I had hard work to
persuade the Officers of Justice that I had not a hand in his
Malpractices. As it was, nearly all my Scholars fell away from my
School; and the Impudent Flemings sneered at me as _Mozzoo Kabala_,--in
their barbarous Lingo,--and I was pointed out in the streets as a
Wizard, a Fortune-teller, a Cunning Man, and what not. So that I was
fain, after about ten years' sojourn at Bruxelles, to call in my Dues,
gather my few Effects together, and bidding farewell to Flanders,
proceed to Paris. It was time; for the Priests were up in arms against
me as a Heretic Outlaw, dealing in Magic. The Black Gentry are
hereabouts very Bigoted; and although they have no Inquisition, would, I
doubt not, have led me a sorry Life, but for my Discretion in timely
Flitting.

CHAPTER THE FIFTH.

OF A STRANGE AND HORRIBLE ADVENTURE I HAD IN PARIS, WHICH WAS NEARLY MY
UNDOING.

THE Manner of its Coming About was this. I arrived in Paris very Poor
and Miserable, and was for some days (when that which I brought with me
was spent) almost destitute of Bread. At last, hearing that some Odd
Hands were wanted at the Opera-House to caper about in a new Ballet upon
the Story of Orpheus, the Master of the Tavern where I Lodged, who had
been a Property-Master at the Theatres, and entertained many of the
Playing Gentry, made interest for me, as much to keep me from Starving
as to put me in the way of earning enough money to pay my Score to him.
For I have found that there never was in this world a man so Poor but
he could manage to run into Debt. In virtue of his Influence, I, who had
never so much as stood up in a polite Minuet in my life, and knew no
more of Dancing than sufficed to foot it on a Shuffleboard at a Tavern
to the tune of Green Sleeves, was engaged at the wages of one Livre ten
Sols a night to be a Mime in the same Ballet. But 'twas little
proficiency in Dancing they wanted from me. One need not have been bound
'prentice to a Hackney Caper-Merchant to play one of the Furies that
hold back Eurydice, and vomit Flames through a Great Mask. They gave me
a Monstrous Dress, akin to the _San Benitos_ which are worn by the poor
wretches who are burnt by the Inquisition; and my flame-burning was done
by an Ingenious Mechanical Contrivance, that had a most delectable
effect, albeit the Fumes of the Sulphur half-choked me. And they did not
ask for any Characters for their Furies. I tumbled and vomited Flames
for at least thir