Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/99

 1868.] Miscellaneous. 79 A Magician's Retreat— An Electric Servant, Sentinel, and Monitor. — Robert-Houdin, the great prestidigi- tateur of modern times, lives in a charm- ing mansion called the " Priory," in the village of Saint Gervais, upon the right bank of the Loire, about one and a half miles from the city of Blois. His dwell- ling, with the spacious grounds sur- rounding it, are believed by the common people of the vicing to be controlled by some mysterious agent ; and, in their ej'es, the owner has an almost super- natural reputation. The main entrance to the Priory is a carriage-way closed by a gate. Upon the left of this is a door for the admis- sion of visitors on foot ; on the right is placed a letter-box. The mansion is situated a quarter of a mile distant, and is approached hy a broad and winding road, well shaded with trees. The vis- itor presenting himself before the door on the left sees a gilt plate bearing the name of Robert-Houdin, below which is a small gilt knocker. He raises this according to his fancy, but no matter how feeble the blow, a delicately-tuned chime of bells, sounding through the mansion, announces his presence. When the attendant touches a button placed in the hall, the chime ceases, the bolt at the entrance is thrown back, the name of Robert-Houdin disappears from the door, and in its place appears the word "entrez," in white enamel. The visitor pushes open the door and enters ; it closes, with a spring behind him, and he cannot depart without permission. This door, in opening, sounds two distinct chimes, which are repeated in the inverse order of closing. Four distinct sounds, then, separated by equal intervals, are produced. In this way a single visitor is announced. If many come together, as each holds the door open for the next, the interval between the first two and the last two strokes indicates, with great accuracy, especially to a practised ear, the number who have entered, and the preparation for their reception is made accordingly. A resident of the place is readily dis- tinguished ; for, knowing in advance what is to occur, he knocks, and, at the instant when the bolt slips back, he enters. The four equidistant strokes follow immediately the pressing of the button. But a new visitor, surprised at the appearance of the word "entrez," hesitates a second or two, then presses open the door gradually, and enters slowly. The four strokes, now sepa- rated by a short interval, succeed the pressing of the button by quite an ap- preciable time, and the host makes ready to receive a stranger. The travelling beggar, fearful of committing some in- discretion, raises timidly the knocker; he hesitates to enter, and when he does, it is only with great slowness and cau- tion. This the chimes unerringly an- nounce. It seems to persons at the house as if they actually saw the poor mendicant pass the entrance ; and in going to meet him, they are never mis- taken. When a carriage arrives at the Priory, the driver descends from bis box, enters the door by the method now described, and is directed to the key of the gate by a suitable inscription. He unlocks the gate and swings open its two parts ; the movement is announced at the house, and on a table in the hall, bearing the words, " The gate is ," appear the word "open" or "closed," according to the fact. The letter-box, too, has an electric communication with the house. The carrier, previously in- structed, drops in first all the printed matter together ; then, he adds the let- ters, one by one. Each addition sounds the chime ; and the owner, even if he has not yet risen, is apprised of the character of the despatches. To avoid sending letters to the village, they are written in the evening ; and a commu- tator is so arranged that when the car- rier drops the mail into the box the next morning, the electricity, in place of