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.
The recommencement of the performances on my own stage largely
recompensed me for my bitter _impressions de voyage_. My room was taken
a week beforehand for my first performance, as well as for the
following, and I had to send away four times as many persons as I could
receive.
This success had been foreseen by the theatrical agent, and I owed it as
much to my absence from the capital as to the attraction my experiments
held out. My repertory was still a novelty to the Parisian public, as I
had started for Brussels at the height of my success. This did not
prevent me, however, from offering some new tricks, one of which more
especially produced a striking effect.
After my son had mounted on a very small table, I covered him with an
enormous stuffed cone, which concealed him from sight, and then, at the
sound of a pistol, the cone was thrown over, and at the same instant the
lad appeared at my side. Afterwards, in large theatres, and especially
in London, this trick was improved upon, and seemed more marvellous
still. Instead of appearing by my side, the boy was instantaneously
transported to a box at a long distance from the stage, where every body
could easily see him.
It is a well-known fact that a man cannot enjoy perfect happiness in
this world, and that the greatest prosperity has its disagreeable side;
this is what is called “the minor evils of good luck.” One of my special
annoyances was having a room much too small, which disabled me from
satisfying all the demands made for places, and, though I racked my
brain, I could hit on no expedient to remedy this inconvenience.
As I have already said, my room was often taken beforehand; in that case
the office was not opened, and a placard on the door announced it was
useless for any non-holders of tickets to apply. But it daily happened
that persons, annoyed at being unable to enjoy a promised treat, took no
heed of the notice and went straight to the pay place. On being refused
admission, they abused the money-taker, and still more the management.
These complaints were generally absurd, and of the following
description:
“Such an abuse is most improper,” one of these disappointed persons
said, with great simplicity; “I will certainly go to-morrow and complain
to the prefect of police, and we shall see whether Monsieur
Robert-Houdin has a right to have too small a theatre.”
When these recriminations went no further, I confess I laughed at them,
but they did not always end in such a pacific manner. My employés were
sometimes personally attacked, and on one occasion my theatre was taken
by storm. The story is worth telling:
One evening a dozen young men, after heating their brains by an
excellent dinner, presented themselves at the door of my theatre; the
notice they read only appeared to them an excellent jest. Consequently,
paying no attention to the observations made to them, they collected
round the door, and to employ the usual expression in such cases, they
began to form “the head of the tail.” Other visitors, encouraged by
their example, collected, and gradually a considerable crowd assembled
in front of the theatre.
The manager, informed of what was happening, came forward, and prepared
to address the crowd from the head of the stairs, after coughing to
render his voice clearer. But he had scarce commenced his address, when
his voice was drowned by derisive laughter and shouts, which compelled
his silence. In his despair, he came to tell me the dilemma, and ask
what he had better do.
“Do not disturb yourself,” I said; “all will end better than you expect.
Stay,” I added, looking at my watch; “it is now half-past seven, and the
ticket-holders will begin to arrive; so, open the doors, and, as soon as
the room is full the public outside will be compelled to abandon the
ground.”
I had scarcely uttered the words, when a servant came in all haste to
tell me that the crowd had broken down the barrier, and rushed into the
room. I hastened on to the stage, and through the hole in the curtain,
could assure myself of the truth of the statement: the room was full.
I confess I was much embarrassed as to what I should do. To have the
room cleared by the neighboring guard was a scandal I wished to avoid,
and I could not calculate the consequences. Besides, if the police
interfered, I should have to attend at the court, and thus lose precious
time. Lastly, the Prefecture, which had hitherto imposed but a single
sentry on me, would not fail to send a corporal’s guard, at least, to
the great increase of my daily expenses.
I immediately formed a decision.
“Have the doors closed,” I said to my manager, “and put up a notice
that, owing to a sudden indisposition, the evening’s performance is
postponed till to-morrow. As this measure applies to the ticket-holders,
be in readiness to return the money to those who will not exchange their
tickets. As for me,” I continued, “I have made up my mind. I will give a
gratis performance, and my revenge will consist in compelling the public
to be ashamed of the schoolboy trick they have played.”
This plan arranged, I prepared to do the honors of my house properly,
and the curtain soon rose.
When I appeared on the stage, I noticed that the greater number of the
spectators evinced considerable embarrassment; still, I soon put them at
their ease by the nonchalant air I assumed, as if ignorant of what had
occurred. I did even more. I performed with an unusual amount of dash;
and when the time arrived to offer my small presents, I was so liberal
with them that not a single spectator was overlooked.
I need not say that I was heartily applauded. The public vied with me in
“reciprocating” compliments, and thus hoped to compensate me for the
annoyance they fancied they had caused me.
An original and extremely comic scene was performed when my audience
lingeringly departed.
Nearly all the persons present had only seen in this assault on my room
a means to obtain places, and each intended to pay for his seat after
having occupied it.
But, for my part, I determined on maintaining the original character of
my gratuitous performance, even if my pocket suffered. Thus, foreseeing
this feeling of delicacy, I had ordered all my attendants to leave
before the performance was over, and they had obeyed me so well, that
manager, money-taker, and box-openers had disappeared.
I then posted myself where I could see everything without being noticed.
The spectators looked for the office; searched all around to find some
official; thrust their hands in their pockets, and collected in small
groups, until, worn out, they went away.
Still, the public would not allow themselves to be beaten, and for
several days I had a regular procession of people coming to pay their
debt. Some persons added their apologies, and I also received by post a
note for 100 fr., with the following letter:
“SIR,--Having been dragged into your room last night by a party of
thoughtless young men, I tried in vain, after the performance, to
pay for the seat I had occupied.
“I do not wish, however, to quit France without paying the debt I
have contracted. In consequence, estimating the price of my stall
by the pleasure you caused me, I send you a hundred-franc note,
which I beg you to accept in payment of the debt I involuntarily
contracted.
“Still, I should not consider myself out of your debt were I not
also to offer you my compliments for your interesting performance,
and beg you to accept, sir, the assurance of my consideration.”
As the loss entailed on me by the assault on my room was light, I had no
cause to repent the decision I had formed. On the other hand, the
adventure became known, and added still more to my credit, as it is
notorious the public prefer going to theatres where they are certain of
finding no room.
As a general rule, family parties came to see me, but it was not unusual
for a number of persons to form a rendezvous at my theatre. The
following incident will offer an instance:
The ingenious author of those eccentric caricatures, which delight
everybody who is not himself attacked, Dantan the younger, came one day
to my box-office.
“Madam,” he said to the lady in command, “how many stalls have you to
let?”
“I will consult my book,” the lady replied. “Do you wish them for
to-night?”
“No, madam, for this day week.”
“Oh, in that case, you can have as many as you like.”
“How, as many as I like? Why, your room must be made of india-rubber.”
“No, sir, I merely mean to say that of fifty stalls I have at my
disposal, you can take as many as you please.”
“Very good, madam, I now understand,” Dantan continued, laughingly;
“then, if I can have as many as I please, have the goodness to keep me
sixty.”
The lady, much embarrassed to solve this problem, sent for me, and I
easily arranged the affair by converting the first pit row into stalls.
The reason why the sculptor required so many seats was as follows:
Dantan, junior, has an enormous number of friends, and the original idea
had occurred to him of inviting a certain number of them to
Robert-Houdin’s performance, and for that purpose he had engaged these
sixty seats.
I have mentioned this incident, because it both proves the renown my
theatre enjoyed at that time, and reminds me of the commencement of one
of the most agreeable acquaintances I ever made in my life. From this
moment I became, and have always remained, one of the intimate friends
of the celebrated sculptor.
Before knowing him personally, like the majority of his admirers, I was
unacquainted with his serious works, but when I was admitted to his
studio, I could appreciate the full extent of his talent.
Dantan has in this room, arranged on enormous shelves, the most perfect
collection of busts of contemporary celebrities. I do not think a single
illustrious person of the age is missing. Each is properly classified
and arranged as in a museum; monarchs and statesmen, less numerous than
the others, are collected on one shelf; then come authors, musicians,
singers, composers, physicians, warriors, dramatic artists--in a word
great men of every description and country. But the most interesting
thing in the gallery is that every bust is accompanied by its
caricature, so that, after admiring the original, you laugh heartily at
noticing all the comic details of the other.
On seeing these numberless heads, it is difficult to imagine that one
man’s life could suffice for such a toil. Dantan, however, has a
remarkable talent in catching the characteristic features of a face, and
often enough he need only see a person once in order to produce an
extraordinary likeness. Witness the following fact, which I will cite as
much for its singularity as because it bears an affinity, in some
degree, to sleight-of-hand:
The son of Lieutenant-General Baron D---- came one day to Dantan,
begging him to make a bust of his father. “I will not hide from you,” he
said to the artist, “that you will encounter an almost insurmountable
difficulty in performing your task. Not only would the general never
consent to sit to you, but you cannot even be introduced to him at home.
As my father has been ill for many years, he sees no other persons than
his servants, and he keeps almost always alone. Hence, you will have to
manage to catch a glimpse at him unawares, but I do not know how.”
“Does your father never go out?” the sculptor asked.
“Oh yes, sir; every afternoon at four my father takes the ‘bus and goes
to read the papers at a room in the Place de la Madeleine, after which
he comes back and shuts himself up again.”
“I require no more,” the artist said. “I will begin making my
observations to-day, and set to work to-morrow.”
In fact, at four o’clock precisely, Dantan posted himself before a house
forming the corner of the Boulevards and the Rue Louis-le-Grand, and
soon saw the general come out and walk to an omnibus. The sculptor
followed his model and entered the vehicle with him, but, unfortunately,
the only two seats vacant were on the same side, and the artist could
only make profile studies, being very careful not to attract attention.
At last the ‘bus stopped before the Madeleine church; pursuer and
pursued went in together to the same reading-room, where each took up
his favorite paper, and was soon lost in the perusal.
Dantan had taken a seat opposite the general, and, while apparently
absorbed in a leader, took stealthy glances at his model.
All was going on favorably, and the artist continued his studies quietly
for some moments, until the general, already surprised that his
fellow-passenger should come to the same reading-room, caught his eye
fixed upon himself.
Annoyed by this impertinent curiosity, for which he could assign no
reason, he attempted to foil it by forming a rampart of his enormous
paper.
The face of the old baron disappeared, but the top of his head was still
visible, and Dantan would have been able to continue his task
satisfactorily, had it not been for a frightful silk cap he wore.
Many a conjurer, even the most famous, would have been checked by such a
difficulty; but Dantan did not long rack his brains, which renders his
trick only the more striking.
He went up to the lady at the counter, spoke with her for a few moments,
and then quietly returned to his post of observation.
It is necessary to state that the reading-room, heated by a large stove,
was already quite warm enough; but suddenly an insupportable degree of
heat filled the room, and drops of perspiration stood on the foreheads
of several persons.
The general, who at this moment held the _Gazette des Tribunaux_ in his
hand, and was doubtlessly amusing himself with some lugubrious drama,
was one of the last to notice the heightened temperature. Even he,
though, at length found it necessary to remove his silk cap, and put it
in his pocket, growling, “Confound it, how hot the room is!”
The trick was done.
The reader has already guessed that the clever sculptor was the cause of
this vapor-bath, which he induced the lady to produce by explaining to
her his important mission.
This result once obtained, Dantan hastily made his phrenological studies
on the venerable head of the old warrior; then, rising from the table,
he cast a final glance over his features, photographed him, so to speak,
in his mind, and ran off to set to work.
A short time after, the sculptor sent the general’s family the most
perfect bust possibly ever produced by his chisel.
Here I will close the parenthesis I commenced with reference to the
evils the smallness of my theatre entailed on me; and I will now begin
another about the pleasures my success procured me.
At the beginning of November, I received a “command” to St. Cloud, to
give a performance before Louis Philippe and his family. I accepted the
invitation with the greatest pleasure; for as I had never yet performed
before a crowned head, this was an important event for me.
I had six days before me to make my preparations, and I took all
possible pains, even arranging a trick for the occasion, from which I
had reason to expect an excellent result.
On the day fixed for my performance, a fourgon came at an early hour to
fetch me and my apparatus, and we were conveyed to the château. A
theatre had been put up in a large hall selected by the king for the
representation, and in order that I might not be disturbed in my
preparations, a guard was placed at one of the doors leading into the
corridor. I also noticed three other doors in this apartment; one,
composed of glass, opened on to the garden opposite a passage filled
with splendid orange-trees; the two others, to the right and left,
communicated with the apartments of the king and the Duchess of Orleans.
I was busy arranging my apparatus, when I heard one of the doors I have
just mentioned open quietly, and directly a voice made the following
inquiry in the most affable manner:
“Monsieur Robert-Houdin, may I be permitted to come in?”
I turned my head in the direction, and recognized the king, who, having
asked this question merely as a form of introduction, had not waited for
my reply to walk towards me.
I bowed respectfully.
“Have you all you require for your preparations?” the king asked me.
“Yes, sire; the steward of the château supplied me with skilled workmen,
who speedily put up this little stage.”
My tables, consoles and tabourets, as well as the various instruments
for my performance, symmetrically arranged on the stage, already
presented an elegant appearance.
“This is all very pretty,” the king said to me, drawing near the stage,
and casting a stealthy glance on some of my apparatus; “I see with
pleasure that the artist of 1846 will justify the good opinion produced
by the mechanician of 1844.”
“Sire,” I replied, “on this day I will strive, as I did two years ago,
to render myself worthy of the great favor your majesty deigns to bestow
on me, by witnessing my performance.”
“Your son’s second-sight is said to be very surprising,” the king
continued: “but I warn you, Monsieur Robert-Houdin, to be on your guard,
for we intend to cause you considerable difficulties.”
“Sire,” I replied, boldly, “I have every reason for believing that my
son will surmount them.”
“I should be vexed were it otherwise,” the king said, with a tinge of
incredulity, as he retired. “Monsieur Robert-Houdin,” he added, as he
closed the door after him, “I shall feel obliged by your punctuality.”
At four o’clock precisely, when the royal family and the numerous guests
were assembled, the curtains that concealed me opened, and I appeared on
the stage. Owing to my repeated performances, I had fortunately acquired
an imperturbable assurance and a confidence in myself which the success
of my experiments fully justified.
I began in the most profound silence, for the party evidently wished to
see and judge before giving me any encouragement. But, insensibly, they
became excited, and I heard several exclamations of surprise, which were
soon followed by still more expressive demonstrations.
All my tricks were very favorably received, and the one I had invented
for the occasion gained me unbounded applause.
I will give a description of it:
I borrowed from my noble spectators several handkerchiefs, which I made
into a parcel, and laid on the table. Then, at my request, different
persons wrote on the cards the names of places whither they desired
their handkerchiefs to be invisibly transported.
When this had been done, I begged the king to take three of the cards at
hazard, and choose from them the place he might consider most suitable.
“Let us see,” Louis Philippe said, “what this one says: ‘I desire the
handkerchiefs to be found beneath one of the candelabra on the
mantelpiece.’ That is too easy for a sorcerer; so we will pass to the
next card: ‘The handkerchiefs are to be transported to the dome of the
Invalides.’ That would suit me, but it is much too far, not for the
handkerchiefs, but for us. Ah, ah!” the king added, looking at the last
card, “I am afraid, Monsieur Robert-Houdin, I am about to embarrass you.
Do you know what this card proposes?”
“Will your majesty deign to inform me?”
“It is desired that you should send the handkerchiefs into the chest of
the last orange-tree on the right of the avenue.”
“Only that, sire? Deign to order, and I will obey.”
“Very good, then; I should like to see such a magic act: I, therefore,
choose the orange-tree chest.”
The king gave some orders in a low voice, and I directly saw several
persons run to the orange-tree, in order to watch it and prevent any
fraud.
I was delighted at this precaution, which must add to the effect of my
experiment, for the trick was already arranged, and the precaution hence
too late.
I had now to send the handkerchiefs on their travels, so I placed them
beneath a bell of opaque glass, and, taking my wand, I ordered my
invisible travellers to proceed to the spot the king had chosen.
I raised the bell; the little parcel was no longer there, and a white
turtle-dove had taken its place.
The king then walked quickly to the door, whence he looked in the
direction of the orange-tree, to assure himself that the guards were at
their post; when this was done, he began to smile and shrug his
shoulders.
“Ah! Monsieur Robert-Houdin,” he said, somewhat ironically, “I much fear
for the virtue of your magic staff.” Then he added, as he returned to
the end of the room, where several servants were standing, “Tell William
to open immediately the last chest at the end of the avenue, and bring
me carefully what he finds there--if he _does_ find anything.”
William soon proceeded to the orange-tree, and though much astonished at
the orders given him, he began to carry them out.
He carefully removed one of the sides of the chest, thrust his hand in,
and almost touched the roots of the tree before he found anything. All
at once he uttered a cry of surprise, as he drew out a small iron coffer
eaten by rust.
This curious “find,” after having been cleaned from the mould, was
brought in and placed on a small ottoman by the king’s side.
“Well, Monsieur Robert-Houdin,” Louis Philippe said to me, with a
movement of impatient curiosity, “here is a box; am I to conclude it
contains the handkerchiefs?”
“Yes, sire,” I replied, with assurance, “and they have been there, too,
for a long period.”
“How can that be? the handkerchiefs were lent you scarce a quarter of an
hour ago.”
“I cannot deny it, sire; but what would my magic powers avail me if I
could not perform incomprehensible tricks? Your majesty will doubtlessly
be still more surprised, when I prove to your satisfaction that this
coffer, as well as its contents, was deposited in the chest of the
orange-tree sixty years ago.”
“I should like to believe your statement,” the king replied, with a
smile; “but that is impossible, and I must, therefore, ask for proofs of
your assertion.”
“If your majesty will be kind enough to open this casket they will be
supplied.”
“Certainly; but I shall require a key for that.”
“It only depends on yourself, sire, to have one. Deign to remove it from
the neck of this turtle-dove, which has just brought it you.”
Louis Philippe unfastened a ribbon that held a small rusty key, with
which he hastened to unlock the coffer.
The first thing that caught the king’s eye was a parchment, on which he
read the following statement:
THIS DAY, THE 6TH JUNE, 1786,
THIS IRON BOX, CONTAINING SIX HANDKERCHIEFS, WAS PLACED AMONG THE
ROOTS OF AN ORANGE-TREE BY ME, BALSAMO, COUNT OF CAGLIOSTRO, TO
SERVE IN PERFORMING AN ACT OF MAGIC, WHICH WILL BE EXECUTED ON THE
SAME DAY SIXTY YEARS HENCE BEFORE LOUIS PHILIPPE OF ORLEANS AND HIS
FAMILY.
“There is decidedly witchcraft about this,” the king said, more and more
amazed. “Nothing is wanting, for the seal and signature of the
celebrated sorcerer are placed at the foot of this statement, which,
Heaven pardon me, smells strongly of sulphur.”
At this jest, the audience began to laugh.
“But,” the king added, taking out of the box a carefully sealed packet,
“can the handkerchiefs by possibility be in this?”
“Indeed, sire, they are; but, before opening the parcel, I would request
your majesty to notice that it also bears the impression of Cagliostro’s
seal.”
This seal once rendered so famous by being placed on the celebrated
alchemist’s bottles of elixir and liquid gold, I had obtained from
Torrini, who had been an old friend of Cagliostro’s.
“It is certainly the same,” my royal spectator answered, after comparing
the two seals. Still, in his impatience to learn the contents of the
parcel, the king quickly tore open the envelope, and soon displayed
before the astonished spectators the six handkerchiefs which, a few
moments before, were still on my table.
This trick gained me lively applause, but in my second sight, which was
to terminate the performance, I had really to sustain a terrible
struggle, as the king had warned me.
Among the objects handed me, there was, I remember, a medal, which it
was expected would embarrass me. Still, I had no sooner taken it in my
hand than my son described it in the following terms:
“It is,” he said, confidently, “a Greek medal of bronze, on which is a
word composed of six letters, which I will spell: _lamba_, _epsilon_,
_mu_, _nu_, _omicron_, _sigma_, which makes _Lemnos_.”
My son knew the Greek alphabet; hence, he could read the word Lemnos,
although he could not possibly have translated it.
This was in itself a severe trial for so young a lad; but it did not
satisfy the royal family.
I was handed a small Chinese coin with a hole through the centre, and
its name and value were immediately indicated; and, lastly, a
difficulty, from which I managed to escape successfully, was the
brilliant finale of my performance.
I had been surprised to see the Duchess of Orleans, who took a lively
interest in the second sight, retire to her apartments; but she soon
returned, and handed me a small case, the contents of which she wished
my son to describe, but I must be careful not to open it.
I had foreseen this prohibition; so, while the princess was speaking to
me, I opened the case with one hand, and, by a rapid glance, satisfied
myself as to its contents. Still, I pretended for a moment to be
startled by the proposal, in order to produce a greater effect.
“Your highness,” I remarked, as I returned the case, “will allow me to
appeal against such a proposal, for you must have remarked that, until
now, I required to see the object before my son could name it.”
“Yet you have surmounted greater difficulties,” the amiable duchess
retorted. “However, if it is not possible, let us say no more about it,
for I should be grieved to cause you any embarrassment.”
“What your highness wishes is, I repeat, impossible; and yet my son,
feeling anxious to justify the confidence you place in his clairvoyance,
will attempt to see through the case, and describe its contents.
“Can he do so even through my hands?” the duchess continued, trying to
conceal the case.
“Yes, madam, and even if your highness were in the next room, my son
would be able to see it.”
The duchess, declining the new trial I proposed, satisfied herself by
questioning my son with her own lips.
The boy, who had long received his instructions, replied, without
hesitation, “There is in the case a diamond pin, the stone being
surrounded by a garter of sky-blue enamel.”
“That is perfectly correct,” the duchess said, as she showed the
ornament to the king. “Judge for yourself, sire;” then, turning to me,
she added, with infinite grace, “Monsieur Robert-Houdin, will you accept
this pin in remembrance of your visit to St. Cloud?”
I thanked her highness sincerely, as I assured her of my gratitude.
The performance was over: the curtain fell, and, in my turn, I was
enabled to enjoy a curious scene at my ease; it was to look through a
small hole at my audience, who had assembled in groups, and were talking
about the impression I had produced.
Before leaving the château, the king and queen again sent me the most
flattering messages by the person charged to hand me a souvenir of their
munificence.
This representation could not increase my reputation--that was not
possible--but it helped powerfully to maintain it. My performance at St.
Cloud, more especially, created a sensation among the aristocracy, who,
until that moment, had hesitated about visiting my small room. Their
curiosity overcame other considerations, and they came in their turn to
assure themselves of the reality of the marvels attributed to me.
The summer heats were, however, beginning to be felt: we had reached the
commencement of July, and I had to think about closing my theatre.
However, instead of running after fortune, as in the previous year, I
occupied myself with changing and improving my performance. The task was
heavy; for I was filled with bold emulation, as I could not conceal from
myself that my success imposed certain duties on me, and that, in order
to keep it up, I must be constantly deserving of it.
The most painful part of my inquiries was, that my inventions must be
completed by a certain day and hour, for the reopening of my theatre was
fixed for the first of the next September, and, for many reasons, I
determined on being punctual.
For two months I worked with great ardor, granting myself no rest or
pleasure. Sometimes, however, after dinner on Sunday, I allowed myself a
recreation which may seem strange to many of my readers: I went to the
fairs round Paris, and studied the mountebanks. There I amused myself, I
may say, as much as any of the spectators around me; though the pleasure
I felt was not of the same nature as that of my neighbors. I amused
myself by seeing their amusement, and nothing more; for any one who has
seen this style of spectacle must have noticed that the mountebank gives
his public very little for their money. The best part of the sight is
often seen outside.