The Man in the Iron Mask Page #3

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IN A SECRET PLACE.

ON THE PRETEXT OF

SPARING YOU MOTHER

OF FURTHER GRIEF,

A SECRET, QUICK FUNERAL

WAS PREPARED AND A

COFFIN WAS BURIED.

LORD KNOWS WHO WAS

REALLY IN THAT COFFIN.

THE ONE THING THAT IS

NOW CERTAIN, SIRE,

IT WAS NOT YOUR:

BROTHER, PHILIPPE.

BUT WHAT COULD IT BE

MATTER AND MOTIVE

IN ALL THIS?

SIRE, THE FIRST BORN

IS RIGHTFUL HEIR TO THE THRONE.

YOU ARE THE SECOND SON.

NOW, HE HAVING IN HIS

CONTROL THE LEGITIMATE HEIR

HAD THE POWER:

TO MANIPULATE YOU.

HORROR, MOTHER, WHO WOULD

LET HER LOVE A MANNER A USURPER

LOUIS, A PUPPET KING.

PRECISELY.

THE GROUND WE STAND UPON

TURNS TO QUICKSAND.

FORTUNATELY MAZARIN

DIED BEFORE HE WAS ABLE

TO REPLACE YOU ON THE THRONE

WITH YOUR BROTHER PHILIPPE.

AND THE SECRET DIED

WITH HIM.

THAT IS, WE THOUGHT SO

UNTIL NOW.

ARE YOU CERTAIN:

BEYOND A DOUB:

THAT THIS IS OUR

BROTHER PHILIPPE?

I HAVE MYSELF SEEN

THE BIRTHMARK.

FORGIVE ME.

IDENTICAL WITH THE ONE

YOUR MAJESTY BEARS.

WHAT A FOOL:

LOUIS HAS BEEN:

TO THINK HIS:

CROWN SECURE.

SIRE, FEAR NOT.

I HAVE THE PRETENDER

IN SAFE CUSTODY.

WHAT HAVE YOU:

DONE WITH PHILIPPE?

IS HE SAFE AND SOUND?

WHAT COULD BE SAFER

AND MORE SOUND THAN THE BASTILLE.

THE BASTILLE?

WHERE BETTER TO HIDE HIM

FROM FOUQUET'S SPIES.

DOES HE SUSPECT ANYTHING?

NO, NOTHING.

HE'S HAUNTED BY

THE MYSTERY.

IT WOULD BE AN ACT OF MERCY

TO LET HIM KNOW.

WE MUST SAY:

NOTHING YET.

WE SHOULD TELL HIM

HIS TRUE IDENTITY.

YOU AND I ARE FLIRTING

WITH HIGH TREASON, MY FRIEND.

LET PHILIPPE REMAIN IGNORANT,

FOR HIS OWN SAKE AS WELL AS OUR OWN.

THE RACK CAN LOOSEN

ANY MAN'S TONGUE.

EVEN THAT OF A PRINCE.

WHO HAS REVIVED THIS

CONSPIRACY AGAINST US?

NAMES?

I CANNOT POINT THE FINGER

UNTIL I HAVE MORE PROOF.

GET IT, AND WHEN YOU HAVE IT,

WE WILL EXTRACT OUR RETRIBUTION.

HAS OUR BROTHER:

ANY PROPERTY?

WHY, UH, JUST A SMALL

ESTATE IN BURGUNDY, I AM TOLD.

CONFISCATE IT.

EH.

AND, UH, THE FATE

OF THE PRETENDER?

NOT A SINGLE DROP OF

ROYAL BLOOD IS TO BE SHED

IN THIS, FOUQUET.

WHO WOULD NOT WANT TO

TEMP PROVIDENCE BY

CONDONING REGICIDE?

WISE.

VERY WISE, SIR.

ALSO WE CANNOT FORGE THIS PRETENDER IS MORE

THAN OUR BROTHER,

HE IS OUR TWIN.

UMM.

OUR MIRROR IMAGE.

OUR OTHER SELF.

WOUND PHILIPPE AND

MIGHT NOT LOUIS BLEED?

KILL PHILIPPE AND

MIGHT LOUIS DIE?

NO, WE MUST FIND

SOME OTHER WAY.

SIRE, I KNOW THERE'S A

FORTRESS REMOTE AND INACCESSIBLE.

WE LEAVE THE PLACE

TO YOUR DISCRETION.

BUT KNOW THIS, FOUQUET.

WE WISH NEVER TO

HEAR HIS NAME AGAIN.

AND NO ONE, NO ONE,

IS EVER TO LOOK UPON HIS FACE.

THAT IS WHY MERE

CONFINEMENT WILL NOT SUFFICE.

WE MUST DEVISE....

SOMETHING.....SPECIAL?

[OPENS JAIL DOOR]

WE WANT YOU.

COME:

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