Balsamogavehimthegoodadvicetoleavethephilosopher’sstoneforthepresentundiscovered，andmakegoldoutoftheirflax。Theadvicewastaken，andtheyproceededtogethertoAlexandriatotrade，withalargestockofthatarticle。TheystayedfortydaysinAlexandria，andgainedaconsiderablesumbytheirventure。TheyafterwardsvisitedothercitiesinEgypt，andwereequallysuccessful。TheyalsovisitedTurkey，wheretheysolddrugsandamulets。OntheirreturntoEurope，theyweredrivenbystressofweatherintoMalta，andwerehospitablyreceivedbyPinto，theGrandMasteroftheKnights，andafamousalchymist。Theyworkedinhislaboratoryforsomemonths，andtriedhardtochangeapewter-platterintoasilverone。Balsamo，havinglessfaiththanhiscompanions，wassoonerwearied；andobtainingfromhishostmanylettersofintroductiontoRomeandNaples，helefthimandAltotastofindthephilosopher’sstoneandtransmutethepewter-platterwithouthim。
HehadlongsincedroppedthenameofBalsamoonaccountofthemanyuglyassociationsthatclungtoit；andduringhistravelshadassumedatleasthalfascoreothers，withtitlesannexedtothem。HecalledhimselfsometimestheChevalierdeFischio，theMarquisdeMelissa，theBarondeBelmonte，dePelligrini，d’Anna，deFenix，deHarat，butmostcommonlytheCountdeCagliostro。UnderthelattertitleheenteredRome，andneverafterwardschangedit。InthiscityhegavehimselfoutastherestoreroftheRosicrucianphilosophy；
saidhecouldtransmuteallmetalsintogold；thathecouldrenderhimselfinvisible，curealldiseases，andadministeranelixiragainstoldageanddecay。HislettersfromtheGrandMasterPintoprocuredhimanintroductionintothebestfamilies。Hemademoneyrapidlybythesaleofhiselixirvitae；and，likeotherquacks，performedmanyremarkablecuresbyinspiringhispatientswiththemostcompletefaithandrelianceuponhispowers；anadvantagewhichthemostimpudentcharlatansoftenpossessovertheregularpractitioner。
WhilethusinafairwayofmakinghisfortunehebecameacquaintedwiththebeautifulLorenzaFeliciana，ayoungladyofnoblebirth，butwithoutfortune。Cagliostrosoondiscoveredthatshepossessedaccomplishmentsthatwereinvaluable。Besidesherravishingbeauty，shehadthereadiestwit，themostengagingmanners，themostfertileimagination，andtheleastprincipleofanyofthemaidensofRome。ShewasjustthewifeforCagliostro，whoproposedhimselftoher，andwasaccepted。Aftertheirmarriage，heinstructedhisfairLorenzainallthesecretsofhiscalling-taughtherprettylipstoinvokeangels，andgenii，sylphs，salamanders，andundines，and，whenneedrequired，devilsandevilspirits。Lorenzawasanaptscholar:
shesoonlearnedallthejargonofthealchymistsandallthespellsoftheenchanters；andthusaccomplishedthehopefulpairsetoutontheirtravels，tolevycontributionsonthesuperstitiousandthecredulous。