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Roux de Marsilly； the valet resident in England； known to his
master as 〃Martin；〃 was 〃wanted〃 by the French secret police。 By
July 19； a valet； of the highest political importance； had been
brought to Dunkirk； from England； no doubt。 My hypothesis assumes
that this valet； though now styled 〃Eustache Dauger；〃 was the
〃Martin of Roux de Marsilly。 He was kept with so much mystery at
Pigernol that already the legend began its course； the captive
valet was said to be a Marshal of France！ We then follow Dauger
from Pignerol to Les Exiles； till January； 1687； when one valet out
of a pair； Dauger being one of them； dies。 We presume that Dauger
is the survivor； because the great mystery still is 〃what he HAS
DONE；〃 whereas the other valet had done nothing； but may have known
Dauger's secret。 Again the other valet had long been dropsical；
and the valet who died in 1687 died of dropsy。
In 1688； Dauger； at Sainte…Marguerite； is again the source and
center of myths； he is taken for a son of Oliver Cromwell； or for
the Duc de Beufort。 In June 1692； one of the Huguenot preachers at
Saint…Marguerite writes on his shirt and pewter plate and throws
them out of the window。＇1＇ Legend attributes these acts to the Man
in the Iron Mask； and transmutes a pewter into a silver plate。
Now； in 1689…1693； Mattioli was at Pignerol； but Dauger was at
Sainte…Marguerite； and the Huguenot's act is attributed to him。
Thus Dauger； not Mattioli； is the center round which the myths
crystallize： the legends concern him； not Mattioli； whose case is
well known； and gives rise to no legend。 Finally； we have shown
that Mattioli probably died at Sainte…Marguerite in April； 1694。
If so； then nobody but Dauger can be the 〃old prisoner〃 whom Saint…
Mars brought； masked； to the Bastille； in September； 1698； and who
died there in November； 1703。 However suppose that Mattioli did
not die in 1694； but was the masked man who died in the Bastille in
1703； then the legend of Dauger came to be attributed to Mattioli：
these two men's fortunes are combined in the one myth。
＇1＇ Saint…Mars au Ministre； June 4； 1692。
The central problem remains unsolved。
What had the valet； Eustache Dauger； done？＇1＇
＇1＇ One marvels that nobody has recognized； in the mask； James
Stuart （James de la Cloche）； eldest of the children of Charles II。
He came to England in 1668； was sent to Rome； and 〃disappears from
history。〃 See infra； 〃The Mystery of James de la Cloche。〃
III
THE VALET'S MASTER
The secret of the Man in the Iron Mask； or at least of one of the
two persons who have claims to be the Mask； was 〃What had Eustache
Dauger done？〃 To guard this secret the most extraordinary
precautions were taken； as we have shown in the foregoing essay。
And yet； if secret there was； it might have got wind in the
simplest fashion。 In the 〃Vicomte de Bragelonne；〃 Dumas describes
the tryst of the Secret…hunters with the dying Chief of the Jesuits
at the inn in Fontainebleau。 They come from many quarters； there
is a Baron of Germany and a laird from Scotland； but Aramis takes
the prize。 He knows the secret of the Mask； the most valuable of
all to the intriguers of the Company of Jesus。
Now； despite all the precautions of Louvois and Saint…Mars； despite
sentinels for ever posted under Dauger's windows； despite
arrangements which made it impossible for him to signal to people
on the hillside at Les Exiles； despite the suppression even of the
items in the accounts of his expenses； his secret； if he knew it；
could have been discovered； as we have remarked； by the very man
most apt to make mischievous use of itby Lauzun。 That brilliant
and reckless adventurer could see Dauger； in prison at Pignerol；
when he pleased； for he had secretly excavated a way into the rooms
of his fellow prisoner； Fouquet； on whom Dauger attended as valet。
Lauzun was released soon after Fouquet's death。 It is unlikely
that he bought his liberty by the knowledge of the secret and there
is nothing to suggest that he used it （if he possessed it） in any
other way。
The natural clew to the supposed secret of Dauger is a study of the
career of his master； Roux de Marsilly。 As official histories say
next to nothing about him； we may set forth what can be gleaned
from the State Papers in our Record Office。 The earliest is a
letter of Roux de Marsilly to Mr。 Joseph Williamson； secretary of
Lord Arlington （December； 1668）。 Marsilly sends Martin （on our
theory Eustache Dauger） to bring back from Williamson two letters
from his own correspondent in Paris。 He also requests Williamson
to procure for him from Arlington a letter of protection； as he is
threatened with arrest for some debt in which he is not really
concerned。 Martin will explain。 The next paper is indorsed
〃Received December 28； 1668； Mons。 de Marsilly。〃 As it is dated
December 27； Marsilly must have been in England。 The contents of
this piece deserve attention； because they show the terms on which
Marsilly and Arlington were； or； at least； how Marsilly conceived
them。
（1） Marsilly reports； on the authority of his friends at Stockholm；
that the King of Sweden intends； first to intercede with Louis XIV。
in favor of the French Huguenots； and next； if diplomacy fails； to
join in arms with the other Protestant Powers of Europe。
（2） His correspondent in Holland learns that if the King of England
invites the States to any 〃holy resolution；〃 they will heartily
lend forces。 No leader so good as the English KingCharles II。！
Marsilly had shown ARLINGTON'S LETTER to a Dutch friend； who bade
him approach the Dutch ambassador in England。 He has dined with
that diplomatist。 Arlington had； then； gone so far as to write an
encouraging letter。 The Dutch ambassador had just told Marsilly
that he had received the same news； namely； that； Holland would aid
the Huguenots； persecuted by Louis XIV。
（3） Letters from Provence； Languedoc； and Dauphine say that the
situation there is unaltered。
（4） The Canton of Zurich write that they will keep their promises
and that Berne is anxious to please the King of Great Britain； and
that it is ready to raise； with Zurich； 15；000 men。 They are not
afraid of France。
（5） Zurich fears that； if Charles is not represented at the next
Diet； Bale and Saint Gall will be intimidated； and not dare to join
the Triple Alliance of Spain； Holland； and England。 The best plan
will be for Marsilly to represent England at the Diet of January
25； 1669； accompanied by the Swiss General Balthazar。 This will
encourage friends 〃to give His Britannic Majesty the satisfaction
which he desires； and will produce a close union between Holland；
Sweden； the Cantons； and other Protestant States。〃
This reads as if Charles had already expressed some 〃desire。〃
（6） Geneva grumbles at a reply of Charles 〃through a bishop who is
their enemy；〃 the Bishop of London； 〃a persecutor of our religion；〃
that is； of Presbyterianism。 However； nothing will dismay the
Genevans； 〃si S。 M。 B。 ne change。〃
Then comes a blank in the paper。 There follows a copy of a letter
as if from Charles II。 himself； to 〃the Right High and Noble
Seigneurs of Zurich。〃 He has heard of their wishes from Roux de
Marsilly； whom he commissions to wait upon them。 〃I would not have
written by my Bishop of London had I been better informed； but
would myself have replied to your obliging letter； and would have
assured you； as I do now； that I desire。 。 。 。〃
It appears as if this were a draft of a kind of letter which
Marsilly wanted Charles to write to Zurich； and there is a similar
draft of a letter for Arlington to follow； if he and Charles wish
to send Marsilly to the Swiss Diet。 The Dutch ambassador； with
whom Marsilly dined on December 26； the Constable of Castille； and
other grandees； are all of opinion that he should visit the
Protestant Swiss； as from the King of England。 The scheme is for
an alliance of England； Holland； Spain； and the Protestant Cantons；
against France and Savoy。
Another letter of Marsilly to Arlington； only dated Jeudi； avers
that he can never repay Arlington for his extreme kindness and
liberality。 〃No man in England is more devoted to you than I am；
and shall be all my life。〃＇1＇
＇1＇ State Papers； France； vol。 125； 106。
On the very day when Marsilly drafted for Charles his own
commission to treat with Zurich for a Protestant alliance against
France； Charles himself wrote to his sister； Madame （Henriette
d'Orleans）。 He spoke of his secret treaty with France。 〃You know
how much secrecy is necessary for the carrying on of the business；
and I assure you that nobody does； nor shall； know anything of it
here； but myself and that one person more； till it be fit to be
public。〃＇1＇ （Is 〃that one person〃 de la Cloche？）
＇1＇ Madame； by Julia Cartwright； p。 275。