第章

Twomonthswereincessantlyemployedinerectingthescaffoldingofourtricks，andwhenwewerequiteconfidentofbeingabletocontendagainstthedifficultiesofsuchanundertaking，weannouncedthefirstrepresentationofsecondsight。Onthe12thofFebruary，1846，Iprintedinthecenterofmybillthefollowingsingularannouncement：

“InthisperformanceM。Robert-Houdin’sson，whoisgiftedwithamarveloussecondsight，afterhiseyeshavebeencoveredwithathickbandage，willdesignateeveryobjectpresentedtohimbytheaudience。“

Icannotsaywhetherthisannouncementattractedanyspectators，formyroomwasconstantlycrowded，stillImayaffirm，whatmayseemveryextraordinary，thattheexperimentofsecondsight，whichafterwardsbecamesofashionable，producednoeffectonthefirstperformance。Iaminclinedtobelievethatthespectatorsfanciedthemselvesthedupesofaccomplices，butIwasmuchannoyedbytheresult，asIhadbuiltonthesurpriseIshouldproduce；still，havingnoreasontodoubtitsultimatesuccess，Iwastemptedtomakeasecondtrial，whichturnedoutwell。

ThenexteveningInoticedinmyroomseveralpersonswhohadbeenpresentonthepreviousnight，andIfelttheyhadcomeasecondtimetoassurethemselvesoftherealityoftheexperiment。Itseemstheywereconvinced，formysuccesswascomplete，andamplycompensatedformyformerdisappointment。

Iespeciallyrememberamarkofsingularapprovalwithwhichoneofmypitaudiencefavoredme。Mysonhadnamedtohimseveralobjectsheofferedinsuccession；butnotfeelingsatisfied，myincredulousfriend，rising，asiftogivemoreimportancetothedifficultyhewasabouttopresent，handedmeaninstrumentpeculiartoclothmerchants，andemployedtocountthenumberofthreads。Acquiescinginhiswish，Isaidtomyboy，“WhatdoI

holdinmyhand？“

“Itisaninstrumenttojudgethefinenessofcloth，andcalledathreadcounter。“

“ByJove!“myspectatorsaid，energetically，“itismarvelous。IfIhadpaidtenfrancstoseeit，Ishouldnotbegrudgethem。“

Fromthismomentmyroomwasmuchtoosmall，andwascrowdedeveryevening。

Still，successisnotentirelyrose-colored，andIcouldeasilynarratemanydisagreeablescenesproducedbythereputationIhadofbeingasorcerer；butIwillonlymentionone，whichformsaresumeofallIpassover：

Ayoungladyofelegantmannerspaidmeavisitoneday，andalthoughherfacewashiddenbyathickveil，mypracticedeyesperfectlydistinguishedherfeatures。Shewasverypretty。

Myincognitawouldnotconsenttositdowntillshewasassuredwewerealone，andthatIwastherealRobert-Houdin。Ialsoseatedmyself，andassumingtheattitudeofamanpreparedtolisten，I

bentslightlytomyvisitor，asifawaitingherpleasuretoexplaintometheobjectofhermysteriousvisit。Tomygreatsurprise，theyounglady，whosemannerbetrayedextremeemotion，maintainedthemostprofoundsilence，andIbegantofindthevisitverystrange，andwasonthepointofforcinganexplanation，atanyhazard，whenthefairunknowntimidlyventuredthesewords：

“GoodHeavens!sir，Iknownothowyouwillinterpretmyvisit。“

Hereshestopped，andlethereyessinkwithaveryembarrassedair；then，makingaviolenteffort，shecontinued：

“WhatIhavetoaskofyou，sir，isverydifficulttoexplain。“

“Speak，madam，Ibeg，“Isaid，politely，“andIwilltrytoguesswhatyoucannotexplaintome。“

AndIbeganaskingmyselfwhatthisreservemeant。

“Inthefirstplace，“theyoungladysaid，inalowvoice，andlookingroundher，“ImusttellyouconfidentiallythatIloved，mylovewasreturned，andI——Iambetrayed。“

Atthelastwordtheladyraisedherhead，overcamethetimidityshefelt，andsaid，inafirmandassuredvoice：

“Yes，sir——yes，Iambetrayed，andforthatreasonIhavecometoyou。“

“Really，madam，“Isaid，muchsurprisedatthisstrangeconfession，“IdonotseehowIcanhelpyouinsuchamatter。“

“Oh，sir，Ientreatyou，“saidmyfairvisitor，claspingherhands——

“Iimploreyounottoabandonme!“

Ihadgreatdifficultyinkeepingmycountenance，andyetIfeltanextremecuriositytoknowthehistoryconcealedbehindthismystery。

“Calmyourself，madam，“Iremarked，inatoneoftendersympathy；

“tellmewhatyouwouldofme，andifitbeinmypower——“

“Ifitbeinyourpower!“theyoungladysaid，quickly；“why，nothingismoreeasy，sir。“

“Explainyourself，madam。“

“Well，sir，Iwishtobeavenged。“

“Inwhatway？“

“How，youknowbetterthanI，sir；mustIteachyou？Youhaveinyourpowermeansto——“

“I，madam？“

“Yes，sir，you!foryouareasorcerer，andcannotdenyit。“

Atthiswordsorcerer，Iwasmuchinclinedtolaugh；butIwasrestrainedbytheincognita’sevidentemotion。Still，wishingtoputanendtoascenewhichwasgrowingridiculous，Isaid，inapolitelyironicaltone：

“Unfortunately，madam，yougivemeatitleIneverpossessed。“

“How，sir!“theyoungwomanexclaimed，inaquicktone，“youwillnotallowyouare——“

“Asorcerer，madam？Oh，no，Iwillnot。“

“Youwillnot？“

“No，athousandtimesno，madam。“

Atthesewordsmyvisitorrosehastily，mutteredafewincoherentwords，appearedsufferingfromterribleemotion，andthendrawingnearmewithflamingeyesandpassionategestures，repeated：

“Ah，youwillnot!Verygood；InowknowwhatIhavetodo。“

Stupefiedbysuchanoutbreak，Ilookedatherfixedly，andbegantosuspectthecauseofherextraordinaryconduct。

“Therearetwomodesofacting，“shesaid，withterriblevolubility，“towardpeoplewhodevotethemselvestomagicarts——

entreatyandmenaces。Youwouldnotyieldtothefirstofthesemeans，hence，Imustemploythesecond。Stay，“sheadded，“perhapsthiswillinduceyoutospeak。“

And，liftinguphercloak，shelaidherhandonthehiltofadaggerpassedthroughhergirdle。Atthesametimeshesuddenlythrewbackherveil，anddisplayedfeaturesinwhichallthesignsofrageandmadnesscouldbetraced。NolongerhavingadoubtastothepersonIhadtodealwith，myfirstmovementwastoriseandstandonmyguard；butthisfirstfeelingovercome，Irepentedthethoughtofastrugglewiththeunhappywoman，anddeterminedonemployingamethodalmostalwayssuccessfulwiththosedeprivedofreason。Ipretendedtoaccedetoherwishes。

“Ifitbeso，madam，Iyieldtoyourrequest。Tellmewhatyourequire。“

“Ihavetoldyou，sir；Iwishforvengeance，andthereisonlyonemethodto——“

Heretherewasafreshinterruption，andtheyounglady，calmedbymyapparentsubmission，aswellasembarrassedbytherequestshehadtomakeofme，becameagaintimidandconfused。

“Well，madam？“

“Well，sir，Iknownothowtotellyou——howtoexplaintoyou——butIfancytherearecertainmeans——certainspells——whichrenderitimpossible——impossibleforamantobe——unfaithful。“

“Inowunderstandwhatyouwish，madam。Itisacertainmagicpracticeemployedinthemiddleages。Nothingiseasier，andI

willsatisfyyou。“

Decidedonplayingthefarcetotheend，ItookdownthelargestbookIcouldfindinmylibrary，turnedovertheleaves，stoppedatapagewhichIpretendedtoscanwithprofoundattention，andthenaddressingthelady，whofollowedallmymovementsanxiously，“Madam，“Isaidconfidentially，“thespellIamgoingtoperformrendersitnecessaryformetoknowthenameoftheperson；havethekindness，then，totellitme。“

“Julian!“shesaid，inafaintvoice。

Withallthegravityofarealsorcerer，Isolemnlythrustapinthroughalightedcandle，andpronouncedsomecabalisticwords。

Afterwhich，blowingoutthecandle，andturningtothepoorcreature，Isaid：

“Madam，itisdone；yourwishisaccomplished。“

“Oh，thankyou，sir，“shereplied，withtheexpressionoftheprofoundestgratitude；andatthesamemomentshelaidapurseonthetableandrushedaway。Iorderedmyservanttofollowhertoherhouse，andobtainalltheinformationhecouldabouther，andI

learnedshehadbeenawidowforashorttime，andthatthelossofanadoredhusbandhaddisturbedherreason。ThenextdayIvisitedherrelatives，and，returningthemthepurse，Itoldthemthescenethedetailsofwhichthereaderhasjustperused。

Thisscene，withsomeothersthatprecededandfollowedit，compelledmetotakemeasurestoguardmyselfagainstboresofeverydescription。Icouldnotdream，asformerly，ofexilingmyselfinthecountry，butIemployedasimilarresource：thiswastoshutmyselfupinmyworkroom，andorganizearoundmeasystemofdefenseagainstthosewhomIcalled，inmyill-temper，thievesoftime。

Idailyreceivedvisitsfrompersonswhowereutterstrangerstome；somewereworthknowing，butthemajority，gaininganintroductionunderthemostfutilepretexts，onlycametokillaportionoftheirleisuretimewithme。Itwasnecessarytodistinguishthetaresfromthewheat，andthisisthearrangementI

made：

Whenoneofthesegentlemenrangatmydoor，anelectriccommunicationstruckabellinmyworkroom；Iwasthuswarnedandputonmyguard。Myservantopenedthedoor，and，asiscustomary，inquiredthevisitor’sname，whileI，formypart，laidmyeartoatube，arrangedforthepurpose，whichconveyedtomeeveryword。

If，accordingtohisreply，Ithoughtitaswellnottoreceivehim，Ipressedabutton，andawhitemarkthatappearedinacertainpartofthehallannouncedIwasnotathometohim。MyservantthenstatedIwasout，andbeggedthevisitortoapplytothemanager。

SometimesithappenedthatIerredinmyjudgment，andregrettedhavinggrantedanaudience；butIhadanothermodeofshorteningabore’svisit。IhadplacedbehindthesofaonwhichIsatanelectricspring，communicatingwithabellmyservantcouldhear。

Incaseofneed，andwhiletalking，Ithrewmyarmcarelesslyoverthebackofthesofa，touchingthespring，andthebellrang。Thenmyservant，playingalittlefarce，openedthefrontdoor，rangthebell，whichcouldbeheardfromtheroomwhereIsat，andcametotellmethatM。X——(anameinventedfortheoccasion)wishedtospeaktome。IorderedM。X——tobeshownintoanadjoiningroom，anditwasveryrarethatmyboredidnotraisethesiege。NoonecanformanideahowmuchtimeIgainedbythishappyarrangement，orhowmanytimesIblessedmyimaginationandthecelebratedsavanttowhomthediscoveryofgalvanismisdue!

Thisfeelingcanbeeasilyexplained，formytimewasofinestimablevalue。Ihusbandeditlikeatreasure，andneversacrificedit，unlessthesacrificemighthelpmetodiscovernewexperimentsdestinedtostimulatepubliccuriosity。

Tosupportmydeterminationinmakingmyresearches，Ihadeverbeforemethismaxim：

ITISMOREDIFFICULTTOSUPPORTADMIRATIONTHANTOEXCITEIT。

Andthisother，anapparentcorollaryofthepreceding：

THEFASHIONANARTISTENJOYSCANONLYLASTASHISTALENTDAILY

INCREASES。

Nothingincreasesaprofessionalman’smeritsomuchasthepossessionofanindependentfortune；thistruthmaybecoarse，butitisindubitable。NotonlywasIconvincedoftheseprinciplesofhigheconomy，butIalsoknewthatamanmuststrivetoprofitbytheficklefavorofthepublic，whichequallydescendsifitdoesnotrise。HenceIworkedmyreputationasmuchasIcould。Inspiteofmynumerousengagements，Ifoundmeanstogiveperformancesinalltheprincipaltheaters，thoughgreatdifficultiesfrequentlyarose，asmyperformancedidnotendtillhalf-pastten，andIcouldonlyfulfillmyotherengagementsafterthathour。

Eleveno’clockwasgenerallythehourfixedformyappearanceonastrangestage，andmyreadersmayjudgeofthespeedrequiredtoproceedtothetheaterinsoshortatimeandmakemypreparations。

Itistruethatthemomentswereaswellcountedasemployed，andmycurtainhadhardlyfallenthan，rushingtowardthestairs，Igotbeforemyaudience，andjumpedintoavehiclethatboremeoffatfullspeed。

Butthisfatiguewasasnothingcomparedtotheemotionoccasionallyproducedbyanerrorinthetimethatwastoelapsebetweenmytwoperformances。Irememberthat，onenight，havingtowinduptheperformancesattheVaudeville，thestagemanagermiscalculatedthetimethepieceswouldtakeinperforming，andfoundhimselfmuchinadvance。Hesentoffanexpresstowarnmethatthecurtainhadfallen，andIwasanxiouslyexpected。Canmyreaderscomprehendmywretchedness？Myexperiments，ofwhichI