Twomonthswereincessantlyemployedinerectingthescaffoldingofourtricks，andwhenwewerequiteconfidentofbeingabletocontendagainstthedifficultiesofsuchanundertaking，weannouncedthefirstrepresentationofsecondsight。Onthe12thofFebruary，1846，Iprintedinthecenterofmybillthefollowingsingularannouncement：
　　“InthisperformanceM。Robert-Houdin’sson，whoisgiftedwithamarveloussecondsight，afterhiseyeshavebeencoveredwithathickbandage，willdesignateeveryobjectpresentedtohimbytheaudience。“
　　Icannotsaywhetherthisannouncementattractedanyspectators，formyroomwasconstantlycrowded，stillImayaffirm，whatmayseemveryextraordinary，thattheexperimentofsecondsight，whichafterwardsbecamesofashionable，producednoeffectonthefirstperformance。Iaminclinedtobelievethatthespectatorsfanciedthemselvesthedupesofaccomplices，butIwasmuchannoyedbytheresult，asIhadbuiltonthesurpriseIshouldproduce；still，havingnoreasontodoubtitsultimatesuccess，Iwastemptedtomakeasecondtrial，whichturnedoutwell。
　　ThenexteveningInoticedinmyroomseveralpersonswhohadbeenpresentonthepreviousnight，andIfelttheyhadcomeasecondtimetoassurethemselvesoftherealityoftheexperiment。Itseemstheywereconvinced，formysuccesswascomplete，andamplycompensatedformyformerdisappointment。
　　Iespeciallyrememberamarkofsingularapprovalwithwhichoneofmypitaudiencefavoredme。Mysonhadnamedtohimseveralobjectsheofferedinsuccession；butnotfeelingsatisfied，myincredulousfriend，rising，asiftogivemoreimportancetothedifficultyhewasabouttopresent，handedmeaninstrumentpeculiartoclothmerchants，andemployedtocountthenumberofthreads。Acquiescinginhiswish，Isaidtomyboy，“WhatdoI
　　holdinmyhand？“
　　“Itisaninstrumenttojudgethefinenessofcloth，andcalledathreadcounter。“
　　“ByJove!“myspectatorsaid，energetically，“itismarvelous。IfIhadpaidtenfrancstoseeit，Ishouldnotbegrudgethem。“
　　Fromthismomentmyroomwasmuchtoosmall，andwascrowdedeveryevening。
　　Still，successisnotentirelyrose-colored，andIcouldeasilynarratemanydisagreeablescenesproducedbythereputationIhadofbeingasorcerer；butIwillonlymentionone，whichformsaresumeofallIpassover：
　　Ayoungladyofelegantmannerspaidmeavisitoneday，andalthoughherfacewashiddenbyathickveil，mypracticedeyesperfectlydistinguishedherfeatures。Shewasverypretty。
　　Myincognitawouldnotconsenttositdowntillshewasassuredwewerealone，andthatIwastherealRobert-Houdin。Ialsoseatedmyself，andassumingtheattitudeofamanpreparedtolisten，I
　　bentslightlytomyvisitor，asifawaitingherpleasuretoexplaintometheobjectofhermysteriousvisit。Tomygreatsurprise，theyounglady，whosemannerbetrayedextremeemotion，maintainedthemostprofoundsilence，andIbegantofindthevisitverystrange，andwasonthepointofforcinganexplanation，atanyhazard，whenthefairunknowntimidlyventuredthesewords：
　　“GoodHeavens!sir，Iknownothowyouwillinterpretmyvisit。“
　　Hereshestopped，andlethereyessinkwithaveryembarrassedair；then，makingaviolenteffort，shecontinued：
　　“WhatIhavetoaskofyou，sir，isverydifficulttoexplain。“
　　“Speak，madam，Ibeg，“Isaid，politely，“andIwilltrytoguesswhatyoucannotexplaintome。“
　　AndIbeganaskingmyselfwhatthisreservemeant。
　　“Inthefirstplace，“theyoungladysaid，inalowvoice，andlookingroundher，“ImusttellyouconfidentiallythatIloved，mylovewasreturned，andI——Iambetrayed。“
　　Atthelastwordtheladyraisedherhead，overcamethetimidityshefelt，andsaid，inafirmandassuredvoice：
　　“Yes，sir——yes，Iambetrayed，andforthatreasonIhavecometoyou。“
　　“Really，madam，“Isaid，muchsurprisedatthisstrangeconfession，“IdonotseehowIcanhelpyouinsuchamatter。“
　　“Oh，sir，Ientreatyou，“saidmyfairvisitor，claspingherhands——
　　“Iimploreyounottoabandonme!“
　　Ihadgreatdifficultyinkeepingmycountenance，andyetIfeltanextremecuriositytoknowthehistoryconcealedbehindthismystery。
　　“Calmyourself，madam，“Iremarked，inatoneoftendersympathy；
　　“tellmewhatyouwouldofme，andifitbeinmypower——“
　　“Ifitbeinyourpower!“theyoungladysaid，quickly；“why，nothingismoreeasy，sir。“
　　“Explainyourself，madam。“
　　“Well，sir，Iwishtobeavenged。“
　　“Inwhatway？“
　　“How，youknowbetterthanI，sir；mustIteachyou？Youhaveinyourpowermeansto——“
　　“I，madam？“
　　“Yes，sir，you!foryouareasorcerer，andcannotdenyit。“
　　Atthiswordsorcerer，Iwasmuchinclinedtolaugh；butIwasrestrainedbytheincognita’sevidentemotion。Still，wishingtoputanendtoascenewhichwasgrowingridiculous，Isaid，inapolitelyironicaltone：
　　“Unfortunately，madam，yougivemeatitleIneverpossessed。“
　　“How，sir!“theyoungwomanexclaimed，inaquicktone，“youwillnotallowyouare——“
　　“Asorcerer，madam？Oh，no，Iwillnot。“
　　“Youwillnot？“
　　“No，athousandtimesno，madam。“
　　Atthesewordsmyvisitorrosehastily，mutteredafewincoherentwords，appearedsufferingfromterribleemotion，andthendrawingnearmewithflamingeyesandpassionategestures，repeated：
　　“Ah，youwillnot!Verygood；InowknowwhatIhavetodo。“
　　Stupefiedbysuchanoutbreak，Ilookedatherfixedly，andbegantosuspectthecauseofherextraordinaryconduct。
　　“Therearetwomodesofacting，“shesaid，withterriblevolubility，“towardpeoplewhodevotethemselvestomagicarts——
　　entreatyandmenaces。Youwouldnotyieldtothefirstofthesemeans，hence，Imustemploythesecond。Stay，“sheadded，“perhapsthiswillinduceyoutospeak。“
　　And，liftinguphercloak，shelaidherhandonthehiltofadaggerpassedthroughhergirdle。Atthesametimeshesuddenlythrewbackherveil，anddisplayedfeaturesinwhichallthesignsofrageandmadnesscouldbetraced。NolongerhavingadoubtastothepersonIhadtodealwith，myfirstmovementwastoriseandstandonmyguard；butthisfirstfeelingovercome，Irepentedthethoughtofastrugglewiththeunhappywoman，anddeterminedonemployingamethodalmostalwayssuccessfulwiththosedeprivedofreason。Ipretendedtoaccedetoherwishes。
　　“Ifitbeso，madam，Iyieldtoyourrequest。Tellmewhatyourequire。“
　　“Ihavetoldyou，sir；Iwishforvengeance，andthereisonlyonemethodto——“
　　Heretherewasafreshinterruption，andtheyounglady，calmedbymyapparentsubmission，aswellasembarrassedbytherequestshehadtomakeofme，becameagaintimidandconfused。
　　“Well，madam？“
　　“Well，sir，Iknownothowtotellyou——howtoexplaintoyou——butIfancytherearecertainmeans——certainspells——whichrenderitimpossible——impossibleforamantobe——unfaithful。“
　　“Inowunderstandwhatyouwish，madam。Itisacertainmagicpracticeemployedinthemiddleages。Nothingiseasier，andI
　　willsatisfyyou。“
　　Decidedonplayingthefarcetotheend，ItookdownthelargestbookIcouldfindinmylibrary，turnedovertheleaves，stoppedatapagewhichIpretendedtoscanwithprofoundattention，andthenaddressingthelady，whofollowedallmymovementsanxiously，“Madam，“Isaidconfidentially，“thespellIamgoingtoperformrendersitnecessaryformetoknowthenameoftheperson；havethekindness，then，totellitme。“
　　“Julian!“shesaid，inafaintvoice。
　　Withallthegravityofarealsorcerer，Isolemnlythrustapinthroughalightedcandle，andpronouncedsomecabalisticwords。
　　Afterwhich，blowingoutthecandle，andturningtothepoorcreature，Isaid：
　　“Madam，itisdone；yourwishisaccomplished。“
　　“Oh，thankyou，sir，“shereplied，withtheexpressionoftheprofoundestgratitude；andatthesamemomentshelaidapurseonthetableandrushedaway。Iorderedmyservanttofollowhertoherhouse，andobtainalltheinformationhecouldabouther，andI
　　learnedshehadbeenawidowforashorttime，andthatthelossofanadoredhusbandhaddisturbedherreason。ThenextdayIvisitedherrelatives，and，returningthemthepurse，Itoldthemthescenethedetailsofwhichthereaderhasjustperused。
　　Thisscene，withsomeothersthatprecededandfollowedit，compelledmetotakemeasurestoguardmyselfagainstboresofeverydescription。Icouldnotdream，asformerly，ofexilingmyselfinthecountry，butIemployedasimilarresource：thiswastoshutmyselfupinmyworkroom，andorganizearoundmeasystemofdefenseagainstthosewhomIcalled，inmyill-temper，thievesoftime。
　　Idailyreceivedvisitsfrompersonswhowereutterstrangerstome；somewereworthknowing，butthemajority，gaininganintroductionunderthemostfutilepretexts，onlycametokillaportionoftheirleisuretimewithme。Itwasnecessarytodistinguishthetaresfromthewheat，andthisisthearrangementI
　　made：
　　Whenoneofthesegentlemenrangatmydoor，anelectriccommunicationstruckabellinmyworkroom；Iwasthuswarnedandputonmyguard。Myservantopenedthedoor，and，asiscustomary，inquiredthevisitor’sname，whileI，formypart，laidmyeartoatube，arrangedforthepurpose，whichconveyedtomeeveryword。
　　If，accordingtohisreply，Ithoughtitaswellnottoreceivehim，Ipressedabutton，andawhitemarkthatappearedinacertainpartofthehallannouncedIwasnotathometohim。MyservantthenstatedIwasout，andbeggedthevisitortoapplytothemanager。
　　SometimesithappenedthatIerredinmyjudgment，andregrettedhavinggrantedanaudience；butIhadanothermodeofshorteningabore’svisit。IhadplacedbehindthesofaonwhichIsatanelectricspring，communicatingwithabellmyservantcouldhear。
　　Incaseofneed，andwhiletalking，Ithrewmyarmcarelesslyoverthebackofthesofa，touchingthespring，andthebellrang。Thenmyservant，playingalittlefarce，openedthefrontdoor，rangthebell，whichcouldbeheardfromtheroomwhereIsat，andcametotellmethatM。X——anameinventedfortheoccasionwishedtospeaktome。IorderedM。X——tobeshownintoanadjoiningroom，anditwasveryrarethatmyboredidnotraisethesiege。NoonecanformanideahowmuchtimeIgainedbythishappyarrangement，orhowmanytimesIblessedmyimaginationandthecelebratedsavanttowhomthediscoveryofgalvanismisdue!
　　Thisfeelingcanbeeasilyexplained，formytimewasofinestimablevalue。Ihusbandeditlikeatreasure，andneversacrificedit，unlessthesacrificemighthelpmetodiscovernewexperimentsdestinedtostimulatepubliccuriosity。
　　Tosupportmydeterminationinmakingmyresearches，Ihadeverbeforemethismaxim：
　　ITISMOREDIFFICULTTOSUPPORTADMIRATIONTHANTOEXCITEIT。
　　Andthisother，anapparentcorollaryofthepreceding：
　　THEFASHIONANARTISTENJOYSCANONLYLASTASHISTALENTDAILY
　　INCREASES。
　　Nothingincreasesaprofessionalman’smeritsomuchasthepossessionofanindependentfortune；thistruthmaybecoarse，butitisindubitable。NotonlywasIconvincedoftheseprinciplesofhigheconomy，butIalsoknewthatamanmuststrivetoprofitbytheficklefavorofthepublic，whichequallydescendsifitdoesnotrise。HenceIworkedmyreputationasmuchasIcould。Inspiteofmynumerousengagements，Ifoundmeanstogiveperformancesinalltheprincipaltheaters，thoughgreatdifficultiesfrequentlyarose，asmyperformancedidnotendtillhalf-pastten，andIcouldonlyfulfillmyotherengagementsafterthathour。
　　Eleveno’clockwasgenerallythehourfixedformyappearanceonastrangestage，andmyreadersmayjudgeofthespeedrequiredtoproceedtothetheaterinsoshortatimeandmakemypreparations。
　　Itistruethatthemomentswereaswellcountedasemployed，andmycurtainhadhardlyfallenthan，rushingtowardthestairs，Igotbeforemyaudience，andjumpedintoavehiclethatboremeoffatfullspeed。
　　Butthisfatiguewasasnothingcomparedtotheemotionoccasionallyproducedbyanerrorinthetimethatwastoelapsebetweenmytwoperformances。Irememberthat，onenight，havingtowinduptheperformancesattheVaudeville，thestagemanagermiscalculatedthetimethepieceswouldtakeinperforming，andfoundhimselfmuchinadvance。Hesentoffanexpresstowarnmethatthecurtainhadfallen，andIwasanxiouslyexpected。Canmyreaderscomprehendmywretchedness？Myexperiments，ofwhichI