XXIV Barrels! Barrels!

           THEPERSIAN’SNARRATIVECONTINUED

           IhavesaidthattheroominwhichM.leVicomtedeChagnyandIwereimprisonedwasaregularhexagon,linedentirelywithmirrors.Plentyoftheseroomshavebeenseensince,mainlyatexhibitions:theyarecalled"palacesofillusion,"orsomesuchname.ButtheinventionbelongsentirelytoErik,whobuiltthefirstroomofthiskindundermyeyes,atthetimeoftherosyhoursofMazenderan.Adecorativeobject,suchasacolumn,forinstance,wasplacedinoneofthecornersandimmediatelyproducedahallofathousandcolumns;for,thankstothemirrors,therealroomwasmultipliedbysixhexagonalrooms,eachofwhich,initsturn,wasmultipliedindefinitely.Butthelittlesultanasoontiredofthisinfantileillusion,whereuponErikalteredhisinventionintoa"torture-chamber."Forthearchitecturalmotiveplacedinonecorner,hesubstitutedanirontree.Thistree,withitspaintedleaves,wasabsolutelytruetolifeandwasmadeofironsoastoresistalltheattacksofthe"patient"whowaslockedintothetorture-chamber.Weshallseehowthescenethusobtainedwastwicealteredinstantaneouslyintotwosuccessiveotherscenes,bymeansoftheautomaticrotationofthedrumsorrollersinthecorners.Theseweredividedintothreesections,fittingintotheanglesofthemirrorsandeachsupportingadecorativeschemethatcameintosightastherollerrevolveduponitsaxis.