Tempo:
INTERIOR VISION. 41
of our faculties. Her mind was touched, I am confident, though she denies it.
And I confess I am under the infinence, if not under the power of Cagliostro. Imagine, that after having promised to show me the person of whom I thought, the name of whom he pretended to read in my eyes, he showed me another. Besides, he showed me a person as living, whem he did not know to be dead. Notwithstanding this double error, he resuscitated the husband I had lost, and that will ever be to me a painful and inexpressible enigma.
He showed you some phantom, and fancy filled up the details.”
I can assure you that my fancy was in no respect interested. I expected to see in a mirror some representation of Maestro Porpora, for I had spoken often of him at supper, and while deploring his absence, had
seen that Cagliostro paid no little attention to my words.
To make his task more easy, I chose in my mind the face of Porpora, as the subject of the apparition, and I expected him certainly, not having as yet considered the test as serious.
Finally, at perhaps the only moment in my life in which I did not think of the Count, he appeared.
Cagliostro asked me when I went into the magic closet, if I would consent to have my cyes bandaged, and follow him, holding on to his hand. As he was a man of good reputation, I did not hesitate; but made it a condition that he would not leave me for an instant. I was going, said he, to address you a request not to leave me a moment, and not to let go my hand, without regard to what may happen, or what emotion you may feel.’ I promised him; but a simple affirmative did not suffice. He made me solemnly swear that I would make no gesture nor exclamation, but remain mute and silent during the whole of the experiment.
He then put on his glove, and having covered my head with a hood of black velvet, which fell over my shoulders, he made me walk about five minutes without my being able to hear any door opened or shut. The hood kept me from being aware of any change in the atmosphere, therefore I could not know whether I had gone out of the room or not, for he made me make such frequent turns, that I had no appreciation of the direction. At last he paused; and with one hand removed the hood, so lightly that I was not even aware of it.
My respiration having become more free, he informed me that I might look around. I found myself, however, in such intense darkness that I could ascertain nothing. After a short time, I saw aluminous star, which at first trembled, and soon became brilliant before me. At first, it seemed most remote; but, when at its brightest, appeared very near me.
It was produced, I think, of a light which became more and more intense, and which was behind a transparency. Cagliostro made me approach the star, which was an orifice pierced in the wall. Onuthe other side of that wall I saw a chamber, magnificently decorated, and filled with lights regularly arranged. This room, in its character and ornaments, had every air of a place dedicated to magical operations. I had not time, however, to
of our faculties. Her mind was touched, I am confident, though she denies it.
And I confess I am under the infinence, if not under the power of Cagliostro. Imagine, that after having promised to show me the person of whom I thought, the name of whom he pretended to read in my eyes, he showed me another. Besides, he showed me a person as living, whem he did not know to be dead. Notwithstanding this double error, he resuscitated the husband I had lost, and that will ever be to me a painful and inexpressible enigma.
He showed you some phantom, and fancy filled up the details.”
I can assure you that my fancy was in no respect interested. I expected to see in a mirror some representation of Maestro Porpora, for I had spoken often of him at supper, and while deploring his absence, had
seen that Cagliostro paid no little attention to my words.
To make his task more easy, I chose in my mind the face of Porpora, as the subject of the apparition, and I expected him certainly, not having as yet considered the test as serious.
Finally, at perhaps the only moment in my life in which I did not think of the Count, he appeared.
Cagliostro asked me when I went into the magic closet, if I would consent to have my cyes bandaged, and follow him, holding on to his hand. As he was a man of good reputation, I did not hesitate; but made it a condition that he would not leave me for an instant. I was going, said he, to address you a request not to leave me a moment, and not to let go my hand, without regard to what may happen, or what emotion you may feel.’ I promised him; but a simple affirmative did not suffice. He made me solemnly swear that I would make no gesture nor exclamation, but remain mute and silent during the whole of the experiment.
He then put on his glove, and having covered my head with a hood of black velvet, which fell over my shoulders, he made me walk about five minutes without my being able to hear any door opened or shut. The hood kept me from being aware of any change in the atmosphere, therefore I could not know whether I had gone out of the room or not, for he made me make such frequent turns, that I had no appreciation of the direction. At last he paused; and with one hand removed the hood, so lightly that I was not even aware of it.
My respiration having become more free, he informed me that I might look around. I found myself, however, in such intense darkness that I could ascertain nothing. After a short time, I saw aluminous star, which at first trembled, and soon became brilliant before me. At first, it seemed most remote; but, when at its brightest, appeared very near me.
It was produced, I think, of a light which became more and more intense, and which was behind a transparency. Cagliostro made me approach the star, which was an orifice pierced in the wall. Onuthe other side of that wall I saw a chamber, magnificently decorated, and filled with lights regularly arranged. This room, in its character and ornaments, had every air of a place dedicated to magical operations. I had not time, however, to
©
2026
Lehal.net