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1745； under a name not his own； but that which he later bore at the
Court of France。 From the allusion to his jewels （those of a
deserted Mexican bride）； it appears that he was already as rich in
these treasures as he was afterwards； when his French acquaintances
marveled at them。 （As to his being 〃mad；〃 Walpole may refer to
Saint…Germain's way of talking as if he had lived in remote ages；
and known famous people of the past）。
Having caught this daylight glimpse of Saint…Germain in Walpole；
having learned that in December； 1745； he was arrested and examined
as a possible Jacobite agent； we naturally expect to find our
contemporary official documents about his examination by the
Government。 Scores of such records exist； containing the questions
put to； and the answers given by； suspected persons。 But we vainly
hunt through the Newcastle MSS。； and the State Papers； Domestic； in
the Record Office； for a trace of the examination of Saint…Germain。
I am not aware that he was anywhere left his trail in official
documents； he lives in more or less legendary memoirs； alone。
At what precise date Saint…Germain became an intimate of Louis XV。；
the Duc de Choiseul； Madame de Pompadour； and the Marechal de
Belle…Isle； one cannot ascertain。 The writers of memoirs are the
vaguest of mortals about dates； only one discerns that Saint…
Germain was much about the French Court； and high in the favor of
the King； having rooms at Chambord； during the Seven Years' War；
and just before the time of the peace negotiations of 1762…1763。
The art of compiling false or forged memoirs of that period was
widely practiced； but the memoirs of Madame du Hausset； who speaks
of Saint…Germain； are authentic。 She was the widow of a poor man
of noble family； and was one of two femmes de chambre of Madame de
Pompadour。 Her manuscript was written； she explains； by aid of a
brief diary which she kept during her term of service。 One day M。
Senac de Meilhan found Madame de Pompadour's brother； M。 de
Marigny； about to burn a packet of papers。 〃It is the journal；〃 he
said； 〃of a femme de chambre of my sister； a good； kind woman。〃 De
Meilhan asked for the manuscript； which he later gave to Mr。
Crawford； one of the Kilwinning family； in Ayrshire； who later
helped in the escape of Louis XVI。 and Marie Antoinette to
Varennes； where they were captured。 With the journal of Madame du
Hausset were several letters to Marigny on points of historical
anecdote。＇1＇
＇1＇ One of these gives Madame de Vieux…Maison as the author of a
roman a clef； Secret Memoirs of the Court of Persia； which contains
an early reference to the Man in the Iron Mask （died 1703）。 The
letter…writer avers that D'Argenson； the famous minister of Louis
XV。； said that the Man in the Iron Mask was really a person fort
peu de chose； 'of very little account；' and that the Regent
d'Orleans was of the same opinion。 This corroborates my theory；
that the Mask was merely the valet of a Huguenot conspirator； Roux
de Marsilly； captured in England； and imprisoned because he was
supposed to know some terrible secretwhich he knew nothing about。
See The Valet's Tragedy； Longmans； 1903。
Crawford published the manuscript of Madame du Hausset； which he
was given by de Meilhan； and the memoirs are thus from an authentic
source。 The author says that Louis XV。 was always kind to her； but
spoke little to her； whereas Madame de Pompadour remarked； 〃The
King and I trust you so much that we treat you like a cat or a dog；
and talk freely before you。〃
As to Saint…Germain； Madame du Hausset writes： 〃A man who was as
amazing as a witch came often to see Madame de Pompadour。 This was
the Comte de Saint…Germain； who wished to make people believe that
he had lived for several centuries。 One day Madame said to him；
while at her toilet； 〃What sort of man was Francis I。； a king whom
I could have loved？〃 〃A good sort of fellow；〃 said Saint…Germain；
〃too fieryI could have given him a useful piece of advice； but he
would not have listened。〃 He then described； in very general
terms； the beauty of Mary Stuart and La Reine Margot。 〃You seem to
have seen them all；〃 said Madame de Pompadour； laughing。
〃Sometimes；〃 said Saint…Germain； 〃I amuse myself； not by making
people believe； but by letting them believe； that I have lived from
time immemorial。〃 〃But you do not tell us your age； and you give
yourself out as very old。 Madame de Gergy； who was wife of the
French ambassador at Venice fifty years ago； I think； says that she
knew you there； and that you are not changed in the least。〃 〃It is
true； Madame； that I knew Madame de Gergy long ago。〃 〃But
according to her story you must now be over a century old。〃 〃It
may be so； but I admit that even more possibly the respected lady
is in her dotage。〃
At this time Saint…Germain； says Madame du Hausset； looked about
fifty； was neither thin nor stout； seemed clever； and dressed
simply； as a rule； but in good taste。 Say that the date was 1760；
Saint…Germain looked fifty； but he had looked the same age；
according to Madame de Gergy； at Venice； fifty years earlier； in
1710。 We see how pleasantly he left Madame de Pompadour in doubt
on that point。
He pretended to have the secret of removing flaws from diamonds。
The King showed him a stone valued at 6；000 francswithout a flaw
it would have been worth 10；000。 Saint…Germain said that he could
remove the flaw in a month； and in a month he brought back the
diamondflawless。 The King sent it； without any comment； to his
jeweler； who gave 9；600 francs for the stone； but the King returned
the money； and kept the gem as a curiosity。 Probably it was not
the original stone； but another cut in the same fashion； Saint…
Germain sacrificing 3；000 or 4；000 francs to his practical joke。
He also said that he could increase the size of pearls； which he
could have proved very easilyin the same manner。 He would not
oblige Madame de Pompadour by giving the King an elixir of life： 〃I
should be mad if I gave the King a drug。〃 There seems to be a
reference to this desire of Madame de Pompadour in an unlikely
place； a letter of Pickle the Spy to Mr。 Vaughan （1754）！ This
conversation Madame du Hausset wrote down on the day of its
occurrence。
Both Louis XV。 and Madame de Pompadour treated Saint…Germain as a
person of consequence。 〃He is a quack； for he says he has an
elixir；〃 said Dr。 Quesnay； with medical skepticism。 〃Moreover； our
master； the King； is obstinate； he sometimes speaks of Saint…
Germain as a person of illustrious birth。〃
The age was skeptical； unscientific； and； by reaction； credulous。
The philosophes； Hume； Voltaire； and others； were exposing； like an
ingenious American gentleman； 〃the mistakes of Moses。〃 The Earl of
Marischal told Hume that life had been chemically produced in a
laboratory； so what becomes of Creation？ Prince Charles； hidden in
a convent； was being tutored by Mlle。 Luci in the sensational
philosophy of Locke； 〃nothing in the intellect which does not come
through the senses〃a queer theme for a man of the sword to study。
But； thirty years earlier； the Regent d'Orleans had made crystal…
gazing fashionable； and stories of ghosts and second…sight in the
highest circles were popular。 Mesmer had not yet appeared； to give
a fresh start to the old savage practice of hypnotism； Cagliostro
was not yet on the scene with his free…masonry of the ancient
Egyptian school。 But people were already in extremes of doubt and
of belief； there might be something in the elixir of life and in
the philosopher's stone； it might be possible to make precious
stones chemically； and Saint…Germain； who seemed to be over a
century old at least； might have all these secrets。
Whence came his wealth in precious stones； people asked； unless
from some mysterious knowledge； or some equally mysterious and
illustrious birth？
He showed Madame de Pompadour a little box full of rubies； topazes；
and diamonds。 Madame de Pompadour called Madame du Hausset to look
at them； she was dazzled； but skeptical； and made a sign to show
that she thought them paste。 The Count then exhibited a superb
ruby； tossing aside contemptuously a cross covered with gems。
〃That is not so contemptible；〃 said Madame du Hausset； hanging it
round her neck。 The Count begged her to keep the jewel； she
refused； and Madame de Pompadour backed her refusal。 But Saint…
Germain insisted； and Madame de Pompadour； thinking that the cross
might be worth forty louis； made a sign to Madame du Hausset that
she accept。 She did； and the jewel was valued at 1；500 francs
which hardly proves that the other large jewels were genuine；
though Von Gleichen believed they were； and thought the Count's
cabinet of old masters very valuable。
The fingers； the watch； the snuffbox； the shoe…buckles； the garter
studs； the solitaires of the Count； on high days； all burned