Royal Road to Card Magic The

hold, and keep them separate by inserting the tip of your left little finger under them.
    3. Count with the spectator as he drops the cards, and at the same time palm the three cards at the top of the pack in your right hand. There is no risk of detection, for all eyes will be watching the spectator deal the cards. When the count is completed, let us say sixteen cards, glance at the spectator and say, 'You counted sixteen cards. That is correct?' Whatever the number may be, he will agree.
    Reach forwards with your right hand and with a careless offhand gesture push the cards towards him, releasing the three palmed cards on them. Your hand must rest on the cards for only a moment, and you must not look at them. The entire action should seem to be a gesture towards the cards to indicate what you want done. This is the crux of the trick, and when it is done properly no one later remembers that your hand was anywhere near the cards. It would seem that everyone should see what you do, but you must remember that you have not said what you are going to do and for this reason the spectators do not grasp the significance of your gesture.
    At the moment you push the card towards your assistant, catch his eye and say, 'Kindly pick up the cards and place them in your pocket.' If he is seated, have him hold them tightly between his hands.
    4. Address the audience, saying, 'My trick is this, ladies and gentlemen. My friend here has taken a given number of cards determined by himself. He counted them in such a manner that we are all assured that the count was correct.' Turn to the assistant and say, 'How many cards do you hold?' 'Sixteen,' he replies. Again address the audience, 'I call your attention particularly to the fact that never once have I touched the cards.'
    This is not true - you did touch the cards and secretly added three more to them - but, if you have done this naturally and easily, no one will question the statement. The gesture will have passed unnoticed. Indeed, the authors many times have heard spectators afterwards affirm that not once had the performer touched the cards.
    5. Turn to the second spectator, upon who you forced the three-spot. 'Will you now for the first time show the card you chose? The three of diamonds, very well. I shall use the value of that card for my trick. I shall cause three cards to pass from the cards I hold in my hand to the packet of sixteen cards that are being held tightly by my friend at the table. Are you ready? Ah, you needn't look so worried. The impact of the cards will be negligible, hardly more than a slight tickling sensation.'
    Hold the cards in your left hand, as for dealing, with the thumb pressing firmly on the back of the packet, and as you count 'One!' bend the outer ends of the cards upwards with your right middle finger and riffle them sharply.
    Repeat the riffle, counting 'Two!' - and once again, counting 'Three!' This time, palm the top card, reach over and pretend to pull the card out of his sleeve, as you say, 'Sorry, that one went only halfway. I'll try again.' Replace the card on top of your packet, being careful that no one sees its face, riffle again, and call 'Go!'
    6. Address the assistant, 'A moment ago you had sixteen cards. You now hold nineteen. Please count them in the same way that you did before, so that we may all see the result of this truly inexplicable feat.'
    Count aloud with the spectator, and when he reaches 'sixteen' raise your hand and your voice, emphasising the last three numbers with crescendo effect.
    This is the feat in its best form. The student cannot appreciate how fine a trick it is until he has himself witnessed the utter amazement it induces in an audience.
    Everybody's Card 1
    Card tricks may come and go, but the really great card classics go on for ever. This feat has been performed by countless magicians for over a century and no doubt will be charming audiences a hundred years hence. Robert-Houdin, who included it in his programmes under the title The Metamorphoses, wrote of it, 'I may once more remark that this trick, skilfully executed, is one of the most surprising that can well be performed.' The authors can only urge their readers to master this delightful bit of hanky-panky.
    The plot is simple. Four cards are drawn by as many people. One of them is shown to each in turn and it changes successively, the one card becoming everybody's card.
    1. Advance with the pack in hand and make a short introductory statement. 'Ladies