t his brilliant talents for roguery.

He ran away from his first boarding-school, at the age of eleven or
twelve, getting up a masquerade of goblins, by the aid of some scampish
schoolfellows, which frightened the monkish watchmen of the gates away
from their posts, nearly dead with terror. He had gained little at this
school, except the pleasant surname of Beppo Maldetto (or cursed Joe.)
At the age of thirteen he was a second time expelled from the convent of
Cartegirone, belonging to the order of Benfratelli, the good fathers
having in vain endeavored to train him up in the way he should go.

While in this convent, the boy was in charge of the apothecary, and
probably picked up more or less of the smattering of chemistry and
physics which he afterwards used. His final offence was a ridiculous and
characteristic one. He was a greedy and thievish fellow, and was by way
of penalty set to read aloud about the ancient martyrs, those dry though
pious old gentlemen, while the monks ate dinner. Thus put to what he
liked least, and deprived of what he liked best, he impudently
extemporized, instead of the stories of holy agonies, all the indecorous
scandal he could think of about the more notorious disreputable women of
Palermo, putting their names instead of those of the martyrs.

After this, Master Joe proceeded to distinguish himself by forging
opera-tickets, and even documents of various kinds, indiscriminate
pilfering and swindling, interpreting visions, conjuring, and finally,
it is declared, a touch of genuine assassination.

Pretty soon he made a foolish, greedy goldsmith, one Marano, believe
that there was a treasure hidden in the sand on the sea-shore near
Palermo, and induced the silly man to go one night to dig it up. Having
reached the spot, the dupe was made to strip himself to his shirt and
drawers, a magic circle was drawn round him with all sorts of raw-head
and bloody-bones ceremonies, and Beppo, exhorting him not to leave the
ring, lest the spirits should kill him, stepped out of sight to make the
incantations to raise them. Almost instantly, six devils, horned,
hoofed, tailed, and clawed, breathing fire and smoke, leaped from among
the rocks and beat the wretched goldsmith senseless, and almost to
death. They were of course Cursed Joe and some confederates; and taking
Marano's money and valuables, they left him. He got home in wretched
plight, but had sense enough left to suspect Master Joe, whom he short