magic and real detectives-第31节

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slightly　built　and　perfectly　isolated。　　After　which；　without

further　preface；　I　told　him　to　mount　upon　it；　and　covered　him　with

an　enormous　cloth　cone；　open　at　the　top。



Then；　drawing　the　cone　and　its　contents　on　to　a　plank；　the　ends　of

which　were　held　by　my　servant　and　myself；　we　walked　to　the

footlights　with　our　heavy　burden；　and　upset　it。　　The　Moor　had

disappearedthe　cone　was　perfectly　empty！



Immediately　there　began　a　spectacle　which　I　shall　never　forget。



The　Arabs　were　so　affected　by　this　last　trick；　that；　impelled　by　an

irresistible　feeling　of　terror；　they　rose　in　all　parts　of　the

house；　and　yielded　to　the　influence　of　a　general　panic。　　To　tell

the　truth；　the　crowd　of　fugitives　was　densest　at　the　door　of　the

dress　circle；　and　it　could　be　seen；　from　the　agility　and　confusion

of　these　high　dignitaries；　that　they　were　the　first　to　wish　to

leave　the　house。



Vainly　did　one　of　them；　the　Caid　of　the　Beni…Salah；　more　courageous

than　his　colleagues；　try　to　restrain　them　by　his　words：



〃Stay！　stay！　we　cannot　thus　lose　one　of　our　coreligionists。　　Surely

we　must　know　what　has　become　of　him；　or　what　has　been　done　to　him。

Stay！　stay！〃



But　the　coreligionists　only　ran　away　the　faster；　and　soon　the

courageous　caid；　led　away　by　their　example；　followed　them。



They　little　knew　what　awaited　them　at　the　door　of　the　theater；　but

they　had　scarce　gone　down　the　steps　when　they　found　themselves　face

to　face　with　the　〃resuscitated　Moor。〃



The　first　movement　of　terror　overcome；　they　surrounded　the　man；

felt　and　cross…questioned　him；　but；　annoyed　by　these　repeated

questions；　he　had　no　better　recourse　than　to　escape　at　full　speed。



The　next　evening　the　second　performance　took　place；　and　produced

nearly　the　same　effect　as　the　previous　one。





The　blow　was　struck：　henceforth　the　interpreters　and　all　those　who

had　dealings　with　the　Arabs　received　orders　to　make　them　understand

that　my　pretended　miracles　were　only　the　result　of　skill；　inspired

and　guided　by　an　art　called　prestidigitation；　in　no　way　connected

with　sorcery。



The　Arabs　doubtless　yielded　to　these　arguments；　for　henceforth　I

was　on　the　most　friendly　terms　with　them。　　Each　time　a　chief　saw

me；　he　never　failed　to　come　up　and　press　my　hand。　　And；　even　more；

these　men　whom　I　had　so　terrified；　when　they　became　my　friends；

gave　me　a　precious　testimony　of　their　esteemI　may　say；　too；　of

their　admiration；　for　that　is　their　own　expression。





IV



FACING　THE　ARAB'S　PISTOL





＇The　severest　trial　of　all　was　unexpectedly　encountered　during　a

visit　paid　by　the　conjurer　and　his　wife　to　Bou…Allem…ben…Sherifa；

Bash…Aga　of　the　Djendel；　a　tribe　of　the　desert　interior。＇





We　entered　a　small　room　very　elegantly　decorated；　in　which　were　two

divans。



〃This；〃　our　host　said；　〃is　the　room　reserved　for　guests　of

distinction；　you　can　go　to　bed　when　you　like；　but　if　you　are　not

tired；　I　would　ask　your　leave　to　present　to　you　several　chief　men

of　my　tribe；　who；　having　heard　of　you；　wish　to　see　you。〃



〃Let　them　come　in；〃　I　said；　after　consulting　Madame　Houdin；　〃we

will　receive　them　with　pleasure。〃



The　interpreter　went　out；　and　soon　brought　in　a　dozen　old　men；

among　whom　were　a　Marabout　and　several　talebs；　whom　the　bash…aga

appeared　to　hold　in　great　deference。



They　sat　down　in　a　circle　on　carpets　and　kept　up　a　very　lively

conversation　about　my　performances　at　Algiers。　　This　learned

society　discussed　the　probability　of　the　marvels　related　by　the

chief　of　the　tribe；　who　took　great　pleasure　in　depicting　his

impressions　and　those　of　his　coreligionists　at　the　sight　of　the

MIRACLES　I　had　performed。



Each　lent　an　attentive　ear　to　these　stories；　and　regarded　me　with　a

species　of　veneration；　the　Marabout　alone　displayed　a　degree　of

skepticism；　and　asserted　that　the　spectators　had　been　duped　by　what

he　called　a　vision。



Jealous　of　my　reputation　as　a　French　sorcerer；　I　thought　I　must

perform　before　the　unbeliever　a　few　tricks　as　a　specimen　of　my　late

performance。　　I　had　the　pleasure　of　astounding　my　audience；　but　the

Marabout　continued　to　offer　me　a　systematic　opposition；　by　which

his　neighbors　were　visibly　annoyed；　the　poor　fellow　did　not

suspect；　though；　what　I　had　in　store　for　him。



My　antagonist　wore　in　his　sash　a　watch；　the　chain　of　which　hung

outside。



I　believe　I　have　already　mentioned　a　certain　talent　I　possess　of

filching　a　watch；　a　pin；　a　pocketbook；　etc。；　with　a　skill　by　which

several　of　my　friends　have　been　victimized。



I　was　fortunately　born　with　an　honest　and　upright　heart；　or　this

peculiar　talent　might　have　led　me　too　far。　　When　I　felt　inclined

for　a　joke　of　this　nature；　I　turned　it　to　profit　in　a　conjuring

trick；　or　waited　till　my　friend　took　leave　of　me；　and　then　recalled

him：　〃Stay；〃　I　would　say；　handing　him　the　stolen　article；　〃let　this

serve　as　a　lesson　to　put　you　on　your　guard　against　persons　less

honest　than　myself。〃



But　to　return　to　our　Marabout。　　I　had　stolen　his　watch　as　I　passed

near　him　and　slipped　into　its　place　a　five…franc　piece。



To　prevent　his　detecting　it；　and　while　waiting　till　I　could　profit

by　my　larceny；　I　improvised　a　trick。　　After　juggling　away　Bou…

Allem's　rosary；　I　made　it　pass　into　one　of　the　numerous　slippers

left　at　the　door　by　the　guests；　this　shoe　was　next　found　to　be　full

of　coins；　and　to　end　this　little　scene　comically；　I　made　five…franc

pieces　come　out　of　the　noses　of　the　spectators。　　They　took　such

pleasure　in　this　trick　that　I　fancied　I　should　never　terminate　it。

〃Douros！　douros！〃＇1＇　they　shouted；　as　they　twitched　their　noses。　　I

willingly　acceded　to　their　request；　and　the　douros　issued　at

command。





＇1＇　Gold　Arabic　coin。





The　delight　was　so　great　that　several　Arabs　rolled　on　the　ground；

this　coarsely　expressed　joy　on　the　part　of　Mohammedans　was　worth

frenzied　applause　to　me。



I　pretended　to　keep　aloof　from　the　Marabout；　who；　as　I　expected；

remained　serious　and　impassive。



When　calm　was　restored；　my　rival　began　speaking　hurriedly　to　his

neighbors；　as　if　striving　to　dispel　their　illusion；　and；　not

succeeding；　he　addressed　me　through　the　interpreter：



〃You　will　not　deceive　me　in　that　way；〃　he　said；　with　a　crafty　look。



〃Why　so？〃



〃Because　I　don't　believe　in　your　power。〃



〃Ah；　indeed！　　Well；　then；　if　you　do　not　believe　in　my　power；　I　will

compel　you　to　believe　in　my　skill。〃



〃Neither　in　one　nor　the　other。〃



I　was　at　this　moment　the　whole　length　of　the　room　from　the

Marabout。



〃Stay；〃　I　said　to　him；　〃you　see　this　five…franc　piece。〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Close　your　hand　firmly；　for　the　piece　will　go　into　it　in　spite　of

yourself。〃



〃I　am　ready；〃　the　Arab　said；　in　an　incredulous　voice；　as　he　held

out　his　tightly　closed　fist。



I　took　the　piece　at　the　end　of　my　fingers；　so　that　the　assembly

might　all　see　it；　then；　feigning　to　throw　it　at　the　Marabout；　it

disappeared　at　the　word　〃Pass！〃



My　man　opened　his　hand；　and；　finding　nothing　in　it；　shrugged　his

shoulders；　as　if　to　say；　〃You　see；　I　told　you　so。〃



I　was　well　aware　the　piece　was　not　there；　but　it　was　important　to

draw　the　Marabout's　attention　momentarily　from　the　sash；　and　for

this　purpose　I　employed　the　feint。



〃That　does　not　surprise　me；〃　I　replied；　〃for　I　threw　the　piece　with

such　strength　that　it　went　right　through　your　hand；　and　has　fallen

into　your　sash。　　Being　afraid　I　might　break　your　watch　by　the　blow；

I　called　it　to　me：　here　it　is！〃　　And　I　showed　him　the　watch　in　my

hand。



The　Marabout　quickly　put　his　hand　in　his　waist　belt；　to　assure

himself　of　the　truth；　and　was　quite　stupefied　at　finding　the　five…

franc　piece。



The　spectators　were　astounded。　　Some　among　them　began　telling　their

beads　with　a　vivacity　evidencing　a　certain　agitation　of　mind；　but

the　Marabout　frowned　without　saying　a　word；　and　I　saw　he　was

spelling　over　some　evil　design。



〃I　now　believe　in　your　supernatural　power；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　a

real　sorcerer；　hence；　I　hope　you　will　not　fear　to　repeat　here　a

trick　you　performed　in　your　theater〃；　and　offering　me　two　pistols

he　held　concealed　beneath　his　burnous；　he　added；　〃Come；　choose　one

of　these　pistols；　we　will　load　it；　and　I　will　fire　at　you。　　You

have　nothing　to　fear；　as　you　can　ward　off　all　blows。〃



I　confess　I　was　for　a　moment　staggered；　I　sought　a　subterfuge　and

found　none。　　All　eyes　were　fixed　upon　me；　and　a　reply　was　anxiously

awaited。



The　Marabout　was　triumphant。



Bou…Allem；　being　aware　that　my　tricks　were　only　the　result　of

skill；　was　angry　that　his　guest　should　be　so　pestered；　hence　he

began　reproaching　the　Marabout。　　I　stopped　him；　however；　for　an

idea　had　occurred　to　me　which　would　save　me　from　my　dilemma；　at

least　temporarily；　then；　addressing　my　adversary：



〃You　are　aware；〃　I　said；　with　assurance；　〃that　I　require　a　talisman

in　order　to　be　invulnerable；　and；　unfortunately；　I　have　left　mine

at　Algiers