"Is it then entirely untrue?" inquired I. "Certainly not," he replied; "all that has been said on the matter is destitute of even common sense." "Well," cried I, "what your majesty says only confirms what I heard from the maréchal de Richelieu." "And what has he been telling you?" "Very little, sire; he told me only, that the secret of who the 'Iron Mask' really was had not been communicated to you." "The maréchal is a simpleton if he tells you so. I know the whole affair, and was well acquainted with the unhappy business." "Ah!" exclaimed I, clapping my hands in triumph, "just now you affected perfect ignorance; you knew nothing at all about it, and now--" "You are a very dangerous woman," cried the king, interrupting me by loud fits of laughter, "and you are cunning enough even to surprise the secrets of the state." "'Tis you, rather, who could not resist the inclination to let me see that you knew what the maréchal had declared you ignorant of. Which of us two is the more to blame, I wonder?" "Myself, I think," answered the king; "for after all, you did but act with the candor and curiosity of your sex: it was for me to have employed more of the prudence of a king in my replies to your interrogatories." "Well, but," said I, "since you really do know all about this man with the iron mask, you will tell it to me, will you not?" "I should be very careful how I gratified your curiosity," said he; "this is a point of history which must never be cleared up; state reasons require that it should for ever remain a matter of doubt." "And _I_ must have you tell me," returned I; "do pray tell, and I will love you with all my heart." "It cannot be." "And why not? This unfortunate person has been long dead without leaving any posterity." "Are you quite sure of that?" inquired the king, in a serious tone. "But what signifies," said I, "whether he be dead or alive? I entreat of you to bestow upon me this proof of your confidence. Who of all those who have spoken of him have told the truth?" "Nobody; but Voltaire has approached it more nearly than any one else." After this partial confession the king implored of me to change the conversation, which I could easily perceive was extremely disagreeable to him. Nevertheless, it seemed to me quite clear, that this celebrated person belonged to the royal family, but by what title I could not devise. It was in vain that I afterwards revived the subject; not even during the most tender confidences could I obtain the information I desired. Possibly had I lived with him some years more I might have succeeded in drawing from him all he knew respecting the object of my curiosity. Old men, like children, can conceal nothing from those they love, and who have obtained over them an influence they willingly submit to.