“Cardinal,” said His Holiness, “oblige me by lending your watch to M. de Grisy.”
With great reluctance the Cardinal de
handed his precious chronometer to the conjurer. It seems he set great value on its exaggerated size, alleging, with considerable show of reason, that the works acted better in a large case.
In order to prove the solidity and excellence of the chronometer, De Grisy let it fall to the ground. A cry of alarm arose on all sides. The Cardinal, pale with rage, bounded from his chair, exclaiming: “This is a sorry jest, sir!”
“Do not be alarmed, monsignor,” said De Grisy, “the watch will escape scathless from its many trials.” He handed the broken timepiece to the Cardinal. “Do you recognize this as your watch?”
The prelate gazed anxiously at the coat-of-arms engraved inside of the case, and replied, with a profound sigh:
“Yes, that is my watch.”
“You are certain of it?”
“Quite certain! But I seriously doubt your power to restore it.”