The Ectoplasmic Man Read Online Free PDF Page B

had easily escaped from all ofthe Great Houdini’s restraints, while the simplest pair of handcuffs had held Houdini a helpless prisoner. An old man in the audience stood up and shouted that the story was not true. Kleppini called the old man a liar, saying that he could not possibly know whether it was true or not. The old man rushed to the stage, ripped off his false moustache and beard, and cried, ’I know it is not true because I am Houdini!’”
    “Bravo!” shouted Holmes. “That is precisely what I myself would have done. Your husband has proven far more ingenious than I suspected.”
    Mrs Houdini flushed at this praise. “Yes, Harry forced his hand. Kleppini could not refuse a challenge made in front of an audience. Instead he claimed that he was not ready to accept another handcuff challenge right then, but that if Houdini would return the following evening a contest would be arranged.”
    “Was that acceptable to your husband?”
    “Indeed it was. That gave Harry time to print up hand-bills and inform the local newspapers. While Kleppini usually played to half-filled houses, the night of the Houdini challenge was sure to pack them to the rafters.” Mrs Houdini took a sip of her tea.
    “Several hours before the challenge was to take place, Harry received a visit from Kleppini’s manager, a Herr Reutter.”
    “Indeed,” Holmes chuckled. “Indeed!”
    “Reutter wished to see the handcuffs which would be used to test Kleppini. Harry showed him the bag of ’defeaters’ and explained that Kleppini would be allowed his choice. Reutter picked out a very unusual pair of French Letter cuffs. These were handcuffs which did not lock with a key, but instead were opened by turning the letters on five small cylinders to form a word. Naturally, Reutter wanted to know what word opened the cuffs.”
    “Surely your husband did not tell him!” I could not help blurting out.
    “Dr Watson,” she answered quietly, “my husband is a shrewd man.
    This, too, was part of his scheme. After swearing Reutter to secrecy, Harry turned the cylinders to form the word clefs, the French word for ’keys’. The cuffs sprang open. This seemed to satisfy Reutter, who then left after promising once more not to reveal anything to Kleppini.
    “As Harry had hoped, the theatre was filled to its capacity that evening. Kleppini began with his usual magic routines, but the audience was impatient for the Houdini challenge to begin. When the time came for the contest, Houdini stepped up to the stage and was greeted by boos and jeers from the audience. You must understand that the Germans are an extremely patriotic people. To them, it seemed that one of their fellow countrymen was being harrassed by a brash, insolent American. My husband, however, speaks fluent German.”
    “So I have observed,” Holmes said dryly.
    “So you have, and I am sorry about that. But in this instance Harry put it to better use. Addressing the audience in their own language, he was able to make them see that Kleppini had wronged him. Harry is a brilliant showman, and he very quickly won their favour.
    “The time came for Kleppini to select the handcuffs to be used in the test. Of course, Harry was not surprised when the French Letter cuffs were chosen. Kleppini took the cuffs and dashed into a curtained enclosure that had been erected on the stage. Evidently he was checking to be sure that he could open the cuffs. When he emerged he announced that he would accept the challenge. ’I shall escape in minutes!’ he claimed. ’And afterwards I shall allow my wife to escape from the Great Houdini’s handcuffs! Then we will have shown this American that it is we Germans who lead the world!’
    “At this point a fight broke out between Kleppini and my husband. It was several minutes before they stopped pushing each other and shouting horrible insults. But at last Kleppini allowed himself to be handcuffed. He then withdrew to his cabinet enclosure and set to