第章

Bou-Allem，beingawarethatmytrickswereonlytheresultofskill，wasangrythathisguestshouldbesopestered；hencehebeganreproachingtheMarabout。Istoppedhim，however，foranideahadoccurredtomewhichwouldsavemefrommydilemma，atleasttemporarily；then，addressingmyadversary：

“Youareaware，“Isaid，withassurance，“thatIrequireatalismaninordertobeinvulnerable，and，unfortunately，IhaveleftmineatAlgiers。“

TheMaraboutbeganlaughingwithanincredulousair。“Still，“I

continued，“Ican，byremainingsixhoursatprayers，dowithoutthetalisman，anddefyyourweapon。To-morrowmorning，ateighto’clock，IwillallowyoutofireatmeinthepresenceoftheseArabs，whowerewitnessesofyourchallenge。“

Bou-Allem，astonishedatsuchapromise，askedmeonceagainifthisofferwereserious，andifheshouldinvitethecompanyfortheappointedhour。Onmyaffirmative，theyagreedtomeetbeforethestonebenchinthemarketplace。

Ididnotspendmynightatprayers，asmaybesupposed，butI

employedabouttwohoursininsuringmyinvulnerability；then，satisfiedwiththeresult，Isleptsoundly，forIwasterriblytired。

Byeightthenextmorningwehadbreakfasted，ourhorsesweresaddled，andourescortwasawaitingthesignalforourdeparture，whichwouldtakeplaceafterthefamousexperiment。

Noneoftheguestswereabsent，and，indeed，agreatnumberofArabscameintoswellthecrowd。

Thepistolswerehandedme；Icalledattentiontothefactthattheventswereclear，andtheMaraboutputinafairchargeofpowderanddrovethewadhome。Amongthebulletsproduced，IchoseonewhichIopenlyputinthepistol，andwhichwasthenalsocoveredwithpaper。

TheArabwatchedallthesemovements，forhishonorwasatstake。

Wewentthroughthesameprocesswiththesecondpistolandthesolemnmomentarrived。

Solemn，indeed，itseemedtoeverybody——tothespectatorswhowereuncertainoftheissue，toMadameHoudin，whohadinvainbesoughtmetogiveupthistrick，forshefearedtheresult——andsolemnalsotome，forasmynewtrickdidnotdependonanyofthearrangementsmadeatAlgiers，Ifearedanerror，anactoftreachery——Iknewnotwhat。

StillIpostedmyselfatfifteenpacesfromthesheik，withoutevincingtheslightestemotion。

TheMaraboutimmediatelyseizedoneofthepistols，and，onmygivingthesignal，tookadeliberateaimatme。Thepistolwentoff，andtheballappearedbetweenmyteeth。

Moreangrythanever，myrivaltriedtoseizetheotherpistol，butIsucceededinreachingitbeforehim。

“Youcouldnotinjureme，“Isaidtohim，“butyoushallnowseethatmyaimismoredangerousthanyours。Lookatthatwall。“

Ipulledthetrigger，andonthenewlywhitewashedwallappearedalargepatchofblood，exactlyatthespotwhereIhadaimed。

TheMaraboutwentuptoit，dippedhisfingerintheblood，and，raisingittohismouth，convincedhimselfofthereality。Whenheacquiredthiscertainty，hisarmsfell，andhisheadwasbowedonhischest，asifhewereannihilated。

Itwasevidentthatforthemomenthedoubtedeverything，eventheProphet。

Thespectatorsraisedtheireyestoheaven，mutteredprayers，andregardedmewithaspeciesofterror。

Thisscenewasatriumphantterminationtomyperformance。I

thereforeretired，leavingtheaudienceundertheimpressionIhadproduced。WetookleaveofBou-Allemandhisson，andsetoffatagallop。

ThetrickIhavejustdescribed，thoughsocurious，iseasilyprepared。Iwillgiveadescriptionofit，whileexplainingthetroubleittookme。

AssoonasIwasaloneinmyroom，Itookoutofmypistolcase——

withoutwhichInevertravel——abulletmold。

Itookacard，bentupthefouredges，andthusmadeasortoftrough，inwhichIplacedapieceofwaxtakenfromoneofthecandles。Whenitwasmelted，ImixedwithitalittlelampblackI

hadobtainedbyputtingthebladeofaknifeoverthecandle，andthenranthiscompositioninthebulletmold。

HadIallowedtheliquidtogetquitecold，theballwouldhavebeenfullandsolid；butinabouttensecondsIturnedthemoldover，andtheportionsofthewaxnotyetsetranout，leavingahollowballinthemold。Thisoperationisthesameasthatusedinmakingtapers，thet