Page:History of The man with the iron mask (1).pdf/4

4 governor himself placed his dishes on the table, retiring immediately after, and locking the door behind him. He tu-to'yoit (thee'd and thou'd) the governor; who, on the other hand, behaved to him in the most respectful manner, and never wore his hat before him, nor ever sat down in his presence without being desired. The Marquis of Louvoisis, who went to see him at St Marguerite, spoke to him standing, and with that kind of attention which denotes high respect. During his residence here, he attempted twice, in an indirect manner, to make himself known. One day, he wrote something with his knife on a plate, and threw it out of his window towards a boat that was drawn on shore near the foot of the tower. A fisherman picked it up, and carried it to the governor M. de St Mars was alarmed at the sight; and asked the man, with great anxiety, whether he could read, and whether any one else had seen the plate? The man answered that he could not read; that he had but just found the plate; and that no one else had seen it. He was, however, confined till the governor was well assured of the truth of his assertions. Another attempt to discover himself proved equally unsuccessful. A young man, who lived in the isle, one day perceived something floating under the prisoner's window; and on picking it up, he discovered it to be a very fine shirt written all over. He carried it immediately to the governor; who, having looked at some parts of the writing, asked the lad, with some appearance of anxiety, if he had not had the curiosity to read it? He protested repeatedly that he had not; but two days afterwards he was found dead in his bed. The Mask de