| HOME Go to  Homepage
GENERAL |
|
Page 3 For
a while Hanussen disappeared completely. Then one morning he called on the
manager of the Ronacher Circus in Vienna. The Ronacher was doing badly - because Breitbart, the "Strongest Man on Earth" was drawing all the
crowds to the chief competitor. Breitbart burst chains, bent thick iron bars
and forced open triple locks. "I
have the biggest sensation in the world for you. You want to bet?" "I
never bet." "You've
got a pretty girl in the outer office!" "Is
that supposed to be news?" "Tonight
she'll break chains twice as thick as Breitbart!" "You
are mad!" the director replied. But
he changed his mind as Hanussen began to explain. He agreed to give his
visitor fifty per cent of the net profits. What a fantastic attraction! A
nineteen-year-old, fragile blonde-with the strength of a
giant! The
Ronacher was sold out every night, until the underpaid staff went on a strike
and out came the truth. Hanussen had used lightweight imitation chains and
fooled the public. (A couple of weeks later Breitbart was also unmasked as a
cheat.) But
by then thousands had paid good money and Hanussen had collected his share. He
disappeared again for a few months - and then made his debut at one of
the smaller music-halls. And he
was a fantastic success. He
wore immaculate tails and his chalk-white, strong face, his deep-set
dark eyes, his sensitive hands, seemed to dominate the spellbound audience.
Women were by far in the majority. They appeared to love his arrogance, his
superb self-confidence. "And
now it's your turn, madame," he addressed a rather fulsome blonde.
"Let me tell you something of your life... Your first husband was killed in the war." "That's right," the
woman said, leaning back, feeling herself the centre of attention next to the
clairvoyant. "Your
second divorced you." "That's
correct." "The
third was killed in a car accident..." |