Theory which makes Fouquet the Man with the Iron Mask--Arguments advanced by M. Lacroix--Some to be absolutely rejected and some discussed--Fouquet not in possession of a dangerous State Secret--Madame de Maintenon--Her Character--Her Youth--Her Relations with Monsieur and Madame Fouquet--Her honourable Reserve--The Affair of the Poisons--How Fouquet’s Name became mixed up in it--Probability of his Death being caused by an Attack of Apoplexy--Weakness of the other Arguments advanced by M. Lacroix--Oblivion into which the Surintendant had fallen--Two mysterious Arrests 232 CHAPTER XIX. Intervention of the Kings of France in Italy--Policy of Henri II., Henri IV., and Louis XIII.--Judicious Conduct of Richelieu--Treaty of Cherasco--Menacing Ambition of Louis XIV.--Situation of the Court of Savoy on the Death of Charles-Emmanuel--Portrait of Charles IV., Duke of Mantua--The Marquisate of Montferrat and Casale--The Count Matthioly--His political Career--His Character--The Abbé d’Estrades and Giuliani--Proposal to cede Casale to Louis XIV.--Interview at Venice between Charles IV. and the Abbé d’Estrades--Journey of Matthioly to Versailles--He communicates the Project formed to the Enemies of France--How is his Conduct to be estimated? 251 CHAPTER XX. The Regent of Savoy’s Perplexity--She discloses Matthioly’s Conduct to Louis XIV.--Arrival of Catinat at Pignerol--Arrest of the Baron d’Asfeld and his Imprisonment at Milan--The Abbé d’Estrades the first to conceive the Project of Matthioly’s Abduction--Despatches of the Abbé d’Estrades detailing the Abduction and the Incarceration of Matthioly--Means adopted in order to recover the official Documents connected with the Negotiation--Mystery surrounding Matthioly’s Disappearance--His family dispersed, and remaining silent and powerless 267 CHAPTER XXI. Period from which the Theory that makes Matthioly the Man with the Iron Mask dates--Numerous Writers who have concerned themselves with the Abduction of this Individual--Arguments of Reth, Roux-Fazillac, and Delort--M. Jules Loiseleur--His Labours--The Supposition that an obscure Spy was arrested in 1681 by Catinat--It cannot be admitted--Grounds on which M. Loiseleur rejects the Theory that makes Matthioly the Man with the Iron Mask--Soundness of his Reasoning and Justness of his Conclusions 293 CHAPTER XXII.