 Concerning the prisoner's past, specifically his early years prior to his arrest, Marcel Pagnol identifies the masked prisoner as a certain James de la Cloche, mentioned by some historians, including Lord Acton, Andrew Lang, Miss Carey, Mgr Barnes and Emile Laloy.In 1644, when Queen Henrietta of France, sister of Louis XIII, is about to give birth to Henrietta of England, the midwife Lady Perronette was sent to England by Cardinal Mazarin to assist, taking the twin with her in order to hide him abroad, which was the actual purpose of her journey.After giving birth, Henrietta of France sent Lady Perronette to the Carteret's, the noblest family on the Jersey island, so their daughter Marguerite could raise the child, being introduced as the son of a young noblewoman.