Year: 1859

~ II.


Being summoned to exhibit before Pope Plus the
Seventh, the conjuror cudgeed his brains to pro
woe some astounding and courty new trick for
that express performance And it is merely by this
incessant watchiuluess of contriyance that these
wearers of pinchback crowns keep on their thrones
But true artist will always be equal for the occa
sion, and willing to sacrifice money for self
assertion.


This Torrini, then was to show off befora tha
Pope and concave.


After having selected-said he-from my roper
tory the best of my tricks, put my brains on the
rack to imagine a something, which, belonging to
the moment, should present interest worthy of
so iilustrious an audience But / had no need of
searching for any length of time chance, that in
Ventor of all inventors the most ingenious came to
my aid The very evening before that which my
show was to take place, | happened to be in the
shop OF one of the first watchmakers in the city
when servant came to inquire whether the watch
of His Excellency the Cardinal -, was mended
sit will not be done before this evening" said the
matchmaker; ''and | shall have the honor of bring
ing 1t TO your MASTER


"'Tis handsome and excellent watch" said the
tradesman to me: "the Cardinal values it at more
than ten thousand francs because having ordared
it himself from the ustrous Breguet he fancies it
unique of its kind. Yet, what an odd thing two
days ago mad young fellow of this town of ours
came to offer me, for thousand francs, a watch by
the same maker, exactly like the Cardinals"


''Do you Think said /, 'that this person has
really any intention of parting with his watch ?"


''Sure, was the answer. ''This young spend
thrift, who has already made away his patri-
mony, has come down to selling his family
trinkets. He would be very glad of the thousand
francs.''


"Where is he to be found? p?


"Nothing easier; he never leaves the gaming
house"


"Well sir, wish to make this watch mine; but
must have it at once. Buy it for me; then en-
grave the Cardinals arms on mine so that the
two may not be distinguished one from the other
On your loyalty depends the benefit you will draw
from this transaction"


The watch was bought by the Matchmaker, who
knew his customer, and on comparison bore out
the description-was duly engraved by the confed-
gratefully sent home-and duly in the so-called
TorrinTs pocket, ready for the trick of tricks
which was to close the evening. The POPE we
should say, being an enlightened man, neither be-
lleved in, nor had been dssuaded by any tales of
sorcery from countenancing the entertainment
merely feeling that so far as sleight ofhand went
he was wandering layman, and the clever fellow
brought in to amuse him, the priest of MANY mvs-
teries The exhibition accordingly went off capi-
tally.


''To the end of it," said Torrn (according to
the book-and by way of bouquet, went on to
the famous trick which had contrived for the oc-
easlon Here, however, | had to encounter MANY
dlfhculties. The greatest Of these, without ques
ton, to lure Cardinal - to give me his
watch, and that without directly asking for it. To
gam my point, had recourse to stratagem. On
my asking for watch, MANY had been handed to
me, but had given them back, on the pretext
more or less true, that, offering as they did no ne
cullarity In shape, it would be difficult afterwards
to identify the one chosen by me. 'If, Messieurs,
any one among you" said I, "has rather large
watch the Cardinals had precisely this peculiar
ity, and would entrust it to me, should accept
1t willingly as the one fttest for this experiment.


The Cardinal fell into the snare and the coniuror
examined, and admired and asked questions about
the Cardinals handsome watch by way of "boni-
ment'-the word in the French coniuror's diction-
ary for the preliminary talk which is to beguile
time, and put an audience off its guard. con skill
in this department of his art, NJ. Robert Hondn
assures u.s., depends many of the spells of White
Magic.) But, to return to to the Cardinals watch
After prasing its capital qualities up to the skies


"See," said Torrini, ga first proof of them"


And with this lifted up the watch as high as my
face, and let it fall on the paraquet There was
a cry OF fright on every side. The Cardinal, pale
and trembling, got up r''''


'Sir," said he, with ill-restrained anger, Hwhat
yon have done is an extremely bad Joke"


But worse was to come for the Cardinal. who set
such store on his Breguet. Torrini stamped on the
case, crushed it in pieces, and took up only
snapeess shape mass The Cardinal was in rage; his
watch chronometer too-was the only watch
OF the sort ever made; and Torrini handed ahont
the heap OF broken metal that all might be snra
that the broken heap ,Cas the Cardinals watch Of
watches. watch ol