ExtraordinaryanecdoteofLouisXIVandmadamedeMaintenon——
　　ThecomtesseduBarryatChantilly——Opinionofkingandcomtede
　　laMarcherespectingthe“IronMask“——MadameduBarryvisits
　　madamedeLagarde
　　MyacquaintancewiththesingularbeingIwasspeakingofinthe
　　lastchapterdidnotendhere，asyouwillfindinthesequel。
　　I
　　willnowgiveyouanaccountofanequallystrangeaffair，in
　　nearlythesamewordsasLouisXVhimselfrelatedittome。
　　Altho’stronglyrecommendedbymysister-in-lawandM。deSartines
　　toconcealthewholestoryofmymysteriousfriendfromthe
　　king，yet，unaccustomedtotheprudentialobservationofcourt
　　reserve，I，onefineevening，inordertofillupalongblankin
　　theconversation，relatedthestoryfrombeginningtoend。
　　His
　　majestylistenedwithattentionuntilIhadconcluded。
　　“Thisisindeed，“saidhe，“amostsingularhistory；andIthink
　　youhaveactedverywiselyinputtinganendtoallsuchinterference
　　onthepartofthepolice；forinsuchcasesyoufrequentlyrun
　　greatriskstoprocureatriflinggratification。
　　Wehaveseen
　　somethingofthesamesortinourfamily。“
　　Thisdiscourseexcitedmycuriosity；andIentreatedofhimto
　　explainhimselfmorefully。
　　“Ioughtnottodoso，“repliedhe；
　　“suchtransactionsshouldbekeptforeverconcealed；butasmore
　　thanhalfacenturyhaselapsedsincetheeventIalludetotook
　　place，IthinkImayventuretobreakthesilenceIhavereligiously
　　observeduntilnow。
　　YouaretheonlypersonIhaveevermentioned
　　itto，andImustbindyoutothestrictestsecrecy。“
　　ThisIfaithfullypromised；andsolongasLouisXVlivedIkept
　　myword。
　　“Attheconclusionofthelastcentury，duringthemonthof
　　September，“resumedtheking，“ithappenedthatLouisXIV，and
　　madamedeMaintenonformedthewishofconsultingtogethersome
　　learnedastrologer，inordertoascertainwhetherthecomingage
　　wouldbeproductiveofgoodorilltothem。
　　Asneitherofthem
　　knewtowhomtoapply，inordertoattaintheirobject，madamede
　　Maintenonwascompelledtoconfideherwishestoherfriend，
　　madamedeMontchevreuil，whoreadilyengagedtofindforherthe
　　personsherequired；for，spiteoftheseveritywithwhichthelaw
　　visitedsuchpractices，therewasnoscarcityofdealersinaugury，
　　whopromisedgoodorbadfortuneaccordinglyastheywerepaidforit。
　　“Whilstthisladywasmakingdiligentsearchafteroneperfectly
　　competenttosatisfymadamedeMaintenon，thislatter，in
　　conjunctionwiththeking，despitethesuperiorityoftheirminds，
　　wasgreatlydisturbedattheprobableconsequencesofthestep
　　theymeditated。
　　Theirdesiretopenetrateintofuturityappeared
　　tothemasridiculousasitwascriminal，buttheirweakerfeelings
　　triumphed；andtheresultoftheirdeliberationswasthatfar
　　fromrelinquishingtheirintentionofsearchingthebookoffate，
　　theyshouldloseneitherpainsnortroubletoattaintheirobject；
　　andtoencourageeachother，theyreckonedupontheirfingers
　　thenamesofeverypersonoftheiracquaintance，orevenbelonging
　　tothecourt，whohadderivedprofitandadvantagefromthe
　　predictionsoffortune-tellers。
　　“Themindsofallatthisperiodwerestillimbuedwiththose
　　superstitiousfeelings，ofwhichmanyofthemostillustrious
　　personshadgivenampleproofevenintheprecedingreign。
　　We
　　havebecomeeithermorewickedormoresceptical，whichever
　　youpleasetotermit；butthisiscertain，thatmanyofthe
　　thingspredictedwereaccomplishedwithanexactpunctuality，
　　whichmightservetooverthrowthefinestargumentsofthe
　　greatestphilosophers，andwhichhasindeeddestroyedmany
　　ingenioustheories。
　　Doubtlessthehiddenlawsofnaturehave
　　referencetootherbeingsthanourselves；and，beyonddispute，
　　maybesaidtogovernthecreaturesofanunknownworldaswell
　　asexercisingcontroloverpoormortalslikeus。“
　　Afterthisshort
　　digression，ofwhichIgiveyoutheprecisewording，theking
　　continuedasfollows:
　　“OnthefollowingdaymadamedeMontchevreuilpaidavisitto
　　madamedeMaintenon，inwhichshedeclared，thatuponmature
　　reflection，shecouldnotproceedwiththecommissionshehad
　　undertaken:thatitwastemptingProvidence，andhadbetterbe
　　abandoned。
　　Thisremonstrancehadnoeffectuponmadamede
　　Maintenon，whoshieldedherselffromanynecessityofretracting，
　　byrepeatingtoherself，thatshehadpledgedherselftojoin
　　LouisXIVintheundertaking，anditwouldneverdoforherto
　　forfeithercharacterforfirmnessandgoodsensebynowappearing
　　triflingandcapricious。
　　However，shefeignedaseeming
　　compliancewiththeadviceofmadamedeMontchevreuil，whilst，
　　inreality，hermindwasresolveduponexecutingherproject。
　　“Therewasinherhouseholdafemalewhowasnotimmediatelyone
　　ofherestablishment，altho’generallyrankingassuch；oneof
　　thoseactive，stirringpersons，whothrustthemselvesintoa
　　noblefamilyundertheequivocaltitleofhalfservant，halflady。
　　Thisonehadchargeofallthenecessarypurchasesoflinen，
　　Engagedtheservants，keptwatchovertheirconduct，procured
　　forthemarchionesswhateverparticularsshemightrequireupon
　　anysubject；andtookuponherself，inaword，anypieceofservice
　　bywhichshecouldmorefirmlyplantherselfinthefamilyofher
　　employers。
　　Shereceivednofixedwages，buttheirabsencewas
　　abundantlycompensatedinthenumerousrichpresentsthatwere
　　continuallymadeher。
　　Hersleepingapartmentwasalways
　　immediatelyadjoiningthatofmadamedeMaintenoninthecastle。
　　Apersonofthisdescriptionasmaybereadilysupposedknew
　　theworldtoowelltofindanydifficultyinprocuringamere
　　fortune-teller；andasherdiscretionmightbeconfidentlyrelied
　　on，itwasresolvedbyhermistresstointrustherwiththedesign。
　　“Twodaysafter，shehadremovedalldifficultiesbydiscovering
　　anItalianpriest，famedasthemostskilfulnecromancerofhis
　　day，onewhoundertooktorevealthedecreesoffatetoall
　　thosewhoshouldconsulthim，asclearlyandreadilyastho’its
　　leaveslayopen，asabookbeforehiseyes。
　　Butthisgifted
　　personlivedintheutmostdreadofattractingthenoticeof
　　parliament，andexercisedhisartonlyunderthestrictest
　　assurancesofsecrecy，inthemostretiredandsecludedmanner，
　　witheveryprecautiontopreventthepossibilityofasurprise。
　　“TheseconditionsweretoogratifyingtomadamedeMaintenonto
　　causemuchdelayinsubscribingtothem；anditwasfinally
　　arranged，thattheprophetandhisnewapplicantsshouldmeetata
　　houseinSevresbelongingtotheroyalfamily，theninthe
　　occupationofmadameCerfoltheladyofwhommentionhasbeen
　　alreadymade。
　　Themarchionesswastorepairthitheratone
　　o’clockinthemorningwithasinglefriend。
　　Tohavetakensucha
　　measureinopendaylightwouldhavebeentoproclaimtheir
　　secrettoallParis。
　　OnepersonbesidesmadamedeCerfolwas
　　necessarilyadmittedintotheirconfidence，andthatwasthe
　　ducdeNoailles，whowascharged，bytheking’sexpressorders，
　　totakeeverypossibleprecautiontoensuretheirsafety，asfar
　　asitcouldbedonewithoutattractingpublicattentiontoso
　　extraordinaryanaffair。
　　“AtthehourappointedmadamedeMaintenonandtheducdeNoailles
　　ascendedacarriagewhichawaitedthematoneoftheparkgates，
　　andsoonconveyedthemtoSevres，whithertheItalianpriesthad
　　gonethepreceding
　　night。
　　Thiswretchedmanhadcelebratedalone
　　thesacrificeofthemass，andhadconsecratedseveralwafers。
　　“Everythingconfirmedtheopinion，thattheconjuror，uptothe
　　presentmoment，merelysupposedhimselfsentfortosatisfythe
　　curiosityofsomecountrynoblemanandhislady，whowereboth
　　anxiousandeagertoreadtheirfuturefortunethro’hisassistance。
　　Icanonlysuppose，ifhehadbeeninignoranceoftherealrank
　　ofthosewhoaddressedhim，thesightofthekingmusthave
　　quicklyundeceivedhim，astheconclusionofthestoryproveshe
　　wellknewtowhomhespokewhenhedeliveredhisprediction。
　　Howeverthismayhavebeen，hewasnosooneralonewiththe
　　marchioness，thanhecommencedthenecessarypreparationsfor
　　theperformanceofhissorceriesandenchantments；heburned
　　perfumes，offeredprayers，andwithloudinvocationsadjuredthe
　　powersofhelltoanswerhim；andinthemidstofawildand
　　agitatingsoundwhichpervadedthewholebuilding，duringthe
　　heavyswellofnoisestoodreadfultohavearisenfrommortal
　　sources，andwhilstathousandvisionswereflittingtoandfro，
　　hedrewthehoroscopeofthekingandmadamedeMaintenon。
　　He
　　promisedLouisXIVthatheshouldsucceedinallhisundertakings；
　　andthat，ontheverydayonwhichhespokethewordsthe2nd
　　ofOctoberoneofhischildrenhadbeencalledtotheinheritance
　　ofanimmensefortune。
　　Thengivinghimasmallpacket，wrapped
　　innewparchment，’Thedayinwhichyouformthefatalresolution
　　ofacquaintingyourselfwiththecontentsofthispacket，’said
　　he，’willbethelastofyourprosperity；butifyoudesireto
　　carryyourgoodfortunetothehighestpitch，becarefulupon
　　everygreatfestival，thatistosay，Easter，Whit-Sunday，the
　　Assumption，andChristmas，toplungeapininthistalisman，so
　　thatthepointshallpassdirectlythro’it；observetodothis，
　　andyouwillliveperfectlyhappy。’
　　“Thekingacceptedthisfatalpresent，andsworeupontheGospel
　　nevertoopenthepacket；herichlyrewardedthepriest，whofrom
　　thatperiodlivedinaretreatsowellconcealedastoevadethe
　　mostdiligentresearchesofthosewhosoughttodiscoverit。
　　“Sometimeafternewswasreceived，thatonthevery2ndof
　　October，1700，namedbythepriest，CharlesII，kingofSpain，
　　hadappointedinhiswillPhilipofFrance，sonofthedauphin，
　　hissuccessorandheir，aninheritancetrulyimmense，asthe
　　astrologerhadforetold。