Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-09-21
THE CARDINALS watch.

N,
cling title was Signor Torrini. This man. on
Houdlns showing, had passed through variety
OF adventures, wonderful as auy related by
Eugene Sue OF Alexandra Dumas
One OF these adventures is related in Hou-
dins Autobiography, yet unpublished in this
country, and We here take the liberty of throw
ing II into our OWE less attractive words, in
order 10 condonse it within reasonable news
paper bounds.
While in Rome, an invitation reached Tor
rini to exhibit before NJ less parsonage than
the Supreme POntf. The occupant of the
chair OF st. Peter &: that time was that yery
eStlmabIe old gentleman, Pope Plus the Sew
enth- Ii was not to DC thought of. by any con-
Jurer with proper pride in his art, that only
the ordinary tricks should be exhibited before
His Holiness. Something new was to be hit
uPOn-sornething wlish would sstonish, be
long borne IN memory, and tall led of as wholIy
wonderful and iEexpllcabIe
Without searching for such a thing, Chance,
that inventor of all inventions the most ingeni-
Gus, came To aid him. The very evening be-
fore TOrrini was to show off before the Pope
and conclave, and other high dignitares of the
Church, he happened TO be in the shop Of one
OF the hrst matchmaker of Rome A servant
came in to inquire whether the watch of his
Excellency the Cardinal de - was mended
The matchmaker replied that the n epairs would
not be completed until the evening, when he
should himself bring it to the Cardinal, and
the servant withdrew.
Taking the watch from n drawer. the watch
maker proceeded to exainine it., 1T is hand
some and excellent watch" " said the trades
man to the cOnjurer, land the Cardinal values
1t At more than ten thousand francs because
having ordered it himself from the iIIustrious
Breguet, he fsncies ii unique of its kind Yet
what an odd thing! Two days ago a mad
Young fellow of this town of ours came 10 offer
me. for thousand francs a watch bv the same
maker, exactly like the Cardinals" This at
trdcted TOrrlnis attention. lie examined the
watch. which was handsome one, with sew
ersl Distinguishing peculiariIies
IN idea struck him DO you think, he
asked the matchmaker 90 that this person real
ly wishes to part with this watch % There was
no doubt. The young man was a spendthrift
who had gradually made away with his prop
erty, and mad come down to selling even his
family jewels. This thousand francs would be
acceptable. a. Then" said TorriDi find This
person fer me wish to make his watch mine:
but must have il at once. Buy it for me:
then engraye the Cardinals arms on mine sn
that the two may not be distinguished one from
the other. On your discretion depends the
benefit you will draw from the transaction"
The owner of the watch was easily found. at
the gsning- house which he constantly fire.
queBted. The watch was seen. examined
closely compared with the Cardinals and pur-
chased. III was duly engraved. duly sent home
duly paid for, and as duly placed in Torrini'
pocket. ready for the trick of tricks which was
70 close his Night at the Vatican
Pope Plus VII Was an enlightened man
turned deaf ear to all hints that Torrini's
wonderful effects were produced by sorcery
lie occupied large armchair on a daes pIaeed
ON the foreground. Near him were placed the
Cardinals, and behind them were the different
Preiates 1nd dignitaries Of the church. As far
~ that nights fea!s went, the Pope sat simply
like wondering lsyman, astonished at the
skill OF the cOnJurer- The evening passed off
asreeably, for TOrrini never performed better,
aud be never had \ more wOnder-stricken au-
dIeEce.
Then" Jas TOrrini himself told tho story,)
- 20 end 1t and by way of bouquet, went on
10 the famous trick which had eontrived for
the oeeasi0n- Here, however, I had to en-
counter many difficulties. The greatest of
these, without question, was to lure the Car
dinsI De to give me his watch, and that
without directly asking for il. To gain my
point, / had recourse t. stratagem On ask
ing for watch many had been handed to me;
but L had given them back on the pretext
more or less true, that, Offering a they did 10
Peculiarity in shape, it would be difficult after
wards 10 identify the one chosen by Inc. "If
MeSsieurs, any one among you" said /, ''has
rather large watch Cthe Cardinals had pre-
cisely this PeculiarityJ aud would entrust il to
me, ! should accept 1t willingly as the one fit
test Tor our experiment
The Cardinal piqued himself on the size of
h's watch. having an idea that the works acted
more treel IN large ease. He hesitated TO
lend lt to TOrrini, but did So at the special re-
qusSS of the Pope, adding many cautions TO
handle II with the utmost care. TOrrini ex-
amined and admired the watch and asked nu-
merOus questions about it by way os 6Onimsnt-
word used by conjurers to denot, the prelim-
lnary talk which Is to pass the time and put an
audience of its guard by preOccupying its at
tention- TOrrini praised the Cardinals watch
To the skies, expatiating on It's numerous good
quantities See, said he ga first proof of
them And with this he lifted up the watch
"a high a. bis face, and let it fall on the par
4get- There was cry Of fright on every side
The cardinal, pale and trembling, got up.
'Sir. said he, with ill-restrained anger.
what you have done is al extremely bad
Joke TOrrini assured him thar this was only
done to prove the perfection Of the watch,
which would come back 10 him unnjured by
the trials % which 1t would be sub bjected
The beautiful Breguet, which tne Cardinal
DeIleEed 10 oe unique, was destined for severer
al usage Torrini, not content with dashiny it
down, stamped upon the case, crashed il into
shaPeless Insss of wheels. springs and broken
hand This he handed around. that all might
be sure II was the Cardinal watch Of watches
All TINS time the Cardinals rage Was at fever
neat lie had no small cause for anger His
watch. about the identity Of which there could
De 20 DOUBT. for he recognized his arms en-
grayed inside the ease. was utterly ruined; and
almost in tears he declared thss it had been
unique, and never could be replaced
IOrrlni next move WAS to get tho watch
the real simon Pure, for it was his own which
was destroyed-intO the Pope's pocket. As
long ~ his Holiness remained seated this couId
not be done. An expedent had to be found
for getting him out of his chair T,rrini wss
- lucky ~ to find one. lie asked for a brass
pe-'ie and mortar, and one WAS brought from
tue kitchen. where it WAS an implement of the
c7fVH'sr. Placing ii upon the table he east
into it the wrecks of the famous Bre suet and
began I" VOun,. them violently with the enor-
nols pestle slight detOnation was sudden
~ heard, and reddish flame arose from she
bottom OF the vessel, which gave the scene the
aPPearNnec Of real magic Torrini, still pound
lhs VA the mortar, with great fury, ltant over
~, AID pretending io look In, made exclams-
hons of wonder TO himself ut the surprising
things he pretended there To- see. TIE specta-
tors, consisting Ut Cardinals and their attend
anti, were dying 10 know what he was wonder.
lng at bat. cut Of respect Ia the Pope. no one
ventdred 70 rise At last, excited by curiosity.
the Pope aIProsrhn1 the table follIwed by
some others IL the audience Turrini WAS sill
pounding away, and still exclsiming 81 do