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The Valet's tragedy, and other studies by Andrew Lang
page 16 of 312 (05%)
Here, then, by July 1680, are the two valets locked in one dungeon
of the 'Tour d'en bas.' By September Saint-Mars had placed
Mattioli, with the mad monk, in another chamber of the same tower.
He writes: 'Mattioli is almost as mad as the monk,' who arose from
bed and preached naked. Mattioli behaved so rudely and violently
that the lieutenant of Saint-Mars had to show him a whip, and
threaten him with a flogging. This had its effect. Mattioli, to
make his peace, offered a valuable ring to Blainvilliers. The ring
was kept to be restored to him, if ever Louis let him go free--a
contingency mentioned more than once in the correspondence.

Apparently Mattioli now sobered down, and probably was given a
separate chamber and a valet; he certainly had a valet at Pignerol
later. By May 1681 Dauger and La Riviere still occupied their
common chamber in the 'Tour d'en bas.' They were regarded by
Louvois as the most important of the five prisoners then at
Pignerol. They, not Mattioli, were the captives about whose safe
and secret keeping Louis and Louvois were most anxious. This
appears from a letter of Louvois to Saint-Mars, of May 12, 1681.
The gaoler, Saint-Mars, is to be promoted from Pignerol to Exiles.
'Thither,' says Louvois, 'the king desires to transport SUCH OF YOUR
PRISONERS AS HE THINKS TOO IMPORTANT TO HAVE IN OTHER HANDS THAN
YOURS.' These prisoners are 'THE TWO IN THE LOW CHAMBER OF THE
TOWER,' the two valets, Dauger and La Riviere.

From a letter of Saint-Mars (June 1681) we know that Mattioli was
not one of these. He says: 'I shall keep at Exiles two birds
(merles) whom I have here: they are only known as THE GENTRY OF THE
LOW ROOM IN THE TOWER; MATTIOLI MAY STAY ON HERE AT PIGNEROL WITH
THE OTHER PRISONERS' (Dubreuil and the mad monk). It is at this
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