Modern Magic - Professor Hoffmann

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which he was actually sitting on.

      This trick is frequently performed with the whole thirty-two cards of the piquet pack. The process and result are the same, save that the card thought of must be one of the twenty-seven cards first dealt. The chances are greatly against one of the last five cards being the card thought of, but in such an event the trick would break down, as it would in that case require four deals instead of three to bring the chosen card to the top of the pack.

      It is a good plan to deal the five surplus cards in a row by themselves, and after each deal, turn up one of them, and gravely study it, as if these cards were in some way connected with the trick.

      To cause a Number of Cards to Multiply invisibly in a Person’s keeping.—Secretly count any number, say a dozen, of the top cards, and slip the little finger of the left hand between those cards and the rest of the pack. Invite a person to take as many cards as he pleases, at the same time putting into his hands all, or nearly all, of the separated cards. If he does not take all, you will be able to see at a glance, by the number that remains above your little finger, how many he has actually taken. Pretend to weigh in your hand the remaining cards, and say (we assume that you are using a piquet pack), “I should say by the weight that I have exactly twenty-two cards here, so you must have taken ten. Will you see if I am right?” While he is counting the cards he has taken, count off secretly from the pack, and palm in the right hand, four more. When he has finished his counting, you say, “Now will you please gather these cards together, and place your hand firmly upon them?” As you say this, you push them towards him with your right hand. This enables you to add to them, without attracting notice, the four cards in that hand. Continue, “Now how many cards shall I add to those in your hand? You must not be too extravagant, say three or four.” The person addressed will probably select one or other of the numbers named, but you must be prepared for the possibility of his naming a smaller number. If he says “Four,” you have only to ruffle the cards in your hand, or make any other gesture which may ostensibly effect the transposition; and he will find on examination that the cards under his hand are increased by four, according to his desire. If he says “Three,” you say, “Please give me back one card, to show the others the way.” This makes the number right. If “two” are asked for, you may ask for two cards to show the way; or you may say, “Two, very good! Shall I send a couple more for anybody else?” when some one or other is pretty sure to accept your offer. If one only is asked for, you must get two or three persons to take one each, taking care always by one or the other expedient to make the number correspond with the number you have secretly added. While the attention of the company is attracted by the counting of the cards, to see if you have performed your undertaking, again palm the same number of cards as was last selected (suppose three), and, after the cards are counted, gather them up, and give them to some other person to hold, adding to them the three just palmed; then taking that number of cards from the top of the pack, and again replacing them, say, “I will now send these three cards into your hands in the same manner.” Ruffle the cards, as before, and, upon examination, the number of cards in the person’s hands will again be found to be increased by three.

      The Pack being divided into Two Portions, placed in the keeping of two different Persons, to make Three Cards Pass invisibly from the One to the Other.—This trick is identical in principle with the one last described, but the mise en scène is more elaborate, and several circumstances concur to give it a surprising effect. It was a special favourite with the late M. Robert-Houdin, and we shall proceed to describe it as nearly as possible in the form in which it was presented by him.

      The performer brings forward a pack of cards, still in the official envelope. These he hands to a spectator, with a request that he will open and count them. He does so, and finds that they have the full complement (of thirty-two or fifty-two, as the case may be). He is next requested to cut the pack into two portions, pretty nearly equal, and to choose one of the packets. Having made his selection, he is further asked to count the cards in the packet chosen. The general attention being, meanwhile, drawn away from the performer, he has ample opportunity to get ready in his right hand, duly palmed, three cards of another pack, but of similar pattern to those of the pack in use. (These may previously be placed either on the servante or in the performer’s right-hand pochette; or he may, if he prefers it, have them ready palmed in his right hand when he comes upon the stage to commence the trick.) The spectator, having duly counted the chosen pack, declares it to consist, say, of seventeen cards. “A capital number for the trick,” remarks the performer. “Now, sir, will you be kind enough to take these seventeen cards in your own hands” (here he pushes them carelessly towards him, and joins the three palmed cards to them), “and hold them well up above your head, that every one may see them. Thank you. Now, as your packet contains seventeen cards, this other” (we are supposing a piquet pack to be used) “should contain fifteen. Let us see whether you have counted right.” The performer himself audibly counts the remaining packet, card by card, on the table: immediately afterwards taking the heap in his left hand, and squaring the cards together, thus obtaining the opportunity to separate and palm in his right hand the three top cards. He continues, “Fifteen cards here—and—how many did you say, sir?—yes, seventeen, which the gentleman holds, make thirty-two. Quite right. Now will some one else oblige me by taking charge of these fifteen cards.” He hands the cards with the left hand, and at the same moment drops the three palmed cards into the profonde on the right side, immediately bringing up the hand, that it may be seen empty. “Now, ladies and gentlemen, I will show you a very curious phenomenon, all the more astonishing because you will bear me witness that, from the time the cards were counted, they have not been even one moment in my possession, but have remained in independent custody. Will you, sir” (addressing the person who holds the second packet), “hold up the cards in such a manner that I can touch them with my wand. I have but to strike the cards with my wand once, twice, thrice, and at each touch a card will fly from the packet which you are now holding, and go to join the seventeen cards in the other packet. As this trick is performed by sheer force of will, without the aid of apparatus or dexterity, I shall be glad if you will all assist me by adding the force of your will to mine, which will greatly lighten my labour. At each touch of the wand, then, please, all present, mentally to command a card to pass in the manner I have mentioned. Are you all ready! Then we will make the experiment. One, two, THREE! Did you see the cards pass? I saw them distinctly, but possibly my eyes are quicker than yours. Will each of the gentlemen who hold the cards be good enough to count his packet?” This is done, and it is found that the one holds twenty cards, and the other twelve only.

      It is obvious that the two packets now collectively contain duplicates of three cards, while three others are missing; but it is extremely unlikely that any one will suspect this, or seek to verify the constitution of the pack.

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