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