Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, ambassador, author and conjurer — Text and Context

Conjurer and Professor of Mystification--The Sand-bag and the Stirrup Trick--I turn Lawyer’s Clerk, and the Minutes appear to me very long--A small Automaton--A respectful Protest--I mount a Step in the Office--A Machine of Porter’s Power--The Acrobatic Canaries--Monsieur Roger’s Remonstrances--My Father decides that I shall follow my bent......26

My Cousin Robert--The most important Event in my Life--How a Man becomes a Sorcerer--My first Sleight-of-Hand Feat--An utter Failure--Practising the Eye and the Hand--Curious Experiment in Prestidigitation--Monsieur Noriet--An Action more ingenious than delicate--I am Poisoned--Influence of Delirium......42

I return to Life--A strange Doctor--Torrini and Antonio: a Conjurer and a Fanatic for Music--A Murderer’s Confession--A perambulating House--The Fair at Angers--A portable Theatre--I witness for the first Time a Conjuring Performance--The blind Man’s Game at Piquet--A Dangerous Rival--Signor Castelli eats a Man alive......55

Antonio’s Confessions--How to gain Public Applause--The Count de ----, Mountebank--I repair an Automaton--A Mechanician’s Shop on Wheels--Nomadic Life--Happy Existence--Torrini’s Lessons--His Opinions about Sleight-of-Hand--A Fashionable Greek, Victim of his own Swindling--The Conjurer Comus--A Duel at Piquet--Torrini proclaimed Conqueror--Revelations--New Catastrophe--Poor Torrini!.....73

Torrini relates his Life--Treachery of Chevalier Pinetti--A Conjurer through Malice--A Race between two Magicians--Death of Pinetti--Exhibits before Pius VII.--The Cardinal’s Chronometer--Twelve Hundred Francs spent on a Trick--Antonio and Antonia--The most bitter of Mystifications--Constantinople......90

Continuation of Torrini’s History--The Grand Turk orders a Performance--A marvellous Trick--A Page cut in two--Pitying Protest of the Harem--Agreeable Surprise--Return to France--Torrini’s Son Killed--Madness--Decay--My first Performance--An annoying Accident--I return Home......121

The Prodigal Son--Mademoiselle Houdin--I go to Paris--My Marriage--Comte--Studies of the Public--A skillful Manager--Rose-colored Tickets--A Musky Style--The King of Hearts--Ventriloquism--The Mystifiers Mystified--Father Roujol--Jules de Rovère--Origin of the word _prestidigitateur_......136

Celebrated Automata--A Brazen Fly--The Artificial Man--Albertus Magnus and St. Thomas d’Aquinas--Vaucanson--His Duck--His Flute-Player--Curious Details--The Automaton Chess-Player--Interesting Episode--Catherine II. and M. de Kempelen--I repair the Componium--Unexpected Success......155

An Inventor’s Calculations--One Hundred Thousand Francs a Year by an Inkstand: Deception--My new Automata--The First Magician in France: Decadence--I meet Antonio--Bosco--The Trick with the Cups--An Execution--Resurrection of the Criminals--Mistake in a Head--The Canary rewarded......176

A Reverse of Fortune--Cookery and Clockwork--The Artist’s Home--Invention of an Automaton--Voluntary Exile--A modest Villa--The Inconveniences of a Speciality--Two August Visitors--The Throat of a mechanical Nightingale--The Tiou and the Rrrrrrrrouit--Seven Thousand Francs earned by making Filings......192

The Inventive Genius of a Sugar-baker--Philippe the Magician--His Comic Adventures--Description of his Performance--Exposition of 1844--The King and Royal Family visit my Automata......221

My proposed Reforms--I build a Theatre in the Palais Royal--Formalities--General Rehearsal--Singular Effect of my Performance--The Largest and Smallest Theatre in Paris--Tribulation--My first Performance--Panic--Discouragement--A Fallible Prophet--Recovery--Success......234

New Studies--A Comic Journal--Invention of Second Sight--Curious Experiments--An enthusiastic Spectator--Danger of being a Sorcerer--A Philter or your Life--Way to get rid of Bores--An Electric Touch--I perform at the Vaudeville--Struggles with the Incredulous--Interesting Details......253

Seductions of a Theatrical Agent--How to gain One Hundred Thousand Francs--I start for Brussels--A lucky Two-Sou Piece--Miseries of professional Travelling--The Park Theatre--Tyranny of a Porter--Full House--Small Receipts--Deceptions--Return to Paris......273

Reopening of my Fantastic Soirées--Minor Miseries of Good Luck--Inconvenience of a small Theatre--My Room taken by Storm--A gratuitous Performance--A conscientious Audience--Pleasant Story about a Black Silk Cap--I perform at the Château of St. Cloud--Cagliostro’s Casket--Holidays......294

New Experiments--Aërial Suspension, &c.--A Performance at the Odéon--A Friend in Need--1848--The Theatre deserted--I leave Paris for London--Manager Mitchell--Publicity in England--The Great Wizard--A Butter-mould used as a Puff--Singular Bills--A Prize for the best Pun......312

The St. James’s Theatre--Invasion of England by French Performers--A Fête patronised by the Queen--The Diplomatist and the Sleight-of-Hand Man--Three Thousand Pounds taken at one Haul--I perform at Manchester--The Spectators in the Pillory--What capital Curaçoa!--A Torrent of Wine--A Catastrophe--Performance at Buckingham Palace--A Wizard’s Repast......330

An Optimist Manager--Three Spectators in a Room--A Magical Collation--The Colchester Public and the Nuts--I return to France--I give up my Theatre--A Farewell Tour--I retire to St. Gervais--An Academician’s Predictions......359

Travels in Algeria--Convocation of the Chieftains--Performances before the Arabs--A Kabyle rendered powerless--Invulnerability--A Moor disappears--Panic and Flight of the Audience--Reconciliation--The Sect of Aïssaoua--Their pretended Miracles......371

Excursion in the Interior of Africa--The Abode of a Bash-Aga--A comical Repast--A Soirée of Arab Dignitaries--A Marabout mystified--Tent-life in Algeria--I return to France--A terrible Storm--Conclusion......398

A COURSE OF MIRACLES......422

THE AUTHOR’S OVERTURE.

SAINT GERVAIS, NEAR BLOIS, September, 1858.

Eight o’clock has just struck: my wife and children are by my side. I have spent one of those pleasant days which tranquillity, work, and study can alone secure.--With no regret for the past, with no fear for the future, I am--I am not afraid to say it--as happy as man can be.

And yet, at each vibration of this mysterious hour, my pulse starts, my temples throb, and I can scarce breathe, so much do I feel the want of air and motion. I can reply to no questions, so thoroughly am I lost in a strange and delirious reverie.