第章

IinformedtheArabsthatIpossessedatalismanrenderingmeinvulnerable，andIdefiedthebestmarksmaninAlgeriatohitme。

IhadhardlyutteredthewordswhenanArab，whohadattractedmynoticebytheattentionhehadpaidtomytricks，jumpedoverfourrowsofseats，anddisdainingtheuseofthe“practicable，“crossedtheorchestra，upsettingflutes，clarionets，andviolins，escaladedthestage，whileburninghimselfatthefootlights，andthensaid，inexcellentFrench：

“Iwillkillyou!“

AnimmenseburstoflaughtergreetedboththeArab’spicturesqueascentandhismurderousintentions，whileaninterpreterwhostoodnearmetoldmeIhadtodealwithaMarabout。

“Youwishtokillme!“Ireplied，imitatinghisaccentandtheinflectionofhisvoice。“Well，Ireply，thatthoughyouareasorcerer，Iamstillagreaterone，andyouwillnotkillme。“

Iheldacavalrypistolinmyhand，whichIpresentedtohim。

“Here，takethisweapon，andassureyourselfithasundergonenopreparation。“

TheArabbreathedseveraltimesdownthebarrel，thenthroughthenipple，toassurehimselftherewasacommunicationbetweenthem，andaftercarefullyexaminingthepistol，said：

“Theweaponisgood，andIwillkillyou。“

“Asyouaredetermined，andformorecertainty，putinadoublechargeofpowder，andawadonthetop。“

“Itisdone。“

“Now，hereisaleadenball；markitwithyourknife，soastobeabletorecognizeit，andputitinthepistol，withasecondwad。“

“Itisdone。“

“Nowthatyouarequitesureyourpistolisloaded，andthatitwillexplode，tellme，doyoufeelnoremorse，noscrupleaboutkillingmethus，althoughIauthorizeyoutodoso？“

“No，forIwishtokillyou，“theArabrepeatedcoldly。

Withoutreplying，Iputanappleonthepointofaknife，and，standingafewyardsfromtheMarabout，orderedhimtofire。

“Aimstraightattheheart，“Isaidtohim。

Myopponentaimedimmediately，withouttheslightesthesitation。

Thepistolexploded，andthebulletlodgedinthecenteroftheapple。

IcarriedthetalismantotheMarabout，whorecognizedtheballhehadmarked。

Icouldnotsaythatthistrickproducedgreaterstupefactionthantheonesprecedingit：atanyrate，myspectators，palsiedbysurpriseandterror，lookedroundinsilence，seemingtothink，“Wherethedeucehavewegottohere!“

Apleasantscene，however，soonunwrinkledmanyoftheirfaces。

TheMarabout，thoughstupefiedbyhisdefeat，hadnotlosthiswits；so，profitingbythemomentwhenhereturnedmethepistol，heseizedtheapple，thrustitintohiswaistbelt，andcouldnotbeinducedtoreturnit，persuadedashewasthathepossessedinitanincomparabletalisman。

ForthelasttrickinmyperformanceIrequiredtheassistanceofanArab。

Attherequestofseveralinterpreters，ayoungMoor，abouttwentyyearsofage，tall，wellbuilt，andrichlydressed，consentedtocomeonthestage。Bolderandmorecivilized，doubtless，thanhiscomradesoftheplains，hewalkedfirmlyuptome。

Idrewhimtowardthetablethatwasinthecenterofthestage，andpointedouttohimandtotheotherspectatorsthatitwasslightlybuiltandperfectlyisolated。Afterwhich，withoutfurtherpreface，Itoldhimtomountuponit，andcoveredhimwithanenormousclothcone，openatthetop。

Then，drawingtheconeanditscontentsontoaplank，theendsofwhichwereheldbymyservantandmyself，wewalkedtothefootlightswithourheavyburden，andupsetit。TheMoorhaddisappeared——theconewasperfectlyempty!

ImmediatelytherebeganaspectaclewhichIshallneverforget。

TheArabsweresoaffectedbythislasttrick，that，impelledbyanirresistiblefeelingofterror，theyroseinallpartsofthehouse，andyieldedtotheinfluenceofageneralpanic。Totellthetruth，thecrowdoffugitiveswasdensestatthedoorofthedresscircle，anditcouldbeseen，fromtheagilityandconfusionofthesehighdignitaries，thattheywerethefirsttowishtoleavethehouse。

Vainlydidoneofthem，theCaidoftheBeni-Salah，morecourageousthanhiscolleagues，trytorestrainthembyhiswords：

“Stay!stay!wecannotthusloseoneofourcoreligionists。Surelywemustknowwhathasbecomeofhim，orwhathasbeendonetohim。

Stay!stay!“

Butthecoreligionistsonlyranawaythefaster，andsoonthecourageouscaid，ledawaybytheirexample，followedthem。

Theylittleknewwhatawaitedthematthedoorofthetheater；buttheyhadscarcegonedownthestepswhentheyfoundthemselvesfacetofacewiththe“resuscitatedMoor。“

Thefirstmovementofterrorovercome，theysurroundedtheman，feltandcross-questionedhim；but，annoyedbytheserepeatedquestions，hehadnobetterrecoursethantoescapeatfullspeed。

Thenexteveningthesecondperformancetookplace，andproducednearlythesameeffectasthepreviousone。

Theblowwasstruck：henceforththeinterpretersandallthosewhohaddealingswiththeArabsreceivedorderstomakethemunderstandthatmypretendedmiracleswereonlytheresultofskill，inspiredandguidedbyanartcalledprestidigitation，innowayconnectedwithsorcery。

TheArabsdoubtlessyieldedtothesearguments，forhenceforthI

wasonthemostfriendlytermswiththem。Eachtimeachiefsawme，heneverfailedtocomeupandpressmyhand。And，evenmore，thesemenwhomIhadsoterrified，whentheybecamemyfriends，gavemeaprecioustestimonyoftheiresteem——Imaysay，too，oftheiradmiration，forthatistheirownexpression。

[TheseveresttrialofallwasunexpectedlyencounteredduringavisitpaidbytheconjurerandhiswifetoBou-Allem-ben-Sherifa，Bash-AgaoftheDjendel，atribeofthedesertinterior。]

Weenteredasmallroomveryelegantlydecorated，inwhichweretwodivans。

“This，“ourhostsaid，“istheroomreservedforguestsofdistinction；youcangotobedwhenyoulike，butifyouarenottired，Iwouldaskyourleavetopresenttoyouseveralchiefmenofmytribe，who，havingheardofyou，wishtoseeyou。“

“Letthemcomein，“Isaid，afterconsultingMadameHoudin，“wewillreceivethemwithpleasure。“

Theinterpreterwentout，andsoonbroughtinadozenoldmen，amongwhomwereaMaraboutandseveraltalebs，whomthebash-agaappearedtoholdingreatdeference。

TheysatdowninacircleoncarpetsandkeptupaverylivelyconversationaboutmyperformancesatAlgiers。Thislearnedsocietydiscussedtheprobabilityofthemarvelsrelatedbythechiefofthetribe，whotookgreatpleasureindepictinghisimpressionsandthoseofhiscoreligionistsatthesightoftheMIRACLESIhadperformed。

Eachlentanattentiveeartothesestories，andregardedmewithaspeciesofveneration；theMaraboutalonedisplayedadegreeofskepticism，andassertedthatthespectatorshadbeendupedbywhathecalledavision。

JealousofmyreputationasaFrenchsorcerer，IthoughtImustperformbeforetheunbelieverafewtricksasaspecimenofmylateperformance。Ihadthepleasureofastoundingmyaudience，buttheMaraboutcontinuedtooffermeasystematicopposition，bywhichhisneighborswerevisiblyannoyed；thepoorfellowdidnotsuspect，though，whatIhadinstoreforhim。

Myantagonistworeinhissashawatch，thechainofwhichhungoutside。

IbelieveIhavealreadymentionedacertaintalentIpossessoffilchingawatch，apin，apocketbook，etc。，withaskillbywhichseveralofmyfriendshavebeenvictimized。

Iwasfortunatelybornwithanhonestanduprightheart，orthispeculiartalentmighthaveledmetoofar。WhenIfeltinclinedforajokeofthisnature，Iturnedittoprofitinaconjuringtrick，orwaitedtillmyfriendtookleaveofme，andthenrecalledhim：“Stay，“Iwouldsay，handinghimthestolenarticle，“letthisserveasalessontoputyouonyourguardagainstpersonslesshonestthanmyself。“

ButtoreturntoourMarabout。IhadstolenhiswatchasIpassednearhimandslippedintoitsplaceafive-francpiece。

Topreventhisdetectingit，andwhilewaitingtillIcouldprofitbymylarceny，Iimprovisedatrick。AfterjugglingawayBou-

Allem’srosary，Imadeitpassintooneofthenumerousslippersleftatthedoorbytheguests；thisshoewasnextfoundtobefullofcoins，andtoendthislittlescenecomically，Imadefive-francpiecescomeoutofthenosesofthespectators。TheytooksuchpleasureinthistrickthatIfanciedIshouldneverterminateit。

“Douros!douros!“[1]theyshouted，astheytwitchedtheirnoses。I

willinglyaccededtotheirrequest，andthedourosissuedatcommand。

[1]GoldArabiccoin。

ThedelightwassogreatthatseveralArabsrolledontheground；

thiscoarselyexpressedjoyonthepartofMohammedanswasworthfrenziedapplausetome。

IpretendedtokeepalooffromtheMarabout，who，asIexpected，remainedseriousandimpassive。

Whencalmwasrestored，myrivalbeganspeakinghurriedlytohisneighbors，asifstrivingtodispeltheirillusion，and，notsucceeding，headdressedmethroughtheinterpreter：

“Youwillnotdeceivemeinthatway，“hesaid，withacraftylook。

“Whyso？“

“BecauseIdon’tbelieveinyourpower。“

“Ah，indeed!Well，then，ifyoudonotbelieveinmypower，Iwillcompelyoutobelieveinmyskill。“

“Neitherinonenortheother。“

IwasatthismomentthewholelengthoftheroomfromtheMarabout。

“Stay，“Isaidtohim；“youseethisfive-francpiece。“

“Yes。“

“Closeyourhandfirmly，forthepiecewillgointoitinspiteofyourself。“

“Iamready，“theArabsaid，inanincredulousvoice，asheheldouthistightlyclosedfist。

Itookthepieceattheendofmyfingers，sothattheassemblymightallseeit，then，feigningtothrowitattheMarabout，itdisappearedattheword“Pass!“

Mymanopenedhishand，and，findingnothinginit，shruggedhisshoulders，asiftosay，“Yousee，Itoldyouso。“

Iwaswellawarethepiecewasnotthere，butitwasimportanttodrawtheMarabout’sattentionmomentarilyfromthesash，andforthispurposeIemployedthefeint。

“Thatdoesnotsurpriseme，“Ireplied，“forIthrewthepiecewithsuchstrengththatitwentrightthroughyourhand，andhasfallenintoyoursash。BeingafraidImightbreakyourwatchbytheblow，Icalledittome：hereitis!“AndIshowedhimthewatchinmyhand。

TheMaraboutquicklyputhishandinhiswaistbelt，toassurehimselfofthetruth，andwasquitestupefiedatfindingthefive-

francpiece。

Thespectatorswereastounded。Someamongthembegantellingtheirbeadswithavivacityevidencingacertainagitationofmind；buttheMaraboutfrownedwithoutsayingaword，andIsawhewasspellingoversomeevildesign。

“Inowbelieveinyoursupernaturalpower，“hesaid；“youarearealsorcerer；hence，Ihopeyouwillnotfeartorepeathereatrickyouperformedinyourtheater“；andofferingmetwopistolsheheldconcealedbeneathhisburnous，headded，“Come，chooseoneofthesepistols；wewillloadit，andIwillfireatyou。Youhavenothingtofear，asyoucanwardoffallblows。“

IconfessIwasforamomentstaggered；Isoughtasubterfugeandfoundnone。Alleyeswerefixeduponme，andareplywasanxiouslyawaited。

TheMaraboutwastriumphant。