“For greater security still, the prisoners were buried under supposititious names.
“The Iron Mask, it will be remembered, was buried under the name of Marchiali. He had remained forty-five years in prison.
“Lauzun remained there fourteen years.
“Latude, thirty years....
“But, at all events, the Iron Mask and Lauzun had committed heinous crimes.
“The Iron Mask, whether brother or not of Louis XIV., it is asserted, resembled King Louis XIV. so strongly, that it was almost impossible to distinguish the one from the other.
“It is exceedingly imprudent to dare to resemble a king.
“Lauzun had been very near marrying, or did actually marry, the Grande Mademoiselle.
“It is exceedingly imprudent to dare to marry the niece of King Louis XIII., the granddaughter of Henri IV.
“But Latude, poor devil, what had he done?