The Poisoners—The Marchioness of Brinvilliers—Penautier—La Voisin and her accomplices and dupes—The “Chambre Ardente”—The Countess of Soissons—The Duchess of Bouillon—The Duke of Luxembourg—Stephen de Bray—The Abbé Primi—Andrew Morell—Madame Guyon—Courtils de Sandraz—Constantine de Renneville—The Man with the Iron Mask—Jansenists—Tiron, Veillant, and Lebrun Desmarets—The Count de Bucquoy—The Duke de Richelieu—Miscellaneous prisoners. 273 CHAPTER IX. Reign of Louis XV.—Regency of the Duke of Orleans—Oppressive measures against all persons connected with the Finances—Their failure—Prisoners in the Bastile—Freret—Voltaire—The Cellamare conspiracy—The Duchess of Maine—Madame de Staal—Malezieu—Bargeton—Mahudel—The Mississippi scheme—Count de Horn—Death of the Regent—Administration of the Duke of Bourbon—La Blanc—Paris Duverney—The Count de Belleisle—The Chevalier de Belleisle—Madame de Tencin. 314 CHAPTER X. Reign of Louis XV. continued—The Bull Unigenitus—A Notary Public—G. N. Nivelle—G. C. Buffard—Death of Deacon Paris—Rise, progress, and acts, of the Convulsionaries—Persecution of them, and artifices employed by them to foil their persecutors—Lenglet Dufresnoy—La Beaumelle—F. de Marsy—Marmontel—The Abbé Morellet—Mirabeau the elder—The Chevalier Resseguier—Groubendal and Dulaurens—Robbé de Beauveset—Mahé de la Bourdonnais—Count Lally—La Chalotais—Marin—Durosoi—Prévost de Beaumont—Barletti St. Paul—Dumouriez. 346 CHAPTER XI. Captivity and Sufferings of Masers de Latude—Cause of his Imprisonment—He is removed from the Bastile to Vincennes—He escapes—He is retaken, and sent to the Bastile—Kindness of M. Berryer—D’Alegre is confined in the same apartment with him—Latude forms a plan for escaping—Preparations for executing it—The Prisoners descend from the summit of the Bastile, and escape—They are recaptured in Holland, and brought back—Latude is thrown into a horrible dungeon—He tames rats, and makes a musical pipe—Plans suggested by him—His writing materials—He attempts suicide—Pigeons tamed by him—New plans suggested by him—Finds means to fling a packet of papers from the top of the Bastile—He is removed to Vincennes—He escapes—Is recaptured—Opens a communication with his fellow-prisoners—Is transferred to Charenton—His situation there—His momentary liberation—He is re-arrested, and sent to the Bicêtre—Horrors of that prison—Heroic benevolence of Madame Legros—She succeeds in obtaining his release—Subsequent fate of Latude. 382 CHAPTER XII.