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。