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seen that Louis XV。 amused himself by carrying on a secret scheme
of fantastic diplomacy through subordinate agents； behind the backs
and without the knowledge of his responsible ministers。 The Duc de
Choiseul； as Minister of Foreign Affairs； was excluded； it seems；
from all knowledge of these double intrigues； and the Marechal de
Belle…Isle； Minister of War； was obviously kept in the dark； as was
Madame de Pompadour。 Now it is stated by Von Gleichen that the
Marechal de Belle…Isle； from the War Office； started a NEW secret
diplomacy behind the back of de Choiseul； at the Foreign Office。
The King and Madame de Pompadour （who was not initiated into the
general scheme of the King's secret） were both acquainted with what
de Choiseul was not to knownamely； Belle…Isle's plan for secretly
making peace through the mediation； or management； at all events；
of Holland。 All this must have been prior to the death of the
Marechal de Belle…Isle in 1761； and probably de Broglie； who
managed the regular old secret policy of Louis XV。； knew nothing
about this new clandestine adventure； at all events； the late Duc
de Broglie says nothing about it in his book The King's Secret。＇1＇
＇1＇ The Duc de Broglie； I am privately informed； could find no clue
to the mystery of Saint…Germain。
The story； as given by Von Gleichen； goes on to say that Saint…
Germain offered to conduct the intrigue at the Hague。 As Louis XV。
certainly allowed that maidenly captain of dragoons； d'Eon； to
manage his hidden policy in London； it is not at all improbable
that he really intrusted this fresh cabal in Holland to Saint…
Germain； whom he admitted to great intimacy。 To The Hague went
Saint…Germain； diamonds； rubies； senna tea； and all； and began to
diplomatize with the Dutch。 But the regular French minister at The
Hague； d'Affry； found out what was going on behind his backfound
it out either because he was sharper than other ambassadors； or
because a personage so extraordinary as Saint…Germain was certain
to be very closely watched； or because the Dutch did not take to
the Undying One； and told d'Affry what he was doing。 D'Affry wrote
to de Choiseul。 An immortal but dubious personage； he said； was
treating in the interests of France； for peace； which it was
d'Affry's business to do if the thing was to be done at all。
Choiseul replied in a rage by the same courier。 Saint…Germain； he
said； must be extradited； bound hand and foot； and sent to the
Bastille。 Choiseul thought that he might practice his regimen and
drink his senna tea； to the advantage of public affairs； within
those venerable walls。 Then the angry minister went to the King；
told him what orders he had given； and said that； of course； in a
case of this kind it was superfluous to inquire as to the royal
pleasure。 Louis XV。 was caught； so was the Marechal de Belle…Isle。
They blushed and were silent。
It must be remembered that this report of a private incident could
only come to the narrator； Von Gleichen； from de Choiseul； with
whom he professes to have been intimate。 The King and the Marechal
de Belle…Isle would not tell the story of their own discomfiture。
It is not very likely that de Choiseul himself would blab。
However； the anecdote avers that the King and the Minister for War
thought it best to say nothing； and the demand for Saint…Germain's
extradition was presented at The Hague。 But the Dutch were not
fond of giving up political offenders。 They let Saint…Germain have
a hint； he slipped over to London； and a London paper published a
kind of veiled interview with him in June 1760。
His name； we read； when announced after his death； will astonish
the world more than all the marvels of his life。 He has been in
England already （1743…17？）； he is a great unknown。 Nobody can
accuse him of anything dishonest or dishonorable。 When he was here
before we were all mad about music； and so he enchanted us with his
violin。 But Italy knows him as an expert in the plastic arts； and
Germany admires in him a master in chemical science。 In France；
where he was supposed to possess the secret of the transmutation of
metals； the police for two years sought and failed to find any
normal source of his opulence。 A lady of forty…five once swallowed
a whole bottle of his elixir。 Nobody recognized her； for she had
become a girl of sixteen without observing the transformation！
Saint…Germain is said to have remained in London but for a short
period。 Horace Walpole does not speak of him again； which is odd；
but probably the Count did not again go into society。 Our
information； mainly from Von Gleichen； becomes very misty； a thing
of surmises； really worthless。 The Count is credited with a great
part in the palace conspiracies of St。 Petersburg； he lived at
Berlin； and； under the name of Tzarogy； at the Court of the
Margrave of Anspach。 Then he went； they say； to Italy； and then
north to the Landgrave Charles of Hesse； who dabbled in alchemy。
Here he is said to have died about 1780…85； leaving his papers to
the Landgrave but all is very vague after he disappeared from Paris
in 1760。 When next I meet Saint…Germain he is again at Paris；
again mysteriously rich； again he rather disappears than dies； he
calls himself Major Fraser； and the date is in the last years of
Louis Philippe。 My authority may be caviled at； it is that of the
late ingenious Mr。 Van Damme； who describes Major Fraser in a book
on the characters of the Second Empire。 He does not seem to have
heard of Saint…Germain； whom he does not mention。
Major Fraser； 〃in spite of his English （sic） name； was decidedly
not English； though he spoke the language。〃 He was （like Saint…
Germain） 〃one of the best dressed men of the period。 。 。 。 He
lived alone； and never alluded to his parentage。 He was always
flush of money； though the sources of his income were a mystery to
everyone。〃 The French police vainly sought to detect the origin of
Saint…Germain's supplies； opening his letters at the post…office。
Major Fraser's knowledge of every civilized country at every period
was marvelous； though he had very few books。 〃His memory was
something prodigious。 。 。 。 Strange to say； he used often to hint
that his was no mere book knowledge。 〃'Of course； it is perfectly
ridiculous；'〃 he remarked； with a strange smile； 〃'but every now
and then I feel as if this did not come to me from reading； but
from personal experience。 At times I become almost convinced that
I lived with Nero； that I knew Dante personally； and so forth。'〃＇1＇
At the major's death not a letter was found giving a clew to his
antecedents； and no money was discovered。 DID he die？ As in the
case of Saint…Germain； no date is given。 The author had an idea
that the major was 〃an illegitimate son of some exalted person〃 of
the period of Charles IV。 and Ferdinand VII。 of Spain。
＇1＇ An Englishman in Paris； vol。 i。； pp。 130…133。 London； 1892。
The author does not mention Saint…Germain； and may never have heard
of him。 If his account of Major Fraser is not mere romance； in
that warrior we have the undying friend of Louis XV。 and Madame de
Pompadour。 He had drunk at Medmenham with Jack Wilkes； as Riccio
he had sung duets with the fairest of unhappy queens； he had
extracted from Blanche de Bechamel the secret of Goby de Mouchy。
As Pinto； he told much of his secret history to Mr。 Thackeray； who
says： 〃I am rather sorry to lose him after three little bits of
Roundabout Papers。〃
Did Saint…Germain really die in a palace of Prince Charles of Hesse
about 1780…85？ Did he； on the other hand； escape from the French
prison where Grosley thought he saw him； during the French
Revolution？ Was he known to Lord Lytton about 1860？ Was he then
Major Fraser？ Is he the mysterious Muscovite adviser of the Dalai
Lama？ Who knows？ He is a will…o'…the…wisp of the memoir…writers
of the eighteenth century。 Whenever you think you have a chance of
finding him in good authentic State papers； he gives you the slip；
and if his existence were not vouched for by Horace Walpole； I
should incline to deem him as Betsy Prig thought of Mrs。 Harris。
The Man in the Iron Mask
I
THE LEGEND
The Mystery of the Man in the Iron Mask is； despite a pleasant
saying of Lord Beaconsfield's； one of the most fascinating in
history。 By a curious coincidence the wildest legend on the
subject； and the correct explanation of the problem； were offered
to the world in the same year； 1801。 According to this form of the
legend； the Man in the Iron Mask was the genuine Louis XIV。；
deprived of his rights in favor of a child of Anne of Austria and
of Mazarin。 Immured in the Isles Sainte…Marguerite； in the bay of
Cannes （where you are shown his cell； looking north to the sunny
town）； he married； and begot a son。 That son was carried to
Corsica； was named de Buona Parte； and was th