A Conjurers Confessions | Page 9

"I will prove to you that my son can read through a wall. Will
you lend me a book?"
I was naturally conducted to the library in question, which I pretended
now to see for the first time, and I laid my finger on a book.
"Emile," I said to my son, "what is the name of this work?"
"It is Buffon," he replied quickly.
"And the one by its side?" an incredulous spectator hastened to ask.
"On the right or left?" my son asked.
"On the right," the speaker said, having a good reason for choosing this
book, for the lettering was very small.
"The Travels of Anacharsis the Younger," the boy replied. "But," he
added, "had you asked the name of the book on the left, sir, I should
have said Lamartine's Poetry. A little to the right of this row, I see
Crebillon's works; below, two volumes of Fleury's Memoirs"; and my
son thus named a dozen books before he stopped.
The spectators had not said a word during this description, as they felt
so amazed; but when the experiment had ended, all complimented us
by clapping their hands.
III
THE MAGICIAN WHO BECAME AN AMBASSADOR
[It is not generally known that Robert-Houdin once rendered his
country an important service as special envoy to Algeria. Half a century

ago this colony was an endless source of trouble to France. Although
the rebel Arab chieftain Abd-del-Kader had surrendered in 1847, an
irregular warfare was kept up against the French authority by the native
Kabyles, stimulated by their Mohammedan priests, and particularly
through so-called "miracles," such as recovery from wounds and burns
self-inflicted by the Marabouts and other fanatic devotees of the
Prophet.
Thus in 1856 the hopes of the French Foreign Office rested on
Robert-Houdin. He was requested to exhibit his tricks in the most
impressive form possible, with the idea of proving to the deluded Arabs
that they had been in error in ascribing supernatural powers to their
holy men.]
It was settled that I should reach Algiers by the next 27th of September,
the day on which the great fetes annually offered by the capital of
Algeria to the Arabs would commence.
I must say that I was much influenced in my determination by the
knowledge that my mission to Algeria had a quasi-political character. I,
a simple conjurer, was proud of being able to render my country a
service.
It is known that the majority of revolts which have to be suppressed in
Algeria are excited by intriguers, who say they are inspired by the
Prophet, and are regarded by the Arabs as envoys of God on earth to
deliver them from the oppression of the Roumi (Christians).
These false prophets and holy Marabouts, who are no more sorcerers
than I am, and indeed even less so, still contrive to influence the
fanaticism of their coreligionists by tricks as primitive as are the
spectators before whom they are performed.
The government was, therefore, anxious to destroy their pernicious
influence, and reckoned on me to do so. They hoped, with reason, by
the aid of my experiments, to prove to the Arabs that the tricks of their
Marabouts were mere child's play, and owing to their simplicity could
not be done by an envoy from Heaven, which also led us very naturally

to show them that we are their superiors in everything, and, as for
sorcerers, there are none like the French.
Presently I will show the success obtained by these skillful tactics.
Three months were to elapse between the day of my acceptance and
that of my departure which I employed in arranging a complete arsenal
of my best tricks, and left St. Gervais on the 10th of September.
I will give no account of my passage, further than to say no sooner was
I at sea than I wished I had arrived, and, after thirty-six hours'
navigation, I greeted the capital of our colony with indescribable
delight.
On the 28th of October, the day appointed for my first performance
before the Arabs, I reached my post at an early hour, and could enjoy
the sight of their entrance into the theater.
Each goum,[1] drawn up in companies, was introduced separately, and
led in perfect order to the places chosen for it in advance. Then came
the turn of the chiefs, who seated themselves with all the gravity
becoming their character.
[1] Brigade of native soldiers under French command. It was this
influential native faction that the Foreign Office wished particularly to
impress, through Robert-Houdin's skill.--EDITOR.
Their introduction lasted some time, for these sons of nature could not
understand that they were boxed up thus, side by side, to enjoy a
spectacle, and our comfortable seats, far from seeming so to them,
bothered them strangely. I saw