Produced by Chuck Greif, Broward County Libraries and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: Harry Houdini] _Frontispiece_] THE UNMASKING _OF_ ROBERT-HOUDIN _BY_ HARRY HOUDINI [Illustration] _NEW YORK_ _THE PUBLISHERS PRINTING CO._ _1908_ _Copyright, 1906_ _Copyright, 1907_ _Copyright, 1908_ _By HARRY HOUDINI_ _Entered at Stationer's Hall, London, England_ _All rights reserved_ Composition, Electrotyping and Printing by The Publishers Printing Company New York, N.Y., U.S.A. Dedication _This Book is affectionately dedicated to the memory of my father, Rev. M. S. Weiss, Ph.D., LL.D., who instilled in me love of study and patience in research_ CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION, 7 CHAPTER I. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ROBERT-HOUDIN, 33 II. THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK, 51 III. THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE, 83 IV. THE PASTRY COOK OF THE PALAIS ROYAL, 116 V. THE OBEDIENT CARDS--THE CABALISTIC CLOCK--THE TRAPEZE AUTOMATON, 141 VI. THE INEXHAUSTIBLE BOTTLE, 176 VII. SECOND SIGHT, 200 VIII. THE SUSPENSION TRICK, 222 IX. THE DISAPPEARING HANDKERCHIEF, 245 X. ROBERT-HOUDIN'S IGNORANCE OF MAGIC AS BETRAYED BY HIS OWN PEN, 264 XI. THE NARROWNESS OF ROBERT-HOUDIN'S "MEMOIRS," 295 INTRODUCTION This book is the natural result of the moulding, dominating influence which the spirit and writings of Robert-Houdin have exerted over my professional career. My interest in conjuring and magic and my enthusiasm for Robert-Houdin came into existence simultaneously. From the moment that I began to study the art, he became my guide and hero. I accepted his writings as my text-book and my gospel. What Blackstone is to the struggling lawyer, Hardee's "Tactics" to the would-be officer, or Bismarck's life and writings to the coming statesman, Robert-Houdin's books were to me.