CagliostroappearstohavebeenquiteignorantoftheformsoflawinEngland，andtohavebeenwithoutafriendtoadvisehimastothebestcourseheshouldpursue。WhilehewasconversingwithhisCountessonthedifficultiesthatbesetthem，oneofhisbailcalled，andinvitedhimtorideinahackneycoachtothehouseofapersonwhowouldseehimrighted。Cagliostroconsented，andwasdriventotheKing’sBenchprison，wherehisfriendlefthim。Hedidnotdiscoverforseveralhoursthathewasaprisoner，orinfactunderstandtheprocessofbeingsurrenderedbyone’sbail。
　　Heregainedhislibertyinafewweeks；andthearbitratorsbetweenhimandMissFry，madetheirawardagainsthim。Hewasorderedtopaythetwohundredpoundsshehadswornagainsthim，andtorestorethenecklaceandgoldboxwhichhadbeenpresentedtotheCountess。Cagliostrowassodisgusted，thathedeterminedtoquitEngland。Hispretensions，besides，hadbeenunmercifullyexposedbyaFrenchman，namedMorande，theEditoroftheCourierdel’Europe，publishedinLondon。Toaddtohisdistress，hewasrecognisedinWestminsterHall，asJosephBalsamo，theswindlerofPalermo。Suchacomplicationofdisgracewasnottobeborne。HeandhisCountesspackeduptheirsmalleffects，andleftEnglandwithnomorethanfiftypounds，outofthethreethousandtheyhadbroughtwiththem。
　　TheyfirstproceededtoBrussels，wherefortunewasmoreauspicious。Theysoldconsiderablequantitiesoftheelixiroflife，performedmanycures，andrecruitedtheirfinances。TheythentooktheircoursethroughGermanytoRussia，andalwayswiththesamesuccess。Goldflowedintotheircoffersfasterthantheycouldcountit。TheyquiteforgotallthewoestheyhadenduredinEngland，andlearnedtobemorecircumspectinthechoiceoftheiracquaintance。
　　Intheyear1780，theymadetheirappearanceinStrasbourg。Theirfamehadreachedthatcitybeforethem。Theytookamagnificenthotel，andinvitedalltheprincipalpersonsoftheplacetotheirtable。
　　Theirwealthappearedtobeboundless，andtheirhospitalityequaltoit。BoththeCountandCountessactedasphysicians，andgavemoney，advice，andmedicinetoallthenecessitousandsufferingofthetown。
　　Manyofthecurestheyperformed，astonishedthoseregularpractitionerswhodidnotmakesufficientallowanceforthewonderfulinfluenceofimaginationincertaincases。TheCountess，whoatthistimewasnotmorethanfive-and-twenty，andallradiantwithgrace，beauty，andcheerfulness，spokeopenlyofhereldestsonasafineyoungmanofeight-and-twenty，whohadbeenforsomeyearsacaptainintheDutchservice。Thetricksucceededtoadmiration。AlltheuglyoldwomeninStrasbourg，andformilesaround，throngedthesaloonoftheCountesstopurchasetheliquidwhichwastomakethemasbloomingastheirdaughters；theyoungwomencameinequalabundancethattheymightpreservetheircharms，andwhentwiceasoldasNinondeL’Enclos，bemorecaptivatingthanshe；whilemenwerenotwantingfoolsenoughtoimagine，thattheymightkeepofftheinevitablestrokeofthegrimfoe，byafewdropsofthesameincomparableelixir。TheCountess，soothtosay，lookedlikeanincarnationofimmortalloveliness，averygoddessofyouthandbeauty；anditispossiblethatthecrowdsofyoungmenandold，whoatallconvenientseasonshauntedtheperfumedchambersofthisenchantress，wereattractedlessbytheirbeliefinheroccultpowersthanfromadmirationofherlanguishingbrighteyesandsparklingconversation。
　　Butamidalltheincensethatwasofferedathershrine，MadamediCagliostrowaseverfaithfultoherspouse。Sheencouragedhopes，itistrue，butsheneverrealisedthem；sheexcitedadmiration，yetkeptitwithinbounds；andmademenherslaves，withoutevergrantingafavourofwhichthevainestmightboast。
　　Inthiscitytheymadetheacquaintanceofmanyeminentpersons，andamongothers，oftheCardinalPrincedeRohan，whowasdestinedafterwardstoexercisesountowardaninfluenceovertheirfate。TheCardinal，whoseemstohavehadgreatfaithinhimasaphilosopher，persuadedhimtovisitParisinhiscompany，whichhedid，butremainedonlythirteendays。HepreferredthesocietyofStrasbourg，andreturnedthither，withtheintentionoffixinghisresidencefarfromthecapital。Buthesoonfoundthatthefirstexcitementofhisarrivalhadpassedaway。Peoplebegantoreasonwiththemselves，andtobeashamedoftheirownadmiration。Thepopulace，amongwhomhehadlavishedhischaritywithabountifulhand，accusedhimofbeingtheAntichrist，theWanderingJew，themanoffourteenhundredyearsofage，ademoninhumanshape，senttoluretheignoranttotheirdestruction；whilethemoreopulentandbetterinformedcalledhimaspyinthepayofforeigngovernments，anagentofthepolice，aswindler，andamanofevillife。Theoutcrygrewatlastsostrong，thathedeemeditprudenttotryhisfortuneelsewhere。
　　HewentfirsttoNaples，butthatcitywastoonearPalermo；hedreadedrecognitionfromsomeofhisearlyfriends，andafterashortstay，returnedtoFrance。HechoseBordeauxashisnextdwelling-place，andcreatedasgreatasensationthereashehaddoneinStrasbourg。Heannouncedhimselfasthefounderofanewschoolofmedicineandphilosophy，boastedofhisabilitytocurealldiseases，andinvitedthepoorandsufferingtovisithim，andhewouldrelievethedistressoftheoneclass，andcuretheailingsoftheother。Alldaylongthestreetoppositehismagnificenthotelwascrowdedbythepopulace；thehaltandtheblind，womenwithsickbabesintheirarms，andpersonssufferingundereveryspeciesofhumaninfirmityflockedtothiswonderfuldoctor。Thereliefheaffordedinmoneymorethancounterbalancedthefailureofhisnostrums；andtheaffluenceofpeoplefromallthesurroundingcountrybecamesogreat，thatthejuratsofthecitygrantedhimamilitaryguard，tobestationeddayandnightbeforehisdoor，tokeeporder。TheanticipationsofCagliostrowererealised。Therichwerestruckwithadmirationofhischarityandbenevolence，andimpressedwithafullconvictionofhismarvellouspowers。Thesaleoftheelixirwentonadmirably。Hissaloonswerethrongedwithwealthydupeswhocametopurchaseimmortality。Beauty，thatwouldendureforcenturies，wastheattractionforthefairsex；healthandstrengthforthesameperiodwerethebaitsheldouttotheother。HischarmingCountessinthemeantimebroughtgristtothemill，bytellingfortunesandcastingnativities，orgrantingattendantsylphstoanyladieswhowouldpaysufficientlyfortheirservices。Whatwasstillbetter，astendingtokeepupthecreditofherhusband，shegavethemostmagnificentpartiesinBordeaux。
　　ButasatStrasbourgthepopulardelusionlastedforafewmonthsonly，andburneditselfout；Cagliostroforgot，intheintoxicationofsuccess，thattherewasalimittoquackery，whichoncepassed，inspireddistrust。Whenhepretendedtocallspiritsfromthetomb，peoplebecameincredulous。Hewasaccusedofbeinganenemytoreligion-ofdenyingChrist，andofbeingtheWanderingJew。Hedespisedtheserumoursaslongastheywereconfinedtoafew；butwhentheyspreadoverthetown——whenhereceivednomorefees——
　　whenhispartieswereabandoned，andhisacquaintanceturnedawaywhentheymethiminthestreet，hethoughtithightimetoshifthisquarters。
　　Hewasbythistimeweariedoftheprovinces，andturnedhisthoughtstothecapital。Onhisarrival，heannouncedhimselfastherestorerofEgyptianFreemasonryandthefounderofanewphilosophy。
　　HeimmediatelymadehiswayintothebestsocietybymeansofhisfriendtheCardinaldeRohan。Hissuccessasamagicianwasquiteextraordinary:themostconsiderablepersonsofthetimevisitedhim。
　　Heboastedofbeingable，liketheRosicrucians，toconversewiththeelementaryspirits；toinvokethemightydeadfromthegrave，totransmutemetals，andtodiscoveroccultthings，bymeansofthespecialprotectionofGodtowardshim。LikeDr。Dee，hesummonedtheangelstorevealthefuture；andtheyappeared，andconversedwithhimincrystalsandunderglassbells。[SeetheAbbeFiard，and“AnecdotesoftheReignofLouisXVI。“p。400。]“Therewashardly，“
　　saystheBiographiedesContemporains，“afineladyinPariswhowouldnotsupwiththeshadeofLucretiusintheapartmentsofCagliostro——
　　amilitaryofficerwhowouldnotdiscusstheartofwarwithCesar，Hannibal，orAlexander；oranadvocateorcounsellorwhowouldnotarguelegalpointswiththeghostofCicero。“Theseinterviewswiththedepartedwereveryexpensive；for，asCagliostrosaid，thedeadwouldnotrisefornothing。TheCountess，asusual，exercisedallheringenuitytosupportherhusband’scredit。Shewasagreatfavouritewithherownsex；tomanyadelightedandwonderingauditoryofwhomshedetailedthemarvellouspowersofCagliostro。Shesaidhecouldrenderhimselfinvisible，traversetheworldwiththerapidityofthought，andbeinseveralplacesatthesametime。[“BiographiedesContemporains，“article“Cagliostro。“Seealso“HistoiredelaMagieenFrance，“parM。JulesGarinet，p。284。]
　　HehadnotbeenlongatParisbeforehebecameinvolvedinthecelebratedaffairoftheQueen’snecklace。Hisfriend，theCardinaldeRohan，enamouredofthecharmsofMarieAntoinette，wasinsoredistressathercoldness，andthedispleasureshehadsooftenmanifestedagainsthim。Therewasatthattimealady，namedLaMotte，intheserviceoftheQueen，ofwhomtheCardinalwasfoolishenoughtomakeaconfidant。MadamedelaMotte，inreturn，endeavouredtomakeatooloftheCardinal，andsucceededbuttoowellinherprojects。Inhercapacityofchamber-woman，orladyofhonourtotheQueen，shewaspresentataninterviewbetweenherMajestyandM。
　　Boehmer，awealthyjewellerofParis，whenthelatterofferedforsaleamagnificentdiamondnecklace，valuedat1，600，000francs，orabout64，000poundssterling。TheQueenadmireditgreatly，butdismissedthejeweller，withtheexpressionofherregretthatshewastoopoortopurchaseit。MadamedelaMotteformedaplantogetthiscostlyornamentintoherownpossession，anddeterminedtomaketheCardinaldeRohantheinstrumentbywhichtoeffectit。Shethereforesoughtaninterviewwithhim，andpretendingtosympathiseinhisgrieffortheQueen’sdispleasure，toldhimsheknewawaybywhichhemightberestoredtofavour。Shethenmentionedthenecklace，andthesorrowoftheQueenthatshecouldnotaffordtobuyit。TheCardinal，whowasaswealthyashewasfoolish，immediatelyofferedtopurchasethenecklace，andmakeapresentofittotheQueen。MadamedelaMottetoldhimbynomeanstodoso，ashewouldtherebyoffendherMajesty。
　　HisplanwouldbetoinducethejewellertogiveherMajestycredit，andacceptherpromissorynotefortheamountatacertaindate，tobehereafteragreedupon。TheCardinalreadilyagreedtotheproposal，andinstructedthejewellertodrawupanagreement，andhewouldprocuretheQueen’ssignature。HeplacedthisinthehandsofMadamedelaMotte，whoreturneditshortlyafterwards，withthewords，“Bon，bon-approuve——MarieAntoinette，“writteninthemargin。ShetoldhimatthesametimethattheQueenwashighlypleasedwithhisconductinthematter，andwouldappointameetingwithhiminthegardensofVersailles，whenshewouldpresenthimwithaflower，asatokenofherregard。TheCardinalshowedtheforgeddocumenttothejeweller，obtainedthenecklace，anddelivereditintothehandsofMadamedelaMotte。Sofarallwaswell。HernextobjectwastosatisfytheCardinal，whoawaitedimpatientlythepromisedinterviewwithhisroyalmistress。TherewasatthattimeinParisayoungwomannamedD’Oliva，notedforherresemblancetotheQueen；andMadamedelaMotte，onthepromiseofahandsomereward，foundnodifficultyinpersuadinghertopersonateMarieAntoinette，andmeettheCardinaldeRohanattheeveningtwilightinthegardensofVersailles。Themeetingtookplaceaccordingly。TheCardinalwasdeceivedbytheuncertainlight，thegreatresemblanceofthecounterfeit，andhisownhopes；andhavingreceivedtheflowerfromMademoiselleD’Oliva，wenthomewithalighterheartthanhadbeatinhisbosomformanyaday。