[TheenemiesoftheunfortunateQueenofFrance，whentheprogressoftheRevolutionembitteredtheiranimosityagainsther。maintainedthatshewasreallyapartyinthistransaction；thatshe，andnotMademoiselleD’Oliva，mettheCardinalandrewardedhimwiththeflower；andthatthestoryaboverelatedwasmerelyconcoctedbetweenher，LaMotte，andotherstocheatthejewellerofhis1，600，000
　　francs。]
　　InthecourseoftimetheforgeryoftheQueen’ssignaturewasdiscovered。BoehmerthejewellerimmediatelynamedtheCardinaldeRohanandMadamedelaMotteasthepersonswithwhomhehadnegotiated，andtheywerebotharrestedandthrownintotheBastille。
　　LaMottewassubjectedtoarigorousexamination，andthedisclosuresshemadeimplicatingCagliostro，hewasseized，alongwithhiswife，andalsosenttotheBastille，Astoryinvolvingsomuchscandalnecessarilyexcitedgreatcuriosity。NothingwastobeheardofinParisbuttheQueen’snecklace，withsurmisesoftheguiltorinnocenceoftheseveralpartiesimplicated。ThehusbandofMadamedelaMotteescapedtoEngland，andintheopinionofmanytookthenecklacewithhim，andtheredisposedofittodifferentjewellersinsmallquantitiesatatime。ButMadamedelaMotteinsistedthatshehadentrustedittoCagliostro，whohadseizedandtakenittopieces，to“swellthetreasuresofhisimmenseunequalledfortune。“Shespokeofhimas“anempiric，ameanalchymist，adreameronthephilosopher’sstone，afalseprophet，aprofanerofthetrueworship，theself-dubbedCountCagliostro！“ShefurthersaidthatheoriginallyconceivedtheprojectofruiningtheCardinaldeRohan；thathepersuadedher，bytheexerciseofsomemagicinfluenceoverhermind，toaidandabetthescheme；andthathewasarobber，aswindler，andasorcerer！
　　AfteralltheaccusedpartieshadremainedforupwardsofsixmonthsintheBastille，thetrialcommenced。Thedepositionsofthewitnesseshavingbeenheard，Cagliostro，astheprincipalculprit，wasfirstcalleduponforhisdefence。Hewaslistenedtowiththemostbreathlessattention。Heputhimselfintoatheatricalattitude，andthusbegan:——“Iamoppressed！——Iamaccused！——Iamcalumniated！
　　HaveIdeservedthisfate？Idescendintomyconscience，andItherefindthepeacethatmenrefuseme！Ihavetravelledagreatdeal——I
　　amknownoverallEurope，andagreatpartofAsiaandAfrica。Ihaveeverywhereshownmyselfthefriendofmyfellow-creatures。Myknowledge，mytime，myfortunehaveeverbeenemployedinthereliefofdistress！Ihavestudiedandpractisedmedicine，butIhaveneverdegradedthatmostnobleandmostconsolingofartsbymercenaryspeculationsofanykind。Thoughalwaysgiving，andneverreceiving，I
　　havepreservedmyindependence。Ihaveevencarriedmydelicacysofarastorefusethefavoursofkings。Ihavegivengratuitouslymyremediesandmyadvicetotherich:thepoorhavereceivedfrommebothremediesandmoney。Ihavenevercontractedanydebts，andmymannersarepureanduncorrupted。“Aftermuchmoreself-laudationofthesamekind，hewentontocomplainofthegreathardshipshehadenduredinbeingseparatedforsomanymonthsfromhisinnocentandlovingwife，who，ashewasgiventounderstand，hadbeendetainedintheBastille，andperhapschainedinanunwholesomedungeon。Hedeniedunequivocallythathehadthenecklace，orthathehadeverseenit；
　　andtosilencetherumoursandaccusationsagainsthim，whichhisownsecrecywithregardtotheeventsofhislifehadperhapsoriginated，heexpressedhimselfreadytosatisfythecuriosityofthepublic，andtogiveaplainandfullaccountofhiscareer。Hethentoldaromanticandincredibletale，whichimposeduponnoone。Hesaidheneitherknewtheplaceofhisbirthnorthenameofhisparents，butthathespenthisinfancyinMedinainArabia，andwasbroughtupunderthenameofAcharat。HelivedinthepalaceoftheGreatMuphtiinthatcity，andalwayshadthreeservantstowaituponhim，besideshispreceptor，namedAlthotas。ThisAlthotaswasveryfondofhim，andtoldhimthathisfatherandmother，whowereChristiansandnobles，diedwhenhewasthreemonthsold，andlefthiminthecareoftheMuphti。Hecouldnever，hesaid，ascertaintheirnames，forwheneverheaskedAlthotasthequestion，hewastoldthatitwouldbedangerousforhimtoknow。SomeincautiousexpressionsdroppedbyhispreceptorgavehimreasontothinktheywerefromMalta。Attheageoftwelvehebeganhistravels，andlearnedthevariouslanguagesoftheEast。HeremainedthreeyearsinMecca，wheretheCherif，orgovernor，showedhimsomuchkindness，andspoketohimsotenderlyandaffectionately，thathesometimesthoughtthatpersonagewashisfather。Hequittedthisgoodmanwithtearsinhiseyes，andneversawhimafterwards；
　　buthewasconvincedthathewas，evenatthatmoment，indebtedtohiscareforalltheadvantagesheenjoyed。Wheneverhearrivedinanycity，eitherofEuropeorAsia，hefoundanaccountopenedforhimattheprincipalbankers’ormerchants’。Hecoulddrawuponthemtotheamountofthousandsandhundredsofthousands；andnoquestionswereeveraskedbeyondhisname。HehadonlytomentionthewordAcharat，andallhiswantsweresupplied。HefirmlybelievedthattheCherifofMeccawasthefriendtowhomallwasowing。Thiswasthesecretofhiswealth，andhehadnooccasiontoresorttoswindlingforalivelihood。Itwasnotworthhiswhiletostealadiamondnecklacewhenhehadwealthenoughtopurchaseasmanyashepleased，andmoremagnificentonesthanhadeverbeenwornbyaQueenofFrance。AstotheotherchargesbroughtagainsthimbyMadamedelaMotte，hehadbutashortanswertogive。Shehadcalledhimanempiric。Hewasnotunfamiliarwiththeword。Ifitmeantamanwho，withoutbeingaphysician，hadsomeknowledgeofmedicine，andtooknofees——whocuredbothrichandpoor，andtooknomoneyfromeither，heconfessedthathewassuchaman，thathewasanempiric。Shehadalsocalledhimameanalchymist。Whetherhewereanalchymistornot，theepithetmeancouldonlybeappliedtothosewhobeggedandcringed，andhehadneverdoneeither。Asregardedhisbeingadreameraboutthephilosopher’sstone，whateverhisopinionsuponthatsubjectmightbe，hehadbeensilent，andhadnevertroubledthepublicwithhisdreams。
　　Then，astohisbeingafalseprophet，hehadnotalwaysbeenso；forhehadprophesiedtotheCardinaldeRohanthatMadamedelaMottewouldproveadangerouswoman，andtheresulthadverifiedtheprediction。Hedeniedthathewasaprofanerofthetrueworship，orthathehadeverstriventobringreligionintocontempt；onthecontrary，herespectedeveryman’sreligion，andnevermeddledwithit。HealsodeniedthathewasaRosicrucian，orthathehadeverpretendedtobethreehundredyearsofage，ortohavehadonemaninhisserviceforahundredandfiftyyears。Inconclusion，hesaideverystatementthatMadamedelaMottehadmaderegardinghimwasfalse，andthatshewasmentirisimpudentissime，whichtwowordshebeggedhercounseltotranslateforher，asitwasnotpolitetotellhersoinFrench。
　　Suchwasthesubstanceofhisextraordinaryanswertothechargesagainsthim；ananswerwhichconvincedthosewhowerebeforedoubtfulthathewasoneofthemostimpudentimpostorsthathadeverrunthecareerofdeception。CounselwerethenheardonbehalfoftheCardinaldeRohanandMadamedelaMotte。ItappearingclearlythattheCardinalwashimselfthedupeofavileconspiracy；andtherebeingnoevidenceagainstCagliostro，theywerebothacquitted。MadamedelaMottewasfoundguilty，andsentencedtobepubliclywhipped，andbrandedwithahotironontheback。
　　Cagliostroandhiswifewerethendischargedfromcustody。OnapplyingtotheofficersoftheBastilleforthepapersandeffectswhichhadbeenseizedathislodgings，hefoundthatmanyofthemhadbeenabstracted。HethereuponbroughtanactionagainstthemfortherecoveryofhisMSS。andasmallportionofthepowderoftransmutation。Beforetheaffaircouldbedecided，hereceivedorderstoquitPariswithinfour-and-twentyhours。FearingthatifhewereoncemoreinclosedinthedungeonsoftheBastilleheshouldneverseedaylightagain，hetookhisdepartureimmediatelyandproceededtoEngland。OnhisarrivalinLondonhemadetheacquaintanceofthenotoriousLordGeorgeGordon，whoespousedhiscausewarmly，andinsertedaletterinthepublicpapers，animadvertingupontheconductoftheQueenofFranceintheaffairofthenecklace，andassertingthatshewasreallytheguiltyparty。ForthisletterLordGeorgewasexposedtoaprosecutionattheinstanceoftheFrenchAmbassador-
　　foundguiltyoflibel，andsentencedtofineandalongimprisonment。
　　CagliostroandtheCountessafterwardstravelledinItaly，wheretheywerearrestedbythePapalGovernmentin1789，andcondemnedtodeath。Thechargesagainsthimwere，thathewasafreemason，aheretic，andasorcerer。ThisunjustifiablesentencewasafterwardscommutedintooneofperpetualimprisonmentintheCastleofSt。
　　Angelo。Hiswifewasallowedtoescapesevererpunishmentbyimmuringherselfinanunnery。Cagliostrodidnotlongsurvive。Thelossoflibertypreyeduponhismind——accumulatedmisfortuneshadinjuredhishealthandbrokenhisspirit，andhediedearlyin1790。Hisfatemayhavebeennobetterthanhedeserved，butitisimpossiblenottofeelthathissentenceforthecrimesassignedwasutterlydisgracefultothegovernmentthatpronouncedit。
　　PRESENTSTATEOFALCHYMY。
　　Wehavenowfinishedthelistofthepersonswhohavemostdistinguishedthemselvesinthisfoolishandunprofitablepursuit。
　　Amongthemaremenofallranks，characters，andconditions；thetruthseeking，buterringphilosopher；theambitiousprinceandtheneedynoble，whohavebelievedinit；aswellasthedesigningcharlatan，whohasnotbelievedinit，buthasmerelymadethepretensiontoitthemeansofcheatinghisfellows，andlivingupontheircredulity。Oneormoreofalltheseclasseswillbefoundintheforegoingpages。Itwillbeseen，fromtherecordoftheirlives，thatthedelusion，humiliatingasitwastohumanintellect，wasnotaltogetherwithoutitsuses。Men，instrivingtogaintoomuch，donotalwaysoverreachthemselves:iftheycannotarriveattheinaccessiblemountain-top，theymay，perhaps，gethalfwaytowardsit，andpickupsomescrapsofwisdomandknowledgeontheroad。Theusefulscienceofchemistryisnotalittleindebtedtoitsspuriousbrotherofalchymy。
　　Manyvaluablediscoverieshavebeenmadeinthatsearchfortheimpossible，whichmightotherwisehavebeenhiddenforcenturiesyettocome。RogerBacon，insearchingforthephilosopher’sstone，discoveredgunpowder，astillmoreextraordinarysubstance。VanHelmont，inthesamepursuit，discoveredthepropertiesofgas；Gebermadediscoveriesinchemistrywhichwereequallyimportant；andParacelsus，amidsthisperpetualvisionsofthetransmutationofmetals，foundthatmercurywasaremedyforoneofthemostodiousandexcruciatingofallthediseasesthatafflicthumanity。
　　Inourday，nomentionismadeinEuropeofanynewdevoteesofthescience。Thebeliefinwitchcraft，whichisscarcelymoreabsurd，stilllingersinthepopularmind:butnonearesocredulousastobelievethatanyelixircouldmakemanliveforcenturies，orturnallourironandpewterintogold。Alchymy，inEurope，maybesaidtobewhollyexploded；butintheEastitstillflourishesinasgreatreputeasever。Recenttravellersmakeconstantmentionofit，especiallyinChina，Hindostan，Persia，Tartary，Egypt，andArabia。