CHAPTER I. THE THEATRE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN.* Berore I proceed to the practical discussion of my subject, it may be as well perhaps to give a few particulars concerning the theatre founded by me under the title of the Thedtre des Soirées Fantastiques de Robert-Houdin,t in which I exhibited, during a long series of years, the * In the original a chapter entitled “ Introduction dans la demeure de PAuteur” is here introduced, but being merely a reprint of a similar chapter in Les Secrets de la Prestidigitation et de la Magie, which has been already translated in our English version of that work, it is not here repeated —Ep. + The public materially shortened the above title, Theltre Robert-Hondin now fully indicating both the place and the nature of the performance,—R.-H.
Io The Secrets of Stage Conjuring. majority of the illusions which [ am about to describe in this book, And I fancy it may be agreeable to the reader if I prelude my descrip- tion by an anecdote whose details (if I ‘may judge from the effect which its mere recollec- tion, after twenty years’ interval, produces on myself) cannot fail to excite his lively interest. I have related in my Conjidences * how from a mechanician 1 had developed into a conjuror; but I was not then at liberty, from reasons which will presently appear, to state the singular circumstance to which I am indebted for having been enabled to build my theatre with pecu- niary resources much more limited than such an undertaking would ordinarily demand. I may now speak freely upon the subject, and shall do so with the greater pleasure that ] am thereby afforded an opportunity of paying a grateful tribute to one whose noble nature and delicate generosity the following narrative will illustrate. This exordium will further serve as a dedica- * Les Confidences d'un Prestidigitateur, the title under which Robert-Houdin wrote his autobiography — E.
The Theatre of Robert-Houdin. IL “tion to the memory of my deeply regretted benefactor and friend. In 1843, when I was as yet only a clock- maker and constructor of mechanical curiosities, I chanced to sell a chronometer-clock to the Count de PEscalopier. This clock, to which I had devoted special attention, was the cause of my noble client paying me sundry visits in order to express his satisfaction with its performance. I had some reason to think, however, that my customer, who was passionately devoted to the arts in general, and to mechanics in particular, was rather glad to avail himself of the excuse of offering a fairly-earned compliment to the mechanician, in order to pay me an occasional call He was sure to find, at each visit, some new curiosity in course of construction, and he used, without ceremony, to take his seat beside my workbench in order to watch me at work. At the date I speak of, as | have elsewhere mentioned, while employed with my workpeople in the production of articles of a saleable cha- racter, I was engaged in the fabrication of sundry
12 The Secrets of Stage Conjuring. mechanical pieces destined to figure, though possibly at a very remote date, in the public performances which I intended some day to give. A kind of intimacy having thus become established between M. de 1'Escalopier and myself, I was naturally led to talk to him of my projects of appearing in public; and, in order to justify them, I had given him, on more than one occasion, specimens of my skill in sleight- of-hand. Prompted doubtless by his friendly feelings, my spectator steadily applauded me, and gave me the warmest encouragement to put my schemes into actual practice. Count de l'Escalopier, who was the possessor of a con- siderable fortune, lived in one of those splendid houses which surround the square which has been called Royale, or des Vosges, according to the colour of the flag of our masters of the time being. 1 myself lived in a humble lodging in the Rue de Vendéme,in the Marais, but the wide disproportion in the style of our respective dwelling-places did not prevent the nobleman