The Life and Times of Baragadino

Cypriot Mamunya had lived in Venice for several years before reincarnating himself as the Alchemist Baragadino. He saw how gloom had settled on the city, how everyone was hoping for a redemption from some indefinite source. At first he did not use vulgar demonstrations to convince people of his alchemics' skill. Only once this reputation was established, and dukes and senators were fighting over him, did he resort to the trifling necessity of a demonstration. By then, however, people were easy to deceive, they wanted to believe.