The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 4Poe, Edgar Allan
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The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 4
Poe, Edgar Allan
American fiction -- 19th century; Fantasy fiction; Horror tales, American; Short stories
16. While the Chess-Player was in possession of Baron Kempelen,
it was more than once observed, first, that an Italian in the
suite of the Baron was never visible during the playing of a game
at chess by the Turk, and, secondly, that the Italian being taken
seriously ill, the exhibition was suspended until his recovery.
This Italian professed a _total _ignorance of the game of chess,
although all others of the suite played well. Similar
observations have been made since the Automaton has been
purchased by Maelzel. There is a man, _Schlumberoer, _who attends
him wherever he goes, but who has no ostensible occupation other
than that of assisting in the packing and unpacking of the
automata. This man is about the medium size, and has a remarkable
stoop in the shoulders. Whether he professes to play chess or
not, we are not informed. It is quite certain, however, that he
is never to be seen during the exhibition of the Chess-Player,
although frequently visible just before and just after the
exhibition. Moreover, some years ago Maelzel visited Richmond
with his automata, and exhibited them, we believe, in the house
now occupied by M. Bossieux as a Dancing Academy. _Schlumberg_er
was suddenly taken ill, and during his illness there was no
exhibition of the Chess-Player. These facts are well known to
many of our citizens. The reason assigned for the suspension of
the Chess-Player’s performances, was _not _the illness of
_Schlumberger. _The inferences from all this we leave, without
farther comment, to the reader.
17. The Turk plays with his _left_ arm. A circumstance so
remarkable cannot be accidental. Brewster takes no notice of it
whatever beyond a mere statement, we believe, that such is the
fact. The early writers of treatises on the Automaton, seem not
to have observed the matter at all, and have no reference to it.
The author of the pamphlet alluded to by Brewster, mentions it,
but acknowledges his inability to account for it. Yet it is
obviously from such prominent discrepancies or incongruities as
this that deductions are to be made (if made at all) which shall
lead us to the truth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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