Count Tzarogy, which is a transposition of Ragotzy, a well-known
noble name. The Margrave of Anspach met him at the house of his
favorite Clairon, the actress, and became so fond of him, that he
insisted upon his company to Italy. On his return, he went to Dresden,
Leipzig, and Hamburg, and finally to Eckernfiorde, in Schleswig, where
he took up his residence with the Landgrave Karl of Hesse; and at
length, in 1783, tired, as he said, of life, and disdaining any longer
immortality, he gave up the ghost.

It was during St. Germain's residence in Schleswig that he was visited
by the renowned Cagliostro, who openly acknowledged him as master, and
learned many of his most precious secrets from him--among others, the
faculty of discriminating the character by the handwriting, and of
fascinating birds, animals, and reptiles.

To trace the wanderings of St. Germain is a difficult task, as he had
innumerable aliases, and often totally disappeared for months together.
In Venice, he was known as the Count de Bellamare; at Pisa, as the
Chevalier de Schoening; at Milan, as the Chevalier Welldone; at Genoa,
as the Count Soltikow, etc.

In all these journeys, his own personal tastes were quiet and simple,
and he manifested more attachment for a pocket-copy of Guarini's "Pastor
Fido"--his only library--than for any other object in his possession.

On the whole, the Count de St. Germain was a man of magnificent
attainments, but the use he made of his talents proved him to be also a
most magnificent humbug.

CHAPTER XLIII.

RIZA BEY, THE PERSIAN ENVOY TO LOUIS XIV.

The most gorgeous, and with one sole exception the most glorious reign
that France has known, so far as military success is concerned, was that
of Louis XIV, the Grand Monarque. His was the age of lavish expenditure,
of magnificent structures, grand festivals, superb dress and equipage,
aristocratic arrogance, brilliant campaigns, and great victories. It
was, moreover, particularly distinguished for the number and high
character of the various special embassies sent to the court of France
by foreign powers. Among these, Spain, the Netherlands, Great Britain,
and Venice rivaled each other in extravagant display and pomp. The
singular and really tangible imposture I am about to describe, practiced
at such a period and on such a man as Louis of France, was indeed a bold
and dashing affair.

"L'Etat c'est moi"--"I am the State," was Louis' celebrated and very
s