Youmaywellthinkhowhighlythis
　　realizationofthepredictioninspiredthekingwithconfidence
　　astothefulfilmentoftheremainder:and，onhispart，henever
　　faileduponanysaint’sdayorothersolemnfestivaltostickthe
　　mysteriouspininthetalismanuponwhichsomuchdepended。
　　“Nevertheless，spiteofalltheseobservances，hisundertakings
　　didnotinvariablysucceed，whichastonishedhimgreatly；whenone
　　daythegreatBossuet，happeningtobeatmadamedeMaintenon’s，
　　theconversationturneduponmagicandsorcery，necromancyand
　　theirhorribleprofanations；andheexpressedhimselfwithsomuch
　　forceandenergy，thatthekingandmadamedeMaintenonlooked
　　ateachotherwithoutknowingwhattosay，andbegan，forthe
　　firsttime，tofeelcompunctionforwhattheyhaddone，andto
　　regrettheirimprudence。
　　Theytalkedofitmuchtogether，andat
　　lengthresolvedtorevealtheircrimetotheirconfessors。
　　The
　　punishmentimposedonthekingbyhisspiritualadviserwas，that
　　heshouldevincehiscontemptforthetalismanicpropertiesof
　　theparchmentpacket，byimmediatelyopeningit。
　　“LouisXIVdidnotbyanymeansadmirethismethodofexpiating
　　hisfault；andasortofinvoluntarydreadtookpossessionofhim，
　　as，inobediencetothecommandofhisconfessor，hewentto
　　procurethemagicparcel，whichhetoreopeninthepresenceof
　　madamedeMaintenonandfatherlaChaise。
　　Thepacketcontained
　　nothingbutaconsecratedwafer，piercedthro’withasmanypins
　　astherehadbeensaints’dayssincethekinghadreceivedit。
　　At
　　thesightofthishorriblesacrilegemygrandfatherwasfilled
　　withdeepremorseandconsternation，fromwhichitwasalong
　　timeereherecovered；anditwasnotuntilhehadundergone
　　manyseverepenances，fastings，andcausednumberlessmassesto
　　besaid，thathefelthimselfatallrelievedfromtheweightof
　　hiscrime。
　　“Butallthiswasonlythecommencementofthedivinevengeance:
　　andthoseinthesecretofthisunfortunateaffairremarked，that
　　thisgreatmonarchlostfromthattimeasmanymaledescendants
　　inadirectlineashehadstuckpinsintotheholywafer。“
　　LouisXVhereterminatedhissingularhistory，whichstruckmy
　　mindwithasortofreligiousterror。
　　Istrovebyeverypossible
　　efforttodissimulate，concealingfromthekingtheemotionsto
　　whichhisnarrationhadgivenrise。
　　Icontentedmyselfwith
　　observing，“thatafterhearinghismarvelousrecital，Ishould
　　onlybemoreconfirmedinmydeterminationtoleavemyyoung
　　prophettothetranquillityhedesired。“
　　“Itwillbefarbestso，“addedLouis；“Iknowsomany
　　fatalresultswhichhavefollowedanyindiscreetcuriosity，
　　thatIampersuadedyouhadmuchbetterleavesuch
　　mysteriousaffairstoworktheirownsolution。“
　　Ipromisedtofollowhisadvice，andwethenconversed
　　uponothersubjects。
　　Sincethenthisanecdotehasrecurredto
　　mymemory；andwithoutwishingtoimpeachthesincerityof
　　LouisXV，Ihaveaskedmyself，whether，bytheopportunerelation
　　ofthisadventure，probablyinventedbyhimself，hedidnotseek
　　todestroytheconfidenceIappearedtoentertaininthepredictions
　　ofmyprophet。
　　Isayinvented，becausethekinghadapeculiar
　　readinessandfacilityincomposingthesesortofwonderfultales，
　　carefullynotingdowneverycircumstancewhichfellunderhis
　　knowledgedeviatingfromtheordinarycourseofthings。
　　Hehad
　　alargecollectionoftheselegends，whichhedelightedinnarrating；
　　andthishedidwithaneaseandgraceofmannerIhavenever
　　seenequalled。
　　AboutthisperiodtheprincedeConde，whosegallantrynever
　　failed，entreatedthekingtopayasecondvisittoChantilly:and
　　itwasuponthisoccasionthatLouiserasedfromthelistofcourt
　　ladiesallthosewhosepresencewouldbedisagreeabletome
　　duringourstayatChantilly。
　　Onesceneofpleasurefollowed
　　another，andonefetesucceededanother。
　　Iaccompaniedhis
　　majestywithouteverquittinghim；andifhithertotherehad
　　existedanydoubtsastothesincerityoftheking’sattachment，
　　themostscepticalpersonwouldnowhavebeenconvincedofthe
　　fact。
　　LouisXVwasneverfrommyside，andappearedsolely
　　occupiedingratifyingmyslightestwish；theprincesofthe
　　courtcarefullyfollowedhisexample；andsuchalifeasIthen
　　ledwasabundantcompensationforallthepainsandanxieties
　　Ihadenduredfromthemaliceandjealousyofcertainfemales，
　　aswellasthesarcasticbitternessofmen，whofearedlestmy
　　influenceshoulddestroytheirs。
　　Imay，withtruth，affirmthatIreceivedthehonorsandattention
　　ofaqueen；verses，plays，allwrittentoconveysomepraiseor
　　complimenttome；andthekingtestifiedthelivelygratification
　　itaffordedhimtoseemethusanobjectofgeneralsolicitude，
　　aswellasofthemostflatteringdistinction。
　　Hisconduct
　　towardstheprincedeCondebecamemoregraciousthanithad
　　everbeenobservedtobetotheprincesoftheblood；forthere
　　existedasingularcoolnessintheroyalfamilytowardsallthe
　　princesofthisbranch。
　　Thekinglookeduponitasvastlyinferior
　　tohisown，becauseithadbeenseparatedfromthethronebefore
　　theaccessionofHenryIVtothecrown；heevenasserted，that
　　therewasmuchtobesaiduponthissubject，andprudencecompels
　　metopassoverthemanyhistoriesandcircumstancesrelatedby
　　himtomeofthisbrilliantportionofhisnoblerace。
　　NeithertheprincedeConde，whomIknewwell，northeprincede
　　laMarche，entertainedmuchregardfortheirrelations；andthey
　　hadalwayssomespitefulstoryinstorerespectingtheposterity
　　ofLouisXIII。
　　Thereisonehistoricalfactwhichhasneverbeen
　　clearedup。
　　OnedayIwasconversingwiththecomtedelaMarcheuponthe
　　disputesconcerningtheparliaments，andexpressingmyfear，that，
　　ifdriventodesperatemeasures，thepeoplewouldriseinopen
　　rebellioninfavorofthemagistracy。
　　“Theywouldbestillmore
　　clamororous，“repliedhe，“iftheyknewallIcouldtellthem。“
　　“Andwhatdoyouknowmorethanmyself？’“askedI；“yourhighness
　　alarmsmebyspeakingthus。“
　　“Amongsteventsnowpassedandgoneisonethatwouldmaterially
　　affectthepublicpeace，ifknown。“
　　“Youmustexplainyourself，mylord，“saidI。
　　Herefused；butI
　　persistedinpressingthematterwithsomuchearnestness，that
　　atlasthesaid，inalowvoice，
　　“Didyoueverhearofthemanwhoworetheironmask？“
　　“Yes，certainly，“repliedI，“whowashe？“
　　“Agreatprince，andamostunfortunateman。“
　　“Butwhowashereally？“
　　“IntheeyesofthelawthecrownofFranceshouldhavebeen
　　his；butintheconscientiousviewofthingshecertainlyhad
　　noclaim。“
　　ThecomtedelaMarchestoppedhere；and，asIwasnotvery
　　deeplyreadinhistory，Ididnotexactlycomprehendthe
　　distinctionhehadjustmade。
　　Ihadfrequentlyheardtalkofthe
　　“IronMask，“whompeoplereportedtobeeitheralliedto，or
　　sprungfrom，theroyalfamily；butalltheseparticularswere
　　confusedinmymemory。
　　However，Iwasmuchstruckwiththe
　　conversationIhadhadwiththecomtedelaMarche；andwhen
　　nexttheconversationfellonthismysteriouspersonage，Iasked
　　theducdeRichelieuwhathethoughtofhim。
　　“Uponmyhonor，“repliedhe，“Inevercouldfindoutwhohereally
　　was；notthatIdidnottry，“addedhe，assuminganairofmodest
　　vanity，whichwellbecamehisgreenoldage。
　　“Ihadamistress
　　oftolerablyhighbirth，mademoiselled’Orleans，asindeedIhad
　　thehonorofhavingtheprincesses，heraugustsisters。
　　However，
　　theformer，knownunderthenameofmademoiselledeCharollais，
　　wasdyingtodosomeactofkindnessthatshouldbeagreeableto
　　me。
　　Well，Irequestedshewouldobtainfromtheregent，her
　　father，thesolutionofthesecretrelativetothe’IronMask。’
　　Sheusedeverypossibledevice，butnothingcouldsheobtain
　　fromherfather，whoprotestedthatthemysteryshouldnever
　　escapehislips；andhekepthisword，heneverdiddivulgeit。
　　Ievenimaginethatthekinghimselfisignorantofit，unless
　　indeedthecardinaldeFleuryinformedhimofit。“
　　Themarechal
　　toldmeafterwardsthathethoughttheopinionadoptedbyVoltaire
　　themostprobable，viz:thatthisunknownpersonwasthesonof
　　thequeenAnneofAustria，motherofLouisXIV。
　　Theselastwords
　　helped，inameasure，toresolvetheenigmawhichcomtedela
　　Marchehadleftmetounravel；and，withaviewtosatisfymyself
　　morepositivelyonthesubject，Iavailedmyselfofthefirst
　　timeIwasalonewiththeking，toleadtheconversationto
　　thisstory。
　　Atthementionofthe“IronMask，“LouisXVstarted。
　　“Anddo
　　youreallycreditsuchafable？“
　　askedhe。
　　“Isitthenentirelyuntrue？“
　　inquiredI。
　　“Certainlynot，“hereplied；“allthathasbeensaidonthematter
　　isdestituteofevencommonsense。“
　　“Well，“criedI，“whatyourmajestysaysonlyconfirmswhatI
　　heardfromthemarechaldeRichelieu。“
　　“Andwhathashebeentellingyou？“
　　“Verylittle，sire；
　　hetoldmeonly，thatthesecretofwhothe
　　’IronMask’reallywashadnotbeencommunicatedtoyou。“
　　’Themarechalisasimpletonifhetellsyouso。
　　Iknowthe
　　wholeaffair，andwaswellacquaintedwiththeunhappybusiness。“
　　“Ah！“
　　exclaimedI，clappingmyhandsintriumph，“justnowyou
　　affectedperfectignorance；youknewnothingatallaboutit，
　　andnow——“