeCitoyenRoux(Fazaillac)，writingintheYearIX。oftheRepublic(1801)，losestouchwiththesecret。[1]Rouxfinds，intheStatePapers，thearrivalofEustacheDaugeratPignerolin1669，butdoesnotknowwhoheis，orwhatishisquality。HeseesthattheMaskmustbeeitherMattioli，Dauger，themonk，oneDubreuil，oroneCalazio。But，overlookingornothavingaccesstotheletterofSaint-MarsofJune，1681，RouxholdsthattheprisonerstakentoLesExileswerethemonkandMattioli。OneofthesemustbetheMask，andRouxvotesforMattioli。Heiswrong。

MattiolibeyondalldoubtremainedatPignerol。

[1]RecherchesHistoriquessurl’HommeauMasquedeFer，Paris。

An。IX。

Mountainsofargumenthavebeenbuiltonthesewords，deuxmerles，“twojail-birds。“Oneofthetwo，weshallsee，becamethesourceofthelegendoftheManintheIronMask。“Howcanawretchedjail-bird(merle)havebeentheMask？“asksM。Topin。“Therogue’swholefurnitureandtable-linenweresoldfor1l。19s。Heonlygotanewsuitofclotheseverythreeyears。“Allverytrue；butthisjail-birdandhismate，bythedirectstatementofLouvois，are“theprisonerstooimportanttobeintrustedtootherhandsthanyours“——thehandsofSaint-Mars——whileMattioliissounimportantthathemaybeleftatPignerolunderVillebois。

Thetruthis，thattheoffenseandthepunishmentofMattioliwerewellknowntoEuropeandiplomatistsandreadersofbooks。Casal，moreover，atthistimewasopenlycededtoLouisXIV。，andMattiolicouldnothavetoldtheworldmorethanitalreadyknew。But，forsomeinscrutablereason，thesecretwhichDaugerknew，orwassuspectedofknowing，becamemoreandmoreasourceofanxietytoLouvoisandLouis。Whatcanhehaveknown？Thechargesagainsthismaster，RouxdeMarsilly，hadbeenpubliclyproclaimed。TwelveyearshadpassedsincethedealingsofArlingtonwithMarsilly。

Yet，Louvoisbecamemoreandmorenervous。

Inaccordancewithcommandsofhis，onMarch2，1682，thetwovalets，whohadhithertooccupiedonechamberatExilesasatPignerol，werecutofffromallcommunicationwitheachother。