The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-26
CAGLI0STR0'S PARIS HOUSE
1T Still STANDs MUcH AS WHEN HE
PRdCTICED MAGIC IN III.
Where the Cardinal de Rohan Was Brought
Into the Affair OF the Diamond Neck
lRce-'Story OF the Sorcerer-Bnnquet of
the Ghosta-CnKIioatro and His wife.
From ne courri,r de, htai, Unit.

the Ghosts-CRRliostro and His Wife.
From ne Courrisr de, Fiat, Unit.
Cagliostro's house still stands in Paris, Few
alterations have been made In 10 since the days
Of its Glories and mysteries: and one may
easily imagine the effect which It produced in
the might upon those who Razed upon its
strange pavilions and wide terraces when the
lurid lights Of the nlchemist's furnaces
streamed through the outer window blinds.
The building preserves It's noble lines In spite
OF modern additions and'at the same time hos
a weird appearance which produces an almost
depressing effect. but this doubtless comes
from the Imagination, because the house was
not built by CaRliostro; he simply rented II.
When he took up his quarters In II. II was the
property OF the MaTuuise d'Orvlllers. CaRlios-
tro made no changes In II. except perhaps n
few TEMPORARY interior additions for the ma
chimes which he used In his seances In magic.
The plan OF the building may well be said to
be abnormal. The outer gate opens upon the
rue Saint Claude at the angle OF the boule-
ward Beaumarchais The COURTYARD has a
morose and solemn aspect. At the end I'M
der a laRRe porch there Is q stone staircase
worn Ivy time. bat It still preserves its old iron
railing. On looking at that staircase one cannot
help thlnking OF the hosts OF beautiful women.
attracted by curiosity to the den of the sorcer-
er, and terrified at what they imagined they
were about to see. who placed their trembling
hands upon that old railing. Here we can
evoke the shade Of Nine. de la Motto running
up the steps, with her head. covered with q
cloak. and the ghosts OF the Wallets OF Cardinal
de Rohan sleeping In the drivers seat Of the
carriage with u lantern at their feet. while their
master. in company with the Great Copht. is
occupied with metallurgy, ca
bala or onefrocr:tics. which. as everybody
knows, constitute the four elementary divi-
sions Of Cagliostro's art.
A secret stairway. now walled up. ran near
the large one to the second story. where its
traces are found and a third stairway. narrow
ami tortuous. still exists at the other end OF
the building on the boulevard side. 1t is in
tho centre OF the wall. in complete darkness.
and leads to the old salons now cut into apart
ments. the windows Of which look out
upon a terrace which still retains its old iron
balconies. Below. with their Wondering
doors. are the carriage house and the stable
the stable OF Djerid. the splendid black horse
of Lorenza Feliciani.
1t was in the summer OF 1871 that the Comte
de Cagliostro first appeared In Paris. All sorts
Of fantastic stories have been told about him.
According to the most authentic records he was
a rather badly built man, clad In poorly cut
blue ~taffeta. laced on the borders. He wore his
hair in a startling and most ridiculous style.
with powdered plaits punched in cadenettes.
His silk stockings were embroidered In gold
and the buckles Of his velvet shoes sparkled
with, precious stones. The display. OF dia.
b2yond the line OF vulGarity. His head dress
wore a great blue fox cloak. augmented by a
fur capuchon in the form Of a cdrdp0uSsp. On
children used to flee from him in terror. His
tea.ures were regular, HE complexion clear.
his teeth superb and his eyes were 50 marvel
by all account she was a woman Of bewilder-
their antique purity and enhanced by an Ital-
ian expression; This most enthusiastic Of her
had never seen her face. There were many
duels u decide the question as to the color OF
her eyes s9me eSntending that they were
Duels were also fought over a dimple which
some admlrers insisted was on the right
lonsed to the lett cheek. She appeared to be
n. NOM more re- than "a, n twenty n, years old but she spoke
years e Captain in the Dutch Army"
cs ons may m yha in Msraes the sm9 %t ,,t that %as
Nine. d'orvllllers, It was the Cardinal de
R'han himself who selected and furnished the
visit .Cagliostro three or four times a week.
arriving at dinner time and remaining until
that the great Cardinal. assisted the sorcerer
In his labors. and many people spoke OF the
m my ter iaSora At PGy where gold dubbed
a white heat. But nobody. except CaRIIostro
and perhaps the Cardinal, ever entered that
ior a certainly was that The apartments We're
furnished with Oriental splendor and that
ceived his guests with kingly dignity and gave
them his hand to kiss. Upon a black marble
slab in the anteehamber carved in golden let
tiers was the universal prayer OF Pope: Father
OF all! In every age" &c, the parody OF which,
ten years later Paris sang as u hymn to the
Among the many stories told Of CaRliostro
That Of the supper in the hotel Of the rue Saint
holds htIdse the s% record 1n0 SIX ' guests sts's sn met thy; 6 so.st
took their places at a round table upon which
there were thirteen covers; Each guest bro
it he wished to appear at the banquet table.
Cagliostro concentrating his myste rious forces.
Ing tone. One after another the six guests APP
peared;. They were the Due de Choiseul. Vol
non and Montesquieu. Surely one might be in
more stupid company
When the living diners recovered their
nately for the great ghosts. the record OF their
conversation makes them talk stupid non
OF the theory that a man loses his head when
he dies; A. all events. the story created a SEN
evening when the conversation turned upon
the banquet 81 the ghosts; the King frowned.
Ssrugged his shoulders and resumed his game
SNtahAA AAA oIA
forbade the mention q the name OF the charia-
tan in her presence. Nevertheless. some Of the
light headed ladies' OF the court burned for an
Introduction to the. superb sorcerer. They
begged Lorenza Feliciani to get him to give
them a course OF lectures or lessons In magic
TO which no gentlemen were TO be admitted.
Lorsnzq reulied that lie would consent. pro-
yided there were thirty-slx pupils. The list
was made up in a day. and a week afterward
the fair danes got their first lesson. But
they talked OF 1t. and Of course the story got
loose. This caused another scandal. ana con
seluently the first lesson was the last.
When Cardinal de ltohan was sumptuously
installed in the rue Visille. du- Temple he had
for his near neighbor the Comte dc la Motte,
whose wife. an adventures OF the first rank.
boasted Of her ability to conquer the antipathy
OF the Queen In regard to the alchemist. Mime.
de Ia Motto lived In the house that formed the
north angle Of tho rue Neuye- Saint. Giles and
the boulevard Deaumarchais. She first made
that of CaRliostIo. who introduced her to the
Cardinal. Then followed the well-known In
trigue OF the diamond necklace. The Cardi-
nal. the woman La Motte" and CaRliostro
were arrested and here is the latter's own ac-
count OF his mishap:
"On the 22d OF August. 1885. a commissaire,
an EXEMPT and eight policemen entered my
house. The ,pilage began in my presence.