New-York tribune., 1904-08-07

kirk II is hardly conceivable. at least, that
when a valet in England. is wanted by the
French police on July 1. for political reasons
and when by July 10 they have caught valet
of extreme political Importance. the two vaiets
should be two different men. Martin must De
Dagger Mr.. Lang demonstrates this point
very skilfully. and he shows much acunen IN
tracing the subsequent experiences in captivity
of the man whom he makes his candidate for the
Mask. He follows him from PignerOl to the
fortress of the Isles Sainte- Marguerite. in the
Bay of Cannes and thence. long afterward' to
the Bastine, and with many more details then
than we can reproduce here he almost persuades
us that he is following the right man. that Mar
tin or Danger not MattioI was the object of the
special solicitude of Saint-Mars. the prisoner
whose masked personality has puzzled the his
torians for over two hundred years Almost, but
not quite.
The argument is closely woven. but there
loophOleS through which the object of our quest
escapes us. Moreover. even if grant that
Mr. Lang is right, throw MattiOh out of court
as thoroughly dscredited pretender (Which,
for our own part we have no intention of DOING,
and put Martin-DaUger in his place the right
full claimant to of the oldest of all honors
In European annals. have still TO ask. For
what was the Man condemned to wear the
Mask?'' Mr.. Lang cannot tell us But he has
pretty theory of his own. Marsilly. as We
have seen, died protesting ignorance Of the
cause of his persecution. Mr.. Lang thinks il
possible that Marsilly's valet may really have
known nothing at all about the Huguenots Sc
cret transactions. and may have suffered his
long imprisonment for other reason than
that having once been caught as an object of
suspicion in the of the French Justice" of
that day he was automatically held in durance
vile ever aftert If this hvuotheSiS be the true
one the tragedy of the Mask becomes more than
ever fantastic. You must threaten him with
death if he speaks one word except about his
actual needs" wrote Louvois to Saint Mars.
Imagine this terrorizins process. hardly justif
able if the prisoner had been one OF the greatest
of criminals. carried on with a man who may
have been not only innocent but ignorant OF the
deed Of which he was accused, an obscure valet
fallen into the hands of his masters enemy.
Turning from the valet to the master Mr..
Ian, gives us a valuable sketch of Roux de
Marsilly's end. including some contemporary
notes on his execution. and then passes to the
consideration of Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey and
his fate. Did Sir Edmund commit suicide. or
was Re murdered: If he was murdered who did
the bloody deed Was Titus Oates at the bot
tom OF it, Mr. Lang leads through a maze
OF seventeenth century documents without get
ting much forardcr He leaves equally mex
pIicabIe the mystery of the false Pucelle. he
does not lay" Lord Lytteltons ghost and, IN
fact all his essays are suggestive rather than
conclusive with the exception OF the one on
The Shakespeare Bacon ImbroGlio." which dis
poses Of the Baconians in fortnight fashion
But after all. part of the charm of historical
enismas lies in the fact that they cannot. ap-
parentIy. be solved. That is why we like to hear
talk about the1n-taIk like Mr.. Langs-