第章

Daugercannothavebeenunderfifty-three。

Therethecasestands。IfMattiolidiedinApril，1694，hecannotbetheManintheIronMask。OfDauger’sdeathwefindnorecord，unlesshewastheManintheIronMask，anddied，in1703，intheBastille。Hewascertainly，in1669and1688，atPignerolandatSainte-Marguerite，thecenterofthemysteryaboutsomegreatprisoner，aMarshalofFrance，theDucdeBeaufort，orasonofOliverCromwell。Mattioliwasnotmystery，nosecret。Daugerissomysteriousthatprobablythesecretofhismysterywasunknowntohimself。By1701，whenobscurewretcheswereshutupwiththeMask，thesecret，whateveritsnature，hadceasedtobeofmoment。

Thecaptivewasnowthemerevictimofcruelroutine。Buttwentyyearsearlier，Saint-MarshadsaidthatDauger“takesthingseasily，resignedtothewillofGodandtheKing。“

Tosumup，onJuly1，1669，thevaletoftheHuguenotintriguer，RouxdeMarsilly，thevaletresidentinEngland，knowntohismasteras“Martin，“was“wanted“bytheFrenchsecretpolice。ByJuly19，avalet，ofthehighestpoliticalimportance，hadbeenbroughttoDunkirk，fromEngland，nodoubt。Myhypothesisassumesthatthisvalet，thoughnowstyled“EustacheDauger，“wasthe“MartinofRouxdeMarsilly。HewaskeptwithsomuchmysteryatPigernolthatalreadythelegendbeganitscourse；thecaptivevaletwassaidtobeaMarshalofFrance!WethenfollowDaugerfromPigneroltoLesExiles，tillJanuary，1687，whenonevaletoutofapair，Daugerbeingoneofthem，dies。WepresumethatDaugeristhesurvivor，becausethegreatmysterystillis“whatheHAS

DONE，“whereastheothervalethaddonenothing，butmayhaveknownDauger’ssecret。Againtheothervalethadlongbeendropsical，andthevaletwhodiedin1687diedofdropsy。

In1688，Dauger，atSainte-Marguerite，isagainthesourceandcenterofmyths；heistakenforasonofOliverCromwell，orfortheDucdeBeufort。InJune1692，oneoftheHuguenotpreachersatSaint-Margueritewritesonhisshirtandpewterplateandthrowsthemoutofthewindow。[1]LegendattributestheseactstotheManintheIronMask，andtransmutesapewterintoasilverplate。

Now，in1689-1693，MattioliwasatPignerol，butDaugerwasatSainte-Marguerite，andtheHuguenot’sactisattributedtohim。

ThusDauger，notMattioli，isthecenterroundwhichthemythscrystallize：thelegendsconcernhim，notMattioli，whosecaseiswellknown，andgivesrisetonolegend。Finally，wehaveshownthatMattioliprobablydiedatSainte-MargueriteinApril，1694。

Ifso，thennobodybutDaugercanbethe“oldprisoner“whomSaint-

Marsbrought，masked，totheBastille，inSeptember，1698，andwhodiedthereinNovember，1703。HoweversupposethatMattiolididnotdiein1694，butwasthemaskedmanwhodiedintheBastillein1703，thenthelegendofDaugercametobeattributedtoMattioli：

thesetwomen’sfortunesarecombinedintheonemyth。

[1]Saint-MarsauMinistre，June4，1692。

Thecentralproblemremainsunsolved。

Whathadthevalet，EustacheDauger，done？[1]

[1]Onemarvelsthatnobodyhasrecognized，inthemask，JamesStuart(JamesdelaCloche)，eldestofthechildrenofCharlesII。

HecametoEnglandin1668，wassenttoRome，and“disappearsfromhistory。“Seeinfra，“TheMysteryofJamesdelaCloche。“

III

THEVALET’SMASTER

ThesecretoftheManintheIronMask，oratleastofoneofthetwopersonswhohaveclaimstobetheMask，was“WhathadEustacheDaugerdone？“Toguardthissecretthemostextraordinaryprecautionsweretaken，aswehaveshownintheforegoingessay。

Andyet，ifsecrettherewas，itmighthavegotwindinthesimplestfashion。Inthe“VicomtedeBragelonne，“DumasdescribesthetrystoftheSecret-hunterswiththedyingChiefoftheJesuitsattheinninFontainebleau。Theycomefrommanyquarters，thereisaBaronofGermanyandalairdfromScotland，butAramistakestheprize。HeknowsthesecretoftheMask，themostvaluableofalltotheintriguersoftheCompanyofJesus。

Now，despitealltheprecautionsofLouvoisandSaint-Mars，despitesentinelsforeverpostedunderDauger’swindows，despitearrangementswhichmadeitimpossibleforhimtosignaltopeopleonthehillsideatLesExiles，despitethesuppressionevenoftheitemsintheaccountsofhisexpenses，hissecret，ifheknewit，couldhavebeendiscovered，aswehaveremarked，bytheverymanmostapttomakemischievoususeofit——byLauzun。ThatbrilliantandrecklessadventurercouldseeDauger，inprisonatPignerol，whenhepleased，forhehadsecretlyexcavatedawayintotheroomsofhisfellowprisoner，Fouquet，onwhomDaugerattendedasvalet。

LauzunwasreleasedsoonafterFouquet’sdeath。Itisunlikelythatheboughthislibertybytheknowledgeofthesecretandthereisnothingtosuggestthatheusedit(ifhepossessedit)inanyotherway。

ThenaturalclewtothesupposedsecretofDaugerisastudyofthecareerofhismaster，RouxdeMarsilly。Asofficialhistoriessaynexttonothingabouthim，wemaysetforthwhatcanbegleanedfromtheStatePapersinourRecordOffice。TheearliestisaletterofRouxdeMarsillytoMr。JosephWilliamson，secretaryofLordArlington(December，1668)。MarsillysendsMartin(onourtheoryEustacheDauger)tobringbackfromWilliamsontwolettersfromhisowncorrespondentinParis。HealsorequestsWilliamsontoprocureforhimfromArlingtonaletterofprotection，asheisthreatenedwitharrestforsomedebtinwhichheisnotreallyconcerned。Martinwillexplain。Thenextpaperisindorsed“ReceivedDecember28，1668，Mons。deMarsilly。“AsitisdatedDecember27，MarsillymusthavebeeninEngland。Thecontentsofthispiecedeserveattention，becausetheyshowthetermsonwhichMarsillyandArlingtonwere，or，atleast，howMarsillyconceivedthem。

(1)Marsillyreports，ontheauthorityofhisfriendsatStockholm，thattheKingofSwedenintends，firsttointercedewithLouisXIV。

infavoroftheFrenchHuguenots，andnext，ifdiplomacyfails，tojoininarmswiththeotherProtestantPowersofEurope。

(2)HiscorrespondentinHollandlearnsthatiftheKingofEnglandinvitestheStatestoany“holyresolution，“theywillheartilylendforces。NoleadersogoodastheEnglishKing——CharlesII。!

MarsillyhadshownARLINGTON’SLETTERtoaDutchfriend，whobadehimapproachtheDutchambassadorinEngland。Hehasdinedwiththatdiplomatist。Arlingtonhad，then，gonesofarastowriteanencouragingletter。TheDutchambassadorhadjusttoldMarsillythathehadreceivedthesamenews，namely，that，HollandwouldaidtheHuguenots，persecutedbyLouisXIV。

(3)LettersfromProvence，Languedoc，andDauphinesaythatthesituationthereisunaltered。

(4)TheCantonofZurichwritethattheywillkeeptheirpromisesandthatBerneisanxioustopleasetheKingofGreatBritain，andthatitisreadytoraise，withZurich，15，000men。TheyarenotafraidofFrance。

(5)Zurichfearsthat，ifCharlesisnotrepresentedatthenextDiet，BaleandSaintGallwillbeintimidated，andnotdaretojointheTripleAllianceofSpain，Holland，andEngland。ThebestplanwillbeforMarsillytorepresentEnglandattheDietofJanuary25，1669，accompaniedbytheSwissGeneralBalthazar。Thiswillencouragefriends“togiveHisBritannicMajestythesatisfactionwhichhedesires，andwillproduceacloseunionbetweenHolland，Sweden，theCantons，andotherProtestantStates。“

ThisreadsasifCharleshadalreadyexpressedsome“desire。“

(6)GenevagrumblesatareplyofCharles“throughabishopwhoistheirenemy，“theBishopofLondon，“apersecutorofourreligion，“

thatis，ofPresbyterianism。However，nothingwilldismaytheGenevans，“siS。M。B。nechange。“

Thencomesablankinthepaper。TherefollowsacopyofaletterasiffromCharlesII。himself，to“theRightHighandNobleSeigneursofZurich。“HehasheardoftheirwishesfromRouxdeMarsilly，whomhecommissionstowaituponthem。“IwouldnothavewrittenbymyBishopofLondonhadIbeenbetterinformed，butwouldmyselfhaverepliedtoyourobligingletter，andwouldhaveassuredyou，asIdonow，thatIdesire……“

ItappearsasifthiswereadraftofakindofletterwhichMarsillywantedCharlestowritetoZurich，andthereisasimilardraftofaletterforArlingtontofollow，ifheandCharleswishtosendMarsillytotheSwissDiet。TheDutchambassador，withwhomMarsillydinedonDecember26，theConstableofCastille，andothergrandees，areallofopinionthatheshouldvisittheProtestantSwiss，asfromtheKingofEngland。TheschemeisforanallianceofEngland，Holland，Spain，andtheProtestantCantons，againstFranceandSavoy。

AnotherletterofMarsillytoArlington，onlydatedJeudi，aversthathecanneverrepayArlingtonforhisextremekindnessandliberality。“NomaninEnglandismoredevotedtoyouthanIam，andshallbeallmylife。“[1]

[1]StatePapers，France，vol。125，106。

OntheverydaywhenMarsillydraftedforCharleshisowncommissiontotreatwithZurichforaProtestantallianceagainstFrance，Charleshimselfwrotetohissister，Madame(Henrietted’Orleans)。HespokeofhissecrettreatywithFrance。“Youknowhowmuchsecrecyisnecessaryforthecarryingonofthebusiness，andIassureyouthatnobodydoes，norshall，knowanythingofithere，butmyselfandthatonepersonmore，tillitbefittobepublic。“[1](Is“thatoneperson“delaCloche？)

[1]Madame，byJuliaCartwright，p。275。

ThusMarsillythoughtCharlesalmostengagedfortheProtestantLeague，whileCharleswassecretlyallyinghimselfwithFranceagainstHolland。ArlingtonwasprobablynolessdeceivedbyCharlesthanMarsillywas。

TheBishopofLondon’sshareinthedealingwithZurichisobscure。

ItappearscertainthatArlingtonwasnotconsciouslydeceivingMarsilly。Madamewrote，onFebruary12，astoArlington，“Theman’sattachmenttotheDutchandhisinclinationtowardsSpainaretoowellknown。“[1]NottillApril25，1669，doesCharlestellhissisterthatArlingtonhasaninklingofhissecretdealingswithFrance；howheknows，Charlescannottell。[2]ItisimpossibleforustoascertainhowfarCharleshimselfdeludedMarsilly，whowenttotheContinentearlyinspring，1669。BeforeMay15-25，1669，infactonApril14，MarsillyhadbeenkidnapedbyagentsofLouisXIV。，andhisdoomwasdight。Hereistheaccountofthematter，writtento——byPerwichinParis：

[1]Ibid。，p。281。

[2]Ibid。，p。285。

“W。Perwichto——

“Paris，May25，’69。

“HonoredSir，“TheCantonsofSwitzerlandaremuchtroubledattheFrenchKing’shavingsentfifteenhorsemenintoSwitzerlandfromwhencetheSrdeManille，theKing’sresidentthere，hadgiveninformationoftheSrRouxdeMarsilly’sbeingtherenegotiatingthebringingtheCantonsintotheTripleLeaguebydiscoursesmuchtothedisadvantageofFrance，givingthemveryillimpressionsoftheFrenchKing’sGovernment，whowasbetrayedbyamonkthatkepthimcompanyandinterceptedbythesaidhorsemenbroughtintoFranceandisexpectedattheBastille。Ibelieveyouknowtheman……I

rememberhiminEngland。“

CanthismonkbethemonkwhowentmadinprisonatPignerol，sharingthecellofMattioli？Didhe，too，sufferforhisconnectionwiththesecret？Wedonotknow，butthepositionofCharleswasawkward。Marsilly，dealingwiththeSwiss，hadcomestraightfromEngland，wherehewasliewithCharles’sminister，Arlington，andwiththeDutchandSpanishambassadors。TheKingreferstothematterinalettertohissisterofMay24，1669

(misdatedbyMissCartwright，May24，1668。)[1]

[1]Madame，byJuliaCartwright，p。264。

“Youhave，Ihope，receivedfullsatisfactionbythelastpostinthematterofMarsillac[Marsilly]，formyLd。ArlingtonhassenttoMr。Montague[EnglishambassadoratParis]hishistoryallthetimehewashere，bywhichyouwillseehowlittlecredithehadhere，andthatparticularlymyLordArlingtonwasnotinhisgoodgraces，becausehedidnotreceivethatsatisfaction，inhisnegotiation，heexpected，andthatwasonlyinrelationtotheSwissers，andsoIthinkIhavesaidenoughofthismatter。“

Charlestookiteasily!

OnMay15/25MontagueacknowledgedArlington’slettertowhichCharlesrefers；hehasbeenapproached，astoMarsilly，bytheSpanishresident，“butIcouldnottellhowtodoanythinginthebusiness，neverhavingheardoftheman，orthathewasemployedbymyMaster[Charles]inanybusiness。IhavesentyoualsoacopyofaletterwhichanEnglishmanwrittomethatIdonotknow，inbehalfofRouxdeMarsilly，butthatdoesnotcomebythepost，“

beingtoosecret。[1]

[1]StatePapers，France，vol。126。

Francehadbeenwell-informedaboutMarsillywhilehewasinEngland。Hethenhadasecretary，twolackeys，andavaletdechambre，andwasfrequentlyinconferencewithArlingtonandtheSpanishambassadortotheEnglishCourt。Colbert，theFrenchambassadorinLondon，hadwrittenallthistotheFrenchGovernment，onApril25，beforeheheardofMarsilly’sarrest。[1]

[1]Bibl。Nat。，Fonds。Francais，No。10665。

ThebeliefthatMarsillywasanagentofCharlesappearstohavebeengeneral，and，ifacceptedbyLouisXIV。，wouldinterferewithCharles’sprivatenegotiationsfortheSecretTreatywithFrance。