At the beginning of the seventeenth century, a French gentleman, named
Guy de Verré, lived with his wife and two sons at Saumur. Claude, the
elder of these children, who had a peculiar scar on his brow (which
had been left by a burn), at an early age expressed a strong desire to
become a soldier, and his father accordingly procured an ensigncy for
him in the regiment of Clanleu. In 1638 Claude de Verré left the
paternal mansion to join his regiment; and from that date till 1651
nothing was heard of him. In the latter year, however, one of the
officers of a regiment which had been ordered to Saumur presented
himself at the chateau of Chauvigny, which was occupied by Madame de
Verré, now a widow; and no sooner had he appeared than Jacques, the
second son, observed his perfect resemblance to his missing brother.
He communicated his suspicions to his mother, who was overwhelmed with
delight, and without consulting more than her emotions, addressed the
stranger as her son. At first the officer feebly protested that he did
not enjoy that relationship, but, seeing the lady's anxiety, he at
last admitted that he was Claude de Verré, and that he had hesitated
to declare himself at first until he had assured himself that his
reception would be cordial after his eighteen years of absence. He had
no reason to doubt the maternal love and forgiveness. From the first
moment of his discovery he was acknowledged as the heir, and the happy
mother celebrated his return by great rejoicings, to which all her
friends and relatives were invited. He was presented to the members of
the family, and they recognised him readily; although they did not
fail to notice certain distinctions of feature and manner between him
and the Claude de Verré who had gone to join the regiment of Clanleu.
Still, as he answered all the questions which were put to him promptly
and correctly, and as he sustained the character of the lost son
perfectly, it was easy to suppose that absence and increasing age had
effected a slight change in him, and he was received everywhere with
marked demonstrations of friendship. M. de Piedsélon, a brother of
Madame de Verré, alone denounced him as an impostor; but his words
were unheeded, and the new comer continued to possess the confidence
of the other relatives, and of the widow and her second son, with whom
he continued to reside for some time.
At last the day came when he must rejoin his regiment, and his brother
Jacques accompanied him into Normandy, where it was stationed, and
where they made the acquaintance of an M. de Dauplé, a gentleman who
had a very pretty daughter. Claude de Verré soon fell over head and
ears in love with this girl, who reciprocated his passion and married
him. Before the ceremony a marriage-contract was signed, and this
document, by a very peculiar clause, stipulated that, in the event of
a separation, the bridegroom should pay a reasonable sum to Madlle de
Dauplé. Jacques de Verré signed this contract as the brother of the
bridegroom, and it was duly registered by a notary. After their
marriage the happy couple lived together until the drum and trumpet
gave the signal for their separation, and Claude de Verré marched to
the wars with his regiment.
But when released from service, instead of returning to pass the
winter with his wife, he resorted once more to Chauvigny, to the house
of Madame de Verré, and took his brother back. She was delighted to
see him again, and on his part it was evident that he was resolved to
make amends for his past neglect and his prolonged absence.
Nevertheless, during his stay at the family mansion, he found time to
indulge in a flirtation--if nothing worse--with a pretty girl named
Anne Allard. Soon after his arrival intelligence reached Saumur of the
death of the Madlle de Dauplé whom Claude had married in Normandy--an
occurrence which seemed to give him the utmost sorrow, but which did
not prevent him from marrying Anne Allard within a very short time,
his own feelings being ostensibly sacrificed to those of his mother,
who was anxious that he should settle down at home. In this instance,
also, a marriage-contract was entered into, and was signed by Madame
de Verré and her son Jacques. Not content with this proof of
affection, the mother of Claude, seeing her eldest son thus settled
down beside her, executed a deed conveying to him all her property,
reserving only an annuity for herself and the portion of the second
son.
For some time Claude de Verré lived peacefully and happily with Anne
Allard, rejoicing in the possession of an affectionate wife, managing
his property carefully, and even adding to the attractiveness and
value of the family estate of Chauvigny. Two children were born of the
marriage, and nothing seemed wanting to his prosperity, when suddenly
a soldier of the French Gardes presented himself at Chauvigny. This
man also claimed to be the eldest son of Madame de Verré, and gave a
circumstantial account of his history from the time of his
disappearance in 1638 to the period of his return. Among other
adventures, he said that he had been made a prisoner at the siege of
Valenciennes, that he had been exchanged, and that, while he was
quartered in a town near Chauvigny, the news had reached him that an
impostor was occupying his position. This intelligence determined him
to return home at once, and, by declaring himself, to dissipate the
illusion and put an end to the comedy which was being played at his
expense.
The revelations of the soldier did not produce the result which he had
anticipated; for, whether she was still persuaded that the husband of
Anne Allard was the only and real Claude de Verré, or whether, while
recognising her mistake, she preferred to leave matters as they were
rather than promote a great family scandal and disturbance, Madame de
Verré persisted that the new comer was not her son, for she had only
two, and they were both living with her. Of course, the husband of
Anne Allard had no hesitation in declaring the soldier an impostor,
and Jacques de Verré united his voice to the others, and repudiated
all claims to brotherhood on the part of the guardsman.
However, affairs were not allowed to remain in this position. The new
arrival, rejected by those with whom he claimed the most intimate
relationship, appealed to a magistrate at Saumur, and lodged a
complaint against his mother because of her refusal to acknowledge
him, and against the so-called Claude de Verré for usurping his title
and position, in order to gain possession of the family property. When
the matter was brought before him the magistrate ordered the soldier
to be placed under arrest, and sent for Madame de Verré to give her
version of the affair. The lady declined to have anything to do with
the claimant, although she admitted that there were some circumstances
which told in his favour. Her brother M. Piedsélon, however, who had
refused to recognise Anne Allard's husband in 1651, was still at
Saumur, and he was confronted with the claimant. The recognition
between the two men was mutual, and their answers to the same
questions were identical. Moreover, the new comer had the scar on his
brow, which was wanting on the person of the possessor of the estate.
The other relatives followed the lead of M. Piedsélon; and ultimately
it was proved that the husband of Anne Allard was an impostor, and
that his real name was Michael Feydy. Consequently, on the 21st of May
1657, the Criminal-Lieutenant of Saumur delivered sentence, declaring
that the soldier of the Gardes was the true Claude de Verré,
permitting him to take possession of the property of the deceased Guy
de Verré, and condemning Michael Feydy to death.
The first part of this sentence was carried out. The new Claude took
forcible possession of the mansion and estate of Chauvigny. But it was
found that Michael Feydy had disappeared, leaving his wife full power
to act for him in his absence. Anne Allard at once instituted a
suit--not against the possessor of the estates, whom she persistently
refused to acknowledge--but against Madame de Verré and her son
Jacques, and petitioned that they might be compelled to put an end to
the criminal prosecution which the soldier of the Gardes had
instituted against her husband, to restore her to the possession and
enjoyment of the mansion of Chauvigny, and the other property which
belonged to her; and that, in the event of their failure to do so,
they should be ordered to repay her all the expenses which she had
incurred since her marriage; to grant her an annuity of two hundred
livres per annum, according to the terms of her marriage-settlement;
and further, to pay her 20,000 livres as damages.
At this stage another person appeared on the scene--none other than
Madlle de Dauplé, whom the sham Claude had married in Normandy, and
whom he had reported as dead. She also had recourse to the legal
tribunals, and demanded that Madame de Verré and her second son should
pay her an annuity of 500 livres, and the arrears which were due to
her since her abandonment by her husband, and 1500 livres for expenses
incurred by Jacques Verré during his residence with her father and
mother in Normandy. The children of Anne Allard, moreover, brought a
suit to establish their own legitimacy.
The Avocat-Général was of opinion that the marriage contract between
Michael Feydy and Mademoiselle de Dauplé should be declared void,
because there was culpable carelessness on the father's part and on
the girl's part alike. He thought the marriage of Michael Feydy and
Anne Allard binding, because it had been contracted in good faith.
Jacques de Verré he absolved from all blame, and was of opinion that
since Madame de Verré had signed the marriage-contract it was only
just to make her pay something towards the support of Anne Allard and
her children. The Supreme Court did not altogether adopt these
conclusions. By a decree of the 31st of June 1656, it dismissed the
appeals of Anne Allard and of Madeline de Dauplé. It declared the
children of Michael Feydy and of Anne Allard legitimate, and adjudged
to them and to their mother all the property acquired by their father,
which had accrued to him by his division with Jacques de Verré, under
the name of Claude de Verré, until the signature of the matrimonial
agreement, and also the guarantee of the debts which Anne Allard had
incurred conjointly with her husband. Madame de Verré was also
condemned to pay 2000 livres to Anne Allard, under the contract which
had been signed. Of Feydy himself nothing further is known.