Heexhaustedinthismannerthepatienceofsomedozenofpeople，when，thinkingthattherewaslessdangerforhiminFrance，undertheyoungkingLouisXV，thanunderhisoldandmorosepredecessor，hereturnedtoProvence。OnhisarrivalatAix，hepresentedhimselfbeforeM。leBret，thePresidentoftheprovince，agentlemanwhowasmuchattachedtothepursuitsofalchymy，andhadgreathopesofbeinghimselfabletofindthephilosopher’sstone。M。leBret，contrarytohisexpectation，receivedhimverycoolly，inconsequenceofsomerumoursthatwerespreadabroadrespectinghim；andtoldhimtocalluponhimonthemorrow。Aluysdidnotlikethetoneofthevoice，ortheexpressionoftheeyeofthelearnedPresident，asthatfunctionarylookeddownuponhim。Suspectingthatallwasnotright，heleftAixsecretlythesameevening，andproceededtoMarseilles。
Butthepolicewereonthewatchforhim；andhehadnotbeentherefour-and-twentyhours，beforehewasarrestedonachargeofcoining，andthrownintoprison。
Astheproofsagainsthimweretooconvincingtoleavehimmuchhopeofanacquittal，heplannedanescapefromdurance。Itsohappenedthatthegaolerhadaprettydaughter，andAluyssoondiscoveredthatshewastender-hearted。Hedeavouredtogainherinhisfavour，andsucceeded。Thedamsel，unawarethathewasamarriedman，conceivedandencouragedapassionforhim，andgenerouslyprovidedhimwiththemeansofescape。Afterhehadbeennearlyayearinprisonhesucceededingettingfree，leavingthepoorgirlbehind，tolearnthatbewasalreadymarried，andtolamentinsolitudethatshehadgivenherhearttoanungratefulvagabond。
WhenheleftMarseilles，hehadnotashoetohisfoot，oradecentgarmenttohisback，butwasprovidedwithsomemoneyandclothesbyhiswifeinaneighbouringtown。TheythenfoundtheirwaytoBrussels，andbydintofexcessiveimpudence，broughtthemselvesintonotice。Hetookahouse，fittedupasplendidlaboratory，andgaveoutthatheknewthesecretoftransmutation。InvaindidM。
Percel，thebrother-in-lawofLengletduFresnoy，whoresidedinthatcity，exposehispretensions，andholdhimuptocontemptasanignorantimpostor:theworldbelievedhimnot。Theytookthealchymistathisword，andbesiegedhisdoors，toseeandwonderatthecleverlegerdemainbywhichheturnedironnailsintogoldandsilver。Arichgreffierpaidhimalargesumofmoneythathemightbeinstructedintheart，andAluysgavehimseverallessonsonthemostcommonprinciplesofchemistry。Thegreffierstudiedhardforatwelvemonth，andthendiscoveredthathismasterwasaquack。Hedemandedhismoneybackagain；butAluyswasnotinclinedtogiveithim，andtheaffairwasbroughtbeforetheciviltribunaloftheprovince。Inthemeantime，however，thegreffierdiedsuddenly；poisoned，accordingtothepopularrumour，byhisdebtor，toavoidrepayment。Sogreatanoutcryaroseinthecity，thatAluys，whomayhavebeeninnocentofthecrime，wasneverthelessafraidtoremainandbraveit。Hewithdrewsecretlyinthenight，andretiredtoParis。Herealltraceofhimislost。Hewasneverheardofagain；butLengletduFresnoyconjectures，thatheendedhisdaysinsomeobscuredungeon，intowhichhewascastforcoining，orothermalpracticcs。
THECOUNTDEST。GERMAIN
Thisadventurerwasofahighergradethanthelast，andplayedadistinguishedpartatthecourtofLouisXV。Hepretendedtohavediscoveredtheelixiroflife，bymeansofwhichhecouldmakeanyoneliveforcenturies；andallowedittobebelievedthathisownagewasupwardsoftwothousandyears。HeentertainedmanyoftheopinionsoftheRosicrucians；boastedofhisintercoursewithsylphsandsalamanders；andofhispowerofdrawingdiamondsfromtheearth，andpearlsfromthesea，bytheforceofhisincantations。Hedidnotlayclaimtothemeritofhavingdiscoveredthephilosopher’sstone；butdevotedsomuchofhistimetotheoperationsofalchymy，thatitwasverygenerallybelieved，that，ifsuchathingasthephilosopher’sstonehadeverexisted，orcouldbecalledintoexistence，hewasthemantosucceedinfindingit。
Ithasneveryetbeendiscoveredwhatwashisrealname，orinwhatcountryhewasborn。Somebelieved，fromtheJewishcastofhishandsomecountenance，thathewasthe“wanderingJew；“othersasserted，thathewastheissueofanArabianprincess，andthathisfatherwasasalamander；whileothers，morereasonable，affirmedhimtobethesonofaPortugueseJew，establishedatBourdeaux。HefirstcarriedonhisimpostureinGermany，wherehemadeconsiderablesumsbysellinganelixirtoarresttheprogressofoldage。TheMarechaldeBelle-Islepurchasedadoseofit；andwassocaptivatedwiththewit，learning，andgoodmannersofthecharlatan，andsoconvincedofthejusticeofhismostpreposterouspretensions，thatheinducedhimtofixhisresidenceinParis。UndertheMarshal’spatronage，hefirstappearedinthegaycirclesofthatcapital。Everyonewasdelightedwiththemysteriousstranger；who，atthisperiodofhislife，appearstohavebeenaboutseventyyearsofage，butdidnotlookmorethanforty-five。Hiseasyassuranceimposeduponmostpeople。Hisreadingwasextensive，andhismemoryextraordinarilytenaciousoftheslightestcircumstances。Hispretensiontohavelivedforsomanycenturiesnaturallyexposedhimtosomepuzzlingquestions，astotheappearance，life，andconversationofthegreatmenofformerdays；
buthewasneveratalossforananswer。Manywhoquestionedhimforthepurposeofscoffingathim，refrainedinperplexity，quitebewilderedbyhispresenceofmind，hisreadyreplies，andhisastonishingaccuracyoneverypointmentionedinhistory。Toincreasethemysterybywhichhewassurrounded，hepermittednopersontoknowhowhelived。Hedressedinastyleofthegreatestmagnificence；
sportedvaluablediamondsinhishat，onhisfingers，andinhisshoe-buckles；andsometimesmadethemostcostlypresentstotheladiesofthecourt。Itwassuspectedbymanythathewasaspy，inthepayoftheEnglishministry；butthereneverwasatittleofevidencetosupportthecharge。TheKinglookeduponhimwithmarkedfavour，wasoftenclosetedwithhimforhourstogether，andwouldnotsufferanybodytospeakdisparaginglyofhim。Voltaireconstantlyturnedhimintoridicule；and，inoneofhisletterstotheKingofPrussia，mentionshimas“uncomtepourfire；“andstates，thathepretendedtohavedinedwiththeholyfathers，attheCouncilofTrent！
Inthe“MemoirsofMadameduHausset，“chamber-womantoMadameduPompadour，therearesomeamusinganecdotesofthispersonage。VerysoonafterhisarrivalinParis，hehadtheentreeofherdressing-room；afavouronlygrantedtothemostpowerfullordsatthecourtofherroyallover。Madamewasfondofconversingwithhim；and，inherpresence，hethoughtfittolowerhispretensionsveryconsiderably:butheoftenallowedhertobelievethathehadlivedtwoorthreehundredyears，atleast。“Oneday，“saysMadameduHausset，“Madamesaidtohim，inmypresence，’WhatwasthepersonalappearanceofFrancisI？HewasaKingIshouldhaveliked。’’Hewas，indeed，verycaptivating，’repliedSt。Germain；andheproceededtodescribehisfaceandperson，asthatofamanwhomhehadaccuratelyobserved。’Itisapityhewastooardent。Icouldhavegivenhimsomegoodadvice，whichwouldhavesavedhimfromallhismisfortunes:buthewouldnothavefollowedit；foritseemsasifafatalityattendedprinces，forcingthemtoshuttheirearstothewisestcounsel。’’Washiscourtverybrilliant？’inquiredMadameduPompadour。’Very，’repliedtheCount；’butthoseofhisgrandsonssurpassedit。InthetimeofMaryStuartandMargaretofValois，itwasalandofenchantment——atemplesacredtopleasuresofeverykind。’Madamesaid，laughing，’Youseemtohaveseenallthis。’’I
haveanexcellentmemory，’saidhe，’andhavereadthehistoryofFrancewithgreatcare。Isometimesamusemyself，notbymaking，butbyletting，itbebelievedthatIlivedinoldtimes。’
“’Butyoudonottellusyourage，’saidMadameduPompadourtohimonanotheroccasion；’andyetyoupretendyouareveryold。TheCountessdeGergy，whowas，Ibelieve，ambassadressatViennasomefiftyyearsago，saysshesawyouthere，exactlythesameasyounowappear。’
“’Itistrue，Madam，’repliedSt。Germain；’IknewMadamedeGergymanyyearsago。’
“’But，accordingtoheraccount，youmustbemorethanahundredyearsold？’
“’Thatisnotimpossible，’saidhe，laughing；’butitismuchmorepossiblethatthegoodladyisinherdotage。’
“’Yougaveheranelixir，surprisingfortheeffectsitproduced；
forshesays，thatduringalengthoftime，sheonlyappearedtobeeighty-four；theageatwhichshetookit。Whydon’tyougiveittotheKing？’
“’0Madam！’heexclaimed，’thephysicianswouldhavemebrokenonthewheel，wereItothinkofdrugginghisMajesty。’“
Whentheworldbeginstobelieveextraordinarythingsofanindividual，thereisnotellingwhereitsextravagancewillstop。
People，whenoncetheyhavetakenthestart，viewitheachotherwhoshallbelievemost。AtthisperiodallParisresoundedwiththewonderfuladventuresoftheCountdeSt。Germain；andacompanyofwaggishyoungmentriedthefollowingexperimentuponitscredulity:-
Aclevermimic，who，onaccountoftheamusementheafforded，wasadmittedintogoodsociety，wastakenbythem，dressedastheCountdeSt。Germain，intoseveralhousesintheRueduMarais。HeimitatedtheCount’speculiaritiesadmirably，andfoundhisauditorsopen-mouthedtobelieveanyabsurdityhechosetoutter。NOfictionwastoomonstrousfortheirall-devouringcredulity。HespokeoftheSaviouroftheworldintermsofthegreatestfamiliarity；saidhehadsuppedwithhimatthemarriageinCanaanofGalilee，wherethewaterwasmiraculouslyturnedintowine。Infact，hesaidhewasanintimatefriendofhis，andhadoftenwarnedhimtobelessromanticandimprudent，orhewouldfinishhiscareermiserably。Thisinfamousblasphemy，strangetosay，foundbelievers；and，erethreedayshadelapsed，itwascurrentlyreportedthatSt。Germainwasbornsoonafterthedeluge，andthathewouldneverdie！
St。Germainhimselfwastoomuchamanoftheworldtoassertanythingsomonstrous；buthetooknopainstocontradictthestory。
Inallhisconversationswithpersonsofrankandeducation，headvancedhisclaimsmodestly，andasifbymereinadvertency；andseldompretendedtoalongevitybeyondthreehundredyears；exceptwhenhefoundhewasincompanywithpersonswhowouldbelieveanything。HeoftenspokeofHenryVIII，asifhehadknownhimintimately；andoftheEmperorCharlesV，asifthatmonarchhaddelightedinhissociety。Hewoulddescribeconversationswhichtookplacewithsuchanapparenttruthfulness，andbesoexceedinglyminuteandparticularastothedressandappearanceoftheindividuals，andeventheweatheratthetime，andthefurnitureoftheroom，thatthreepersonsoutoffourweregenerallyinclinedtocredithim。Hehadconstantapplicationsfromricholdwomenforanelixirtomakethemyoungagain；and，itwouldappear，gainedlargesumsinthismanner。Tothosewhomhewaspleasedtocallhisfriends，hesaid，hismodeoflivingandplanofdietwerefarsuperiortoanyelixir；andthatanybodymightattainapatriarchalage，byrefrainingfromdrinkingatmeals，andverysparinglyatanyothertime。TheBarondeGleichenfollowedthissystem，andtookgreatquantitiesofsennaleaves，expectingtolivefortwohundredyears。Hedied，however，atseventy-three。TheDuchessdeChoiseulwasdesirousoffollowingthesamesystem；buttheDukeherhusband，inmuchwrath，forbadehertofollowanysystemprescribedbyamanwhohadsoequivocalareputationasM。deSt。Germain。