IinformedtheArabsthatIpossessedatalismanrenderingmeinvulnerable，andIdefiedthebestmarksmaninAlgeriatohitme。
IhadhardlyutteredthewordswhenanArab，whohadattractedmynoticebytheattentionhehadpaidtomytricks，jumpedoverfourrowsofseats，anddisdainingtheuseofthe“practicable，“crossedtheorchestra，upsettingflutes，clarionets，andviolins，escaladedthestage，whileburninghimselfatthefootlights，andthensaid，inexcellentFrench：
“Iwillkillyou!“
AnimmenseburstoflaughtergreetedboththeArab’spicturesqueascentandhismurderousintentions，whileaninterpreterwhostoodnearmetoldmeIhadtodealwithaMarabout。
“Youwishtokillme!“Ireplied，imitatinghisaccentandtheinflectionofhisvoice。“Well，Ireply，thatthoughyouareasorcerer，Iamstillagreaterone，andyouwillnotkillme。“
Iheldacavalrypistolinmyhand，whichIpresentedtohim。
“Here，takethisweapon，andassureyourselfithasundergonenopreparation。“
TheArabbreathedseveraltimesdownthebarrel，thenthroughthenipple，toassurehimselftherewasacommunicationbetweenthem，andaftercarefullyexaminingthepistol，said：
“Theweaponisgood，andIwillkillyou。“
“Asyouaredetermined，andformorecertainty，putinadoublechargeofpowder，andawadonthetop。“
“Itisdone。“
“Now，hereisaleadenball；markitwithyourknife，soastobeabletorecognizeit，andputitinthepistol，withasecondwad。“
“Itisdone。“
“Nowthatyouarequitesureyourpistolisloaded，andthatitwillexplode，tellme，doyoufeelnoremorse，noscrupleaboutkillingmethus，althoughIauthorizeyoutodoso？“
“No，forIwishtokillyou，“theArabrepeatedcoldly。
Withoutreplying，Iputanappleonthepointofaknife，and，standingafewyardsfromtheMarabout，orderedhimtofire。
“Aimstraightattheheart，“Isaidtohim。
Myopponentaimedimmediately，withouttheslightesthesitation。
Thepistolexploded，andthebulletlodgedinthecenteroftheapple。
IcarriedthetalismantotheMarabout，whorecognizedtheballhehadmarked。
Icouldnotsaythatthistrickproducedgreaterstupefactionthantheonesprecedingit：atanyrate，myspectators，palsiedbysurpriseandterror，lookedroundinsilence，seemingtothink，“Wherethedeucehavewegottohere!“
Apleasantscene，however，soonunwrinkledmanyoftheirfaces。
TheMarabout，thoughstupefiedbyhisdefeat，hadnotlosthiswits；so，profitingbythemomentwhenhereturnedmethepistol，heseizedtheapple，thrustitintohiswaistbelt，andcouldnotbeinducedtoreturnit，persuadedashewasthathepossessedinitanincomparabletalisman。
ForthelasttrickinmyperformanceIrequiredtheassistanceofanArab。
Attherequestofseveralinterpreters，ayoungMoor，abouttwentyyearsofage，tall，wellbuilt，andrichlydressed，consentedtocomeonthestage。Bolderandmorecivilized，doubtless，thanhiscomradesoftheplains，hewalkedfirmlyuptome。
Idrewhimtowardthetablethatwasinthecenterofthestage，andpointedouttohimandtotheotherspectatorsthatitwasslightlybuiltandperfectlyisolated。Afterwhich，withoutfurtherpreface，Itoldhimtomountuponit，andcoveredhimwithanenormousclothcone，openatthetop。
Then，drawingtheconeanditscontentsontoaplank，theendsofwhichwereheldbymyservantandmyself，wewalkedtothefootlightswithourheavyburden，andupsetit。TheMoorhaddisappeared——theconewasperfectlyempty!
ImmediatelytherebeganaspectaclewhichIshallneverforget。
TheArabsweresoaffectedbythislasttrick，that，impelledbyanirresistiblefeelingofterror，theyroseinallpartsofthehouse，andyieldedtotheinfluenceofageneralpanic。Totellthetruth，thecrowdoffugitiveswasdensestatthedoorofthedresscircle，anditcouldbeseen，fromtheagilityandconfusionofthesehighdignitaries，thattheywerethefirsttowishtoleavethehouse。
Vainlydidoneofthem，theCaidoftheBeni-Salah，morecourageousthanhiscolleagues，trytorestrainthembyhiswords：
“Stay!stay!wecannotthusloseoneofourcoreligionists。Surelywemustknowwhathasbecomeofhim，orwhathasbeendonetohim。
Stay!stay!“
Butthecoreligionistsonlyranawaythefaster，andsoonthecourageouscaid，ledawaybytheirexample，followedthem。
Theylittleknewwhatawaitedthematthedoorofthetheater；buttheyhadscarcegonedownthestepswhentheyfoundthemselvesfacetofacewiththe“resuscitatedMoor。“
Thefirstmovementofterrorovercome，theysurroundedtheman，feltandcross-questionedhim；but，annoyedbytheserepeatedquestions，hehadnobetterrecoursethantoescapeatfullspeed。
Thenexteveningthesecondperformancetookplace，andproducednearlythesameeffectasthepreviousone。
Theblowwasstruck：henceforththeinterpretersandallthosewhohaddealingswiththeArabsreceivedorderstomakethemunderstandthatmypretendedmiracleswereonlytheresultofskill，inspiredandguidedbyanartcalledprestidigitation，innowayconnectedwithsorcery。
TheArabsdoubtlessyieldedtothesearguments，forhenceforthI
wasonthemostfriendlytermswiththem。Eachtimeachiefsawme，heneverfailedtocomeupandpressmyhand。And，evenmore，thesemenwhomIhadsoterrified，whentheybecamemyfriends，gavemeaprecioustestimonyoftheiresteem——Imaysay，too，oftheiradmiration，forthatistheirownexpression。
[TheseveresttrialofallwasunexpectedlyencounteredduringavisitpaidbytheconjurerandhiswifetoBou-Allem-ben-Sherifa，Bash-AgaoftheDjendel，atribeofthedesertinterior。]
Weenteredasmallroomveryelegantlydecorated，inwhichweretwodivans。
“This，“ourhostsaid，“istheroomreservedforguestsofdistinction；youcangotobedwhenyoulike，butifyouarenottired，Iwouldaskyourleavetopresenttoyouseveralchiefmenofmytribe，who，havingheardofyou，wishtoseeyou。“
“Letthemcomein，“Isaid，afterconsultingMadameHoudin，“wewillreceivethemwithpleasure。“
Theinterpreterwentout，andsoonbroughtinadozenoldmen，amongwhomwereaMaraboutandseveraltalebs，whomthebash-agaappearedtoholdingreatdeference。
TheysatdowninacircleoncarpetsandkeptupaverylivelyconversationaboutmyperformancesatAlgiers。Thislearnedsocietydiscussedtheprobabilityofthemarvelsrelatedbythechiefofthetribe，whotookgreatpleasureindepictinghisimpressionsandthoseofhiscoreligionistsatthesightoftheMIRACLESIhadperformed。
Eachlentanattentiveeartothesestories，andregardedmewithaspeciesofveneration；theMaraboutalonedisplayedadegreeofskepticism，andassertedthatthespectatorshadbeendupedbywhathecalledavision。
JealousofmyreputationasaFrenchsorcerer，IthoughtImustperformbeforetheunbelieverafewtricksasaspecimenofmylateperformance。Ihadthepleasureofastoundingmyaudience，buttheMaraboutcontinuedtooffermeasystematicopposition，bywhichhisneighborswerevisiblyannoyed；thepoorfellowdidnotsuspect，though，whatIhadinstoreforhim。
Myantagonistworeinhissashawatch，thechainofwhichhungoutside。
IbelieveIhavealreadymentionedacertaintalentIpossessoffilchingawatch，apin，apocketbook，etc。，withaskillbywhichseveralofmyfriendshavebeenvictimized。
Iwasfortunatelybornwithanhonestanduprightheart，orthispeculiartalentmighthaveledmetoofar。WhenIfeltinclinedforajokeofthisnature，Iturnedittoprofitinaconjuringtrick，orwaitedtillmyfriendtookleaveofme，andthenrecalledhim：“Stay，“Iwouldsay，handinghimthestolenarticle，“letthisserveasalessontoputyouonyourguardagainstpersonslesshonestthanmyself。“
ButtoreturntoourMarabout。IhadstolenhiswatchasIpassednearhimandslippedintoitsplaceafive-francpiece。
Topreventhisdetectingit，andwhilewaitingtillIcouldprofitbymylarceny，Iimprovisedatrick。AfterjugglingawayBou-
Allem’srosary，Imadeitpassintooneofthenumerousslippersleftatthedoorbytheguests；thisshoewasnextfoundtobefullofcoins，andtoendthislittlescenecomically，Imadefive-francpiecescomeoutofthenosesofthespectators。TheytooksuchpleasureinthistrickthatIfanciedIshouldneverterminateit。
“Douros!douros!“[1]theyshouted，astheytwitchedtheirnoses。I
willinglyaccededtotheirrequest，andthedourosissuedatcommand。
[1]GoldArabiccoin。
ThedelightwassogreatthatseveralArabsrolledontheground；
thiscoarselyexpressedjoyonthepartofMohammedanswasworthfrenziedapplausetome。
IpretendedtokeepalooffromtheMarabout，who，asIexpected，remainedseriousandimpassive。
Whencalmwasrestored，myrivalbeganspeakinghurriedlytohisneighbors，asifstrivingtodispeltheirillusion，and，notsucceeding，headdressedmethroughtheinterpreter：
“Youwillnotdeceivemeinthatway，“hesaid，withacraftylook。
“Whyso？“
“BecauseIdon’tbelieveinyourpower。“
“Ah，indeed!Well，then，ifyoudonotbelieveinmypower，Iwillcompelyoutobelieveinmyskill。“
“Neitherinonenortheother。“
IwasatthismomentthewholelengthoftheroomfromtheMarabout。
“Stay，“Isaidtohim；“youseethisfive-francpiece。“
“Yes。“
“Closeyourhandfirmly，forthepiecewillgointoitinspiteofyourself。“
“Iamready，“theArabsaid，inanincredulousvoice，asheheldouthistightlyclosedfist。
Itookthepieceattheendofmyfingers，sothattheassemblymightallseeit，then，feigningtothrowitattheMarabout，itdisappearedattheword“Pass!“
Mymanopenedhishand，and，findingnothinginit，shruggedhisshoulders，asiftosay，“Yousee，Itoldyouso。“
Iwaswellawarethepiecewasnotthere，butitwasimportanttodrawtheMarabout’sattentionmomentarilyfromthesash，andforthispurposeIemployedthefeint。
“Thatdoesnotsurpriseme，“Ireplied，“forIthrewthepiecewithsuchstrengththatitwentrightthroughyourhand，andhasfallenintoyoursash。BeingafraidImightbreakyourwatchbytheblow，Icalledittome：hereitis!“AndIshowedhimthewatchinmyhand。
TheMaraboutquicklyputhishandinhiswaistbelt，toassurehimselfofthetruth，andwasquitestupefiedatfindingthefive-
francpiece。
Thespectatorswereastounded。Someamongthembegantellingtheirbeadswithavivacityevidencingacertainagitationofmind；buttheMaraboutfrownedwithoutsayingaword，andIsawhewasspellingoversomeevildesign。
“Inowbelieveinyoursupernaturalpower，“hesaid；“youarearealsorcerer；hence，Ihopeyouwillnotfeartorepeathereatrickyouperformedinyourtheater“；andofferingmetwopistolsheheldconcealedbeneathhisburnous，headded，“Come，chooseoneofthesepistols；wewillloadit，andIwillfireatyou。Youhavenothingtofear，asyoucanwardoffallblows。“
IconfessIwasforamomentstaggered；Isoughtasubterfugeandfoundnone。Alleyeswerefixeduponme，andareplywasanxiouslyawaited。
TheMaraboutwastriumphant。