Fig. 251.
Fig. 251.
The apparatus used is the same as in the last case, with the addition of a coloured handkerchief, prepared as follows: Five square pieces of stout pasteboard, each a shade larger than one side of the solid die, are joined together with hinges of tape or cloth, in the form shown by the dotted lines inFig. 251. The centre piece,a, is attached to the middle of the handkerchief, the others being allowed to hang loose upon their respective hinges. A second handkerchief of similar pattern is then laid upon the first, and the edges of the two are stitched together all round.
Fig. 252.
Fig. 252.
The performer having exhibited the solid die and cover, as already explained, and having removed the latter (with the hollow die within it), places it upon the table. Spreading the prepared handkerchief beside it, he places the solid die upon the centre of the handkerchief, and gathering up the four corners of the latter, lifts it, bag-fashion, with his left hand, the four loose flaps of pasteboard naturally folding themselves up around the die. He now takes it with his right hand, clipping the solid die within the pasteboard, and turns the whole over as inFig. 252, thus bringing the die uppermost, with the folds of thehandkerchief hanging down around it. He next takes in the left hand a borrowed hat, holding it up for a moment, to show that it is empty. Then, turning it mouth upwards, he remarks, “I will place the die here in the hat.” Suiting the action to the word, he lowers his hand into the hat, but, as if suddenly bethinking himself, he says, “No! I won’t use the hat at all. Perhaps some one will kindly hold the die.” In withdrawing his hand, however, he relaxes the pressure of his fingers, thereby leaving the solid die in the hat, though as the folded pasteboard retains its cubical shape, the handkerchief still appears to contain the die. Grasping it immediately below the folded shape, he gives the handkerchief in charge to one of the spectators, who is directed to hold it in like manner. The hat he places carelessly upon the table. He now once more lifts the cover with the hollow die, rattling his wand within it to show that it is empty. Again replacing it, he commands the die to pass from the handkerchief under the cover. The person holding the handkerchief is asked if he felt it depart, but he naturally maintains that it is still in the handkerchief. “You are mistaken,” says the professor; “what you see is merely the ghost of the die still clinging to the handkerchief. Allow me!” and taking one corner he requests the owner to drop the handkerchief, which he then shakes out, exhibiting both sides to show that the die has vanished. He then lifts the cover, and shows the hollow die, which the spectators take to be the genuine one, and concludes the trick by finally commanding the die thus shown to pass into the hat; which, on being turned over, is found to contain the solid die, while the hollow die is again raised with the cover, and the latter shown apparently empty.
The Die and Orange.—The die in this instance is about three and a half inches square. It has the usual ornamental tin or pasteboard cover, but there is an additional item of apparatus employed, a square wooden box, with hinged lid, and of such a size as just to contain the die. The effect of the trick is as follows:—The die is brought forward in the box, the performer holding the square cover in his other hand. The die being then taken out of the box, and placed on the table, the box is shown empty, and the cover placed over the die. The performer, having mysteriously procured an orange from the hair or whiskers of a spectator, drops it into the box, which is then closed. He now asks the spectators, in order to impress the facts on their memory, where they suppose the two articles to be. They naturally answer that they are where they have just seen them placed; or, if they venture to question this, the performer raises the cover and opens the box, and shows that die and orange both remainin statu quo. He now commands the two articles to change places. Lifting the cover, the die is found to have disappeared, the orange having taken its place, and, on opening the box, it is seen to contain the die, which is taken out, and exhibited on all sides to the company. The die and orange, being again covered over, at command change places as often as the company please.
The reader will doubtless have conjectured that there are in reality two dice and two oranges. The box when first brought forward contains in realitytwohollow dice, one within the other. The smaller and innermost (the one which is afterwards taken out and placed under the cover) is placed in the box with its open side towards the hinges, and contains an orange. The performer takes it out, taking care, of course, that the orange does not fall out, and places it (open side downwards) upon the table. The cover is now placed over it, and, if lifted with pressure, lifts the hollow die with it, and reveals the orange; but if lifted by the button on top, so that the sides are not pressed, it leaves the die covering the orange.
We now return to the box. This contains a second hollow die, so placed that the open side is upwards, and the box therefore appears to be empty. The lid, however, contains a sixth side, exactly fitting the open space, and thus making the die complete. This moveable side is alternately made to form a lining to the lid or to form part ofthe die, according as a little button on the lid is moved in one or another direction. Both the true lid and this moveable portion of it are lined with looking-glass, so as to show no difference of appearance, whether the box is exhibited empty or as containing the die. When the sixth side is made to form part of the die, the latter may be completely removed from the box, and shown on all its sides without betraying the secret, the orange for the time being remaining enclosed within it.
It is a good plan to have a solid die matching those used in the trick, to be, if necessary, substituted and handed round for inspection. If the performer uses a trap-table, it has a very good effect to conclude the trick by causing the orange under the cover to fall through the trap, and then, lifting the cover and hollow die together, to show by rattling the wand within, that both die and orange have altogether vanished.
Fig. 253.
Fig. 253.
The Vanishing Canary Bird and Cage.—This is another favourite die trick. The performer exhibits a canary bird in a little oblong brass cage, measuring six inches by four. He next exhibits a die three inches square, showing all sides to prove that it is solid. This he places upon a tray, which is held by the assistant, and covers it with a fancy cover as already described. He now throws a handkerchief over the cage. Bringing it forward thus covered to the company, he orders the cage to vanish, the die to pass into a borrowed hat, and the bird to appear upon the tray in place of the die. No sooner said than done; he waves the handkerchief, which is seen to be empty, and on raising the cover the bird is found under it; while, on turning over the hat, out falls the die.
Fig. 254.
Fig. 254.
The disappearance of the cage, which is of the form shown inFig. 253, will be readily understood by any reader who has followedthe description of the “flying glass of water” described at page367. The handkerchief used is double, and contains in its centre, stitched between the two surfaces, an oblong wire frame, in size and shape exactly corresponding with the top of the cage. When the performer throws the handkerchief over the cage on the table, he takes care to bring this wire shape immediately over the cage. When he apparently lifts the cage under the handkerchief, which he does standing behind his table, he really lifts the handkerchief only, distended by the hidden wire, and with the other hand he gently lowers the cage out of sight upon theservante.
Fig. 255.
Fig. 255.
So much for the disappearance of the cage; but it yet remains to be explained how the bird comes to be found under the cover in place of the die. This is effected as follows:—There are two dice, the one solid, the other of hollow tin, and having one side wanting, but capable of being closed at pleasure by means of a sliding lid, also of tin, which supplies the missing side, and is painted accordingly. The outer edge of this lid is folded over outwards in a semicircular form. (SeeFig. 254). The tray used (seeFig. 255) is of tin, japanned, and of ordinary appearance, but has a square piece of tin, of the same sizeas one of the sides of the die, soldered upon its centre at about one-sixteenth of an inch above the surface. Three of its sides are soldered to the tray, the fourth being left open. The centre of the tray is ornamentally japanned, in such manner as to conceal this special arrangement.
Fig. 256.
Fig. 256.
A duplicate bird is beforehand placed in the hollow die, which is then closed, and placed either upon theservanteor in one of the secret pockets of the performer, who, having borrowed a hat, secretly slips the hollow die into it, and places it on the table mouth upwards. He now brings forward and offers for inspection the solid die, the cover, and the birdcage, placing the latter when returned upon his table, rather towards the hinder edge. “The die,” he carelessly remarks, “I will place in this hat” (suiting the action to the word); “or, better still, I will place it upon this tray, so that you may be able to keep sight of it throughout the trick.” So saying, he again takes out apparently the same, but really the hollow die, and places it on the tray with the moveable side downwards, in such manner as to hook the turned-over portion of that side into the open edge of the corresponding square upon the tray, and places the cover over it. Handing the tray to his assistant, he proceeds to cause the disappearance of the birdcage from the handkerchief, as already described. This done, he advances to the tray, and lifts the cover with the hollow die within it, first, however, sliding away cover and die together towards the opposite end of the tray (seeFig. 256), and thereby leaving behind upon the centre of the tray the moveable slide, the interior of which is japanned so as to correspond with the centre pattern of the tray, and thus does not attract any attention.
The solid die, having remained in the hat, may readily be produced when required.
The Decanter and the Crystal Balls.—The routine of this trick, as practised by different performers, varies a good deal. We propose to describe it in two forms, the first being as nearly as possible that which was adopted by Robert-Houdin.
First Method.—The apparatus in this case consists of four glass balls (two of plain glass an inch and a half in diameter, one of ruby-coloured glass of the same size, and one of plain glass, three-quartersof an inch in diameter) and a decanter of clear glass, with a hollow or “kick” underneath it just large enough to admit one of the larger balls. The decanter is two-thirds filled with port or claret, and is brought forward with the red ball beneath it, in the hollow we have mentioned, and is placed on the performer’s table. The remaining balls are disposed as follows: the two large balls in the performer’s leftpochette, and the small one in thepochetteon the other side. Thus provided, the performer comes forward, wand in hand. Taking the wand carelessly in his right hand, he says, “Ladies and gentlemen, I have already given you some proofs of the singular powers of this wand, but I do not know whether I have drawn your attention to one remarkable faculty which it possesses, viz., that if I strike anything with it, at the same time mentally calling for any object, that object is instantly produced from the article touched. Let us put it to the test.” (He pulls back his coat-sleeves, showing indirectly, by a careless gesture, that his hands are empty.) “For the purpose of the trick I am about to show you, I require a crystal ball. Now, observe, I give but one gentle touch, not here upon the table” (he raps the table with his wand), “where you might suspect some mechanism or preparation, but here in my empty hand, and instantly, you see, a ball appears at my bidding.” As he touches the table with the wand, thereby drawing the eyes of the spectators in that direction, he carelessly drops his left hand to his side, and takes from thepochetteand palms one of the plain glass balls, which as soon as the wand reaches his hand he produces at the finger-tips. “The ball, as you see, ladies and gentlemen, is of solid crystal, without crack or flaw” (he takes it in the right hand, tosses it up, and catches it again). “The hardest steel would fail to chip it, and yet, by my magic power, I am able instantly to divide it into two equal portions, each round and true as the original.” At the moment of tossing the ball in the air, all eyes are naturally attracted to it, and the performer has ample opportunity to again drop the left hand to his side, and palm the second ball. Keeping this in the palm of the left hand, he transfers the first ball to the finger-tips of the same hand. Drawing the wand across it, he allows it to drop into the palm, and to strike against the ball already there. Rubbing his palms together, as if to mould the divided ball into shape, he shows the two balls, professedly thedivided portions of the first. Taking one in each hand, he continues, “I undertook to make the divided portions exactly equal, but I have not succeeded so well as usual. It seems to me that this one is rather the larger, what say you, ladies and gentlemen?” He places the two balls on the table, side by side, as if for comparison, and carelessly dropping the right hand to his side, palms between the second and third fingers (seepage273), the small ball. “Yes, this one is certainly the larger, but I can easily rectify the mistake by pinching a little piece off.” Taking the ball in the left hand, he pretends to pinch off a portion from it with the right, at the same time letting the little ball fall to the finger-tips of the latter. He replaces the large ball on the table, rolling the little ball between the fingers, as though to give it roundness. “No, that one is still the biggest, I haven’t taken quite enough yet. I must take a little more; or, better still, I will add this little piece to the smaller one.” Taking the supposed smaller ball in the left hand, he pretends to squeeze the little one into it, presently letting the latter fall behind it into the palm of the left hand, and replacing the two larger balls side by side on the table, dropping the little ball at the first opportunity into thepochette. He continues, “I think they are now about right. The reason why I have been so particular about it is that I am about to pass one of these balls into the other, which I could not have done unless they had been of exactly the same size. Now which of them shall I pass into the other? It is for you to decide.” He has meanwhile moved so as to be behind his table, standing sideways, with his right side to the table. Whichever ball the company decides is to be passed into the other, he takes in his right hand, immediately afterwards taking the other in the left hand, which he holds aloft, following it with his eyes. Stretching back the right arm, as though to give an impetus to the ball, he drops it into a padded box, or basket, placed upon theservanteto receive it, immediately afterwards bringing the right hand with a semicircular sweep upon the left, and rolling the ball the latter contains between the palms, as though to press the one ball into the other; and presently showing that the hands now contain one ball only.
Fig. 257.
Fig. 257.
The same effect may be produced without the aid of the table, as follows:—Taking both the balls in his right hand, as inFig. 257,the performer covers them with the left hand, retaining as he does so ballawith the thumb, but allowing ballbto roll down the left sleeve, which, with a little practice, will be found by no means difficult. He now rubs the palms together, as if rubbing the one ball into the other, and then separating them shows that the two balls have become transformed into one only. This he exhibits in the right hand, and while the eyes of the company are attracted to the ball, lowers the left arm, allowing the ball to run down the sleeve into the hand, whence it is immediately dropped into thepochetteon that side.
The next step is the supposed colouring of the ball. The performer continues, “Ladies and gentlemen, having proved to you my perfect control over the ball in respect of size, I propose to show you that I have equal mastery over it in respect of colour. This I shall do by passing it into this bottle of wine, which being red, the ball will become red also. Had the bottle contained a blue liquid, you would have found the ball become blue, and so on. The ball” (he takes it in his left hand, and apparently transfers it to his right by thetourniquet, keeping the right hand closed as if containing it, and dropping it from the left into thepochetteon that side) “is considerably larger than the neck of the bottle. This, in a natural way, would be rather a difficulty, but to a magician it will give very little trouble. I have only to squeeze the ball a little” (he lifts the bottle with the left hand, at the same time slipping the little finger underneath it, to prevent the red ball beneath it falling, and holding the right hand an inch or two above it, works the hand as if compressing the ball), “and it gradually becomes smaller and smaller, till it melts completely into the bottle.” He opens the right hand, and shows it empty, immediately afterwards shaking the bottle, and allowing the ball beneath to rattle slightly. “The ball is now in the bottle, as you see; the next step is to get it out, and it is rather difficult to do this without at the same time allowing the wine to escape. However, we will try. Ihave no doubt that by a strong effort of will I shall be able to manage it.” He now takes the bottle between his hands, holding it so that the two little fingers are beneath, and after a little shaking, allows the ball to drop, as if through the bottle. This may be varied by holding the bottle with the left hand only, and striking the mouth with the palm of the other, allowing the ball to drop at the third stroke, professedly expelled by the compression of the air.
Fig. 258.
Fig. 258.
Second Method.—The balls used in this instance are five in number, two large, one of each colour; two small, one of each colour, and one (a trifle larger than these latter), of which one half is red, and one half white. The decanter is replaced by an ordinary wine bottle (seeFig. 258), prepared as follows:—A tin tube,a, three inches in length, closed at the bottom, but open at the top, is made to fit within the neck (just so tightly, that it cannot fall out of its own accord), its upper edge being turned over all round, and japanned black, so that when placed in the bottle it may be undistinguishable from the actual neck. The cavity at the bottom of the bottle is filled with a resinous cement, in such manner as only to leave room for one of the larger balls. The tube is beforehand filled with port or claret, and placed in the neck. The bottle itself, which, if not naturally opaque, must be rendered so by an interior coating of black japan, should be nearly filled with water. Thus prepared, it is brought forward and placed on the table. The balls are disposed as follows: the two white ones in the leftpochetteof the performer, the two red ones and the parti-coloured ball in thepochetteon the other side.
Coming forward to the audience, the performer produces the large white ball, either as described in the first form of the trick, or from his wand in manner described at page276. While showing it in his left hand, he drops the right hand to his side, and palms the large red ball. Laying the white ball on his table, he remarks, “I have here a bottle of wine. We will begin by testing its genuineness.” He liftsthe bottle by the neck with the left hand, immediately transferring it to the right (which grasps it round the bottom), and introduces beneath it the red ball, which is thenceforth kept in position by the little finger. Taking in the other hand a wine-glass (which should be of such a size as just to contain the contents of the tube), he fills it with wine, and hands it to one of the company. In returning to his table, he secretly withdraws the tube. (This is easily done by grasping the bottle round the neck with the left hand, and gently drawing it downwards with the right, the turned over portion of the tube being clipped by the finger and thumb of the left hand, in which it naturally remains.) As the performer passes behind the table, he gets rid of the tube by dropping it on theservante. In placing the bottle on the table, he is of course careful not to expose the red ball underneath it. Taking the white ball in his left hand, he proposes to turn it red, and for that purpose to pass it into the bottle. Pretending to transfer it to the right hand by thetourniquet, he drops it from the left hand into the padded tray on theservante, and then apparently passes it into the bottle, as above. The routine of getting it out of the bottle again is the same as above described in relation to the first method.
We may, however, here note a variation in practice. Some performers, instead of introducing the red ball under the bottle at the outset of the trick, as above described, make no attempt to bring it under the bottle until after the white ball is supposed to have been passed into the wine, when the performer, raising the bottle with the left hand, transfers it to the right, and brings the ball under it, retaining it there with the little finger until he thinks fit to allow it to drop, pretending to squeeze the bottom of the bottle as if to force it out.
After having produced the red ball, the performer remarks, “Perhaps, ladies and gentlemen, you imagine that I have not really passed the ball through the bottle, and that the effect is, in reality, produced by the substitution of a different coloured ball. Let me assure you that so truly is the wine in the bottle, and nothing else, the cause of the change of colour, that you will find on examination that every particle of colour has left the wine, its whole virtue having been absorbed by the ball. Supposing for a moment that I could haveexchanged the ball, you will hardly imagine that I could exchange the liquid in the bottle, which has been proved to be good old wine. Will the same gentleman who tried it before be good enough to taste it now?” Taking another glass, he fills it from the bottle, which is now found to contain nothing but water.
The performer, meanwhile, has again palmed the white ball, which he next produces, as being a new one, from his wand. Comparing the red and the white together, he pretends to discover that the red is the largest, and therefore pinches from it a small portion (the small red ball). He now discovers that he has taken too much, and that the red ball is now the smaller. He therefore pinches a second piece (the small white ball) from the white one, and finally rolls the two little balls thus obtained into one, producing the parti-coloured ball. The mode of producing these last effects will present no difficulty to any one who has attentively studied the description of the first form of the trick.
The Flags of all Nations.—This is, in good hands, a very pretty and effective trick, but requires considerable neatness of manipulation. Its effect is as follows:—The performer comes forward with a couple of miniature silk flags, measuring, say, three inches by two. Taking one in each hand, he brings the hands together, and begins to wave them backwards and forwards, when the flags are seen to multiply, the two being suddenly transformed into a dozen, quickly increasing to a still larger number. Not only do the flags increase in number, but in size also, until perhaps a couple of hundred have been produced, ranging in dimensions from one or two inches square to a foot or even larger, and of six or eight different colours.
This seeming marvel rests on a very slight foundation. The flags to be produced are of coloured tissue-paper, with flagstaffs made of wire, or of the “bass” of which scrubbing-brooms are made, so as to occupy very little space. These are rolled up together in little parcels, like with like, according to size. Thus arranged, they are placed, the smaller ones in the sleeve of the performer, and the larger ones about his person, with the ends just inside the breast of his waistcoat. While waving the first two flags backwards and forwards, hegets one of the parcels from the sleeve into his hands, immediately unrolling and developing it, when the two flags appear to have multiplied into fifty. Under cover of these, he draws down from the sleeve another parcel, which he develops in like manner, and after the sleeves are exhausted has recourse to the fresh store within the waistcoat. He all along takes care to retain in his hands a large and widespread bundle of the flags, which, being kept moving backwards and forwards, materially aids in covering the mode of production of the remainder.
The Umbrella Trick.—The performer comes forward with an umbrella, which may be either the common-place article of every-day life, or a brilliant fancy production, akin to Joseph’s coat of many colours. This he hands for inspection, and meanwhile borrows a lady’s handkerchief. The latter, for safe keeping, he places in an empty vase, which is left in full view of the company. The umbrella, duly examined, he places in a case, which may be either the ordinary glazed oilskin case, or a special apparatus prepared for the purpose. Whichever it be, the result is the same. On again uncovering the vase, the handkerchief has vanished, and in its place is found the silk covering of the umbrella. On removing the umbrella from its case, it is found to have lost its covering; but the handkerchief, torn in several pieces, is found fastened to its naked ribs, one piece to each. These are removed. Again the vase is covered, and the umbrella restored to the case. The torn fragments of the handkerchief are burnt, and their ashes invisibly passed into the vase; and on a new examination the two articles are found uninjured as at first.
With reference to the transformation of the handkerchief in the vase, it will be only necessary to state that the vase employed is either the burning globe (seepage246), or the “pea vase” described at page351. In either case a duplicate umbrella cover is placed in the second compartment, and thus the vase may be shown to contain either the handkerchief or the umbrella cover at pleasure.
Fig. 259.
Fig. 259.
Fig. 260.
Fig. 260.
With regard to the umbrella, the reader will readily conjecture that an exchange is effected, but the mode of effecting it varies. If the ordinary glazed case is used, the umbrella is exchanged bodily for another, similarly encased, placed beforehand on theservante. This,however, requires some little dexterity, as an umbrella, from its length, is an awkward article to exchange; and this has led to the employment of cases specially constructed to effect the change. That most frequently used is an upright pillar of zinc or tin, oval in form, and open at the top, and so constructed as to stand upright without support (seeFig. 259). It is divided vertically into two compartments, in one of which is placed beforehand the second umbrella. Of course no one can be permitted to examine or even look into the case, which is a serious drawback to the effect of the trick. There is, however, another form of case sometimes employed, which is a trifle less objectionable. This is a wooden tube, about three feet long, and three and a half inches square. (SeeFig. 260.) Like the case already described, it is closed at the bottom and open at the top, and divided vertically into two compartments,aandb. One or other of these, however, is always closed by the flapc, which by virtue of a spring is normally compelled to take the position shown in the figure, thus closing compartmentb. When required for use, the second umbrella is placed in compartmenta, and the flapcdrawn back (as shown by the dotted line) so as to closea, in which position it is held by a little catch. The performer hands the genuine umbrella for inspection to one of the spectators, with a request that he will himself place it in the case. As soon as he has done so, the performer by a movement of his forefinger draws back the catch, and releasesc, which flying back to the opposite position, shuts in the genuine umbrella, and reveals the substitute. When this apparatus is employed, the supposed restoration of the umbrella is omitted.
Some performers dispense with the use of the vase, and vanish and reproduce the borrowed handkerchief by sleight-of-hand, after one or other of the modes described in relation to handkerchief tricks.
The “Passe-Passe” Trick.—The trick which is specially designated by this name (which would appear to be equally applicable to about three parts of the tricks we have described) is asfollows:—
The performer brings forward a bottle and a small tumbler, which he places side by side upon the table. Producing a couple of tin or pasteboard covers, ornamentally japanned, of a size to just go over the bottle, he places one of them over the bottle, and another over the glass. He now commands the two articles to change places, and on again removing the covers the glass and bottle are found to be transposed. Again he covers them, and again the change takes place; and this he repeats as often as he pleases, occasionally pouring out wine or other liquor, to show that the bottle is a genuine one, and not a mere make-believe.
The reader will already have anticipated that there are in reality two bottles and two glasses. The bottles are of tin, japanned to resemble the ordinary black bottle, but with the bottom only about a couple of inches below the neck, leaving an open space beneath for the reception of the glass. Each bottle has near the bottom, at the side which is kept away from the audience, an oval opening or finger-hole, measuring about an inch and a half by one inch. When it is desired to lift the glass with the bottle, the middle finger is made to press on the glass through this opening, thereby lifting both together with perfect safety. The outer cover just fits easily over the bottles, and if lifted lightly leaves the bottle on the table, but if grasped with some little pressure, carries the bottle with it.
The mode of working the trick will now be readily understood. The bottle which is brought forward has a second glass concealed within it, kept in position, while the bottle is brought in, by the pressure of the finger. The cover which is placed over this bottle is empty. The other cover, which is placed over the glass, contains the second bottle, which, being hollow below, enables the performer to rattle hiswand within it, and thus (apparently) to prove the cover empty. Having covered the glass and bottle, he raises the cover of the first very lightly, leaving the glass concealed by the second bottle, but lifts the other with pressure, so carrying the bottle with it, and revealing the glass which has hitherto been concealed within it. By reversing the process, the bottle and glass are again made to appear, each under its original cover. Where it is desired to pour wine from either bottle, the performer takes care, in lifting it, to press the glass through the finger-hole, and thus lifts both together. For obvious reasons the glass into which the wine is poured should be a third glass, and not either of the two which play the principal part in the trick.