[448] Chapter V. of the present work. See pp. 62, 63, _ante_. [449] _Histoire de l’Homme au Masque de Fer_, p. 233. [450] _Ibid._, p. 229. [451] Order of Louis XIV., dated October 11, 1665. [452] Letter of Louvois to Saint-Mars, September 23, 1666. [453] _Ibid._, September 17, 1669. [454] Letter of Madame de Sévigné, July 7, 1680. [455] _Correspondance Générale_, Lavallée’s edition, vol. i. p. 1. [456] Let us cite amongst others, the fine _Histoire de Madame de Maintenon_, of the Duke de Noailles, unhappily still unfinished; the labours of M. Théophile Lavallée and Chapter I. Period iii. of the curious volumes of M. Chéruel, _Saint-Simon considéré comme Historien_, which is the necessary complement of his edition of the _Mémoires_. [457] _Lettres Historiques et Édifiantes de Madame de Maintenon_, vol. ii. p. 213. [458] _Histoire de l’Homme au Masque de Fer_, p. 244. [459] Conrart, _Manuscripts_, vol. xi. p. 151:--Archives of the Arsenal. The same observations apply to this other letter, likewise ascribed by M. Lacroix to Madame de Maintenon, and with as little ground: “Until now I was so thoroughly persuaded of my strength, that I would have defied all the earth. But I confess that the last interview I had with you charmed me. I found in your conversation a thousand pleasures which I had not expected; in short, if I ever see you alone, I do not know what will happen.” [460] _Mémoires sur Nicolas Fouquet_, vol. i. pp. 448, 449. [461] _Souvenirs de Madame de Caylus_, pp. 10 and 11; M. Feuillet de Conches, _Causeries d’un Curieux_, vol. ii. p. 515; M. Chéruel, _Saint-Simon considéré comme Historien_, p. 504, _et seq._ [462] This is what I have several times been assured of by M. Ravaisson, who, in publishing the documents relating to the Bastille, has come across the _affaire des poisons_. [463] M. Pierre Clément, _La Police sous Louis XIV._, p. 221. [464] _Ibid._ p. 222. [465] A councillor to the Parliament named Pinon-Dumartray, a relation of Fouquet’s, was suspected of having been connected with the Sieur Damy, who was accused of a plot against Colbert’s life. [466] M. Pierre Clément, _La Police sous Louis XIV._, p. 221.