Royal Road to Card Magic The

the right, and slip the tip of the left little finger under it. Call attention to the card face upwards at the top.
    2. Grasp the two cards at the ends, near the right corners, between the right thumb and middle finger. The break under the two cards held by the little finger makes this easy. Slide them to the right as one card, until their left side rests on the left fingertips.
    3. Drop the left thumb under the pack and flip this over to the right so that it falls face upwards upon the two cards held by the right hand. Call attention to the card that is at the face of the pack.
    4. Square the pack and make one complete cut, placing the chosen card at the centre in the reversed position.
    Second Card Reversal: Second Method The chosen card is second from the top.
    1. Hold the pack face downwards in the left hand, as for dealing. Turn the top card face upwards and square it on the deck, at the same time secretly pushing the second card to the right with the left thumb and slipping the left little fingertip under it.
    2. Grasp the two cards above the little fingertip at the ends, near the right corners, between the right thumb and middle finger. Slide them to the right so that their left edges rest on the left fingertips.
    3. Push the third card, which is face downwards, off the pack with the left thumb. Flip it face upwards on the pack with the two cards held by the right hand. Calling attention to it, push it off the pack with the left thumb and take it squarely under the two held in the right hand. This hand now holds three cards, the middle of which is face downwards, although the audiences believes that only two cards are held.
    4. Replace the cards on the pack, flipping them face downwards. The chosen card is face upwards below the top card. Make one complete cut to carry it to the centre of the pack.
    This method differs from the others mainly in that the pack is not turned over.
    TRICKS WITH THE DOUBLE LIFT
    Rapid Transit
    Two cards taken at random, one held by a spectator and the other by the magician, change places instantly. Any deck can be used and there are no duplicates.
    1. Have a spectator shuffle the deck to his own satisfaction.
    2. Take the cards, square them, and under cover of that action prepare for the double lift by raising the inner right corners of the two cards at the top of the pack and holding the break with the left little finger.
    3. Making a gesture towards the spectator with your right hand, say, 'Neither you or I can possibly know what this top card is, hence I will use it for my experiment. Let's see.' Lift the two cards as one and turn them face upwards on the deck - showing, say, the king of spades. Let everyone see this card plainly.
    4. Turn the two cards as one, face downwards, on the deck and with the left thumb push off the top card on to the table close to you. This is an indifferent card, the face of which the onlookers will never see. You say, 'I'll take this king of spades.'
    5. Square the deck again with the right hand and get the next two cards ready for the double lift. Then touch the card on the table with your right forefingertip, saying, 'Remember, this card is the king of spades.' Turn the next two cards face upwards on the deck - showing, let us suppose, the eight of hearts. Name it as you allow everyone to see its face plainly, then turn the two cards face downwards as one.
    6. Reach out towards the spectator with your left hand and thumb off the top card, the king of spades. Have him place his hand on it. 'Now,' you say, 'you have the eight of hearts and I have the king of spades.' Lift up the indifferent card, look at its face without allowing anyone else to see it and lay it on the top of the pack. In the meantime you have pushed the top card off the pack to the right a little and have taken a little finger break under it, the eight of hearts, so that you are ready to make another double lift.
    7. Continue, 'It was an Irishman who said that, not being a bird, he could not be in two places at the same time. Einstein says that no material object can do that, but these poor philosophers know nothing of magic. Watch!' Wave your right hand over the cards and say 'Arbadacarba - that is abracadabra backwards, the most powerful magic spell extant - and here I have your eight of hearts [make the double lift showing that card] while you have the king of spades!' The spectator turns his card and there it is.
    Turn your two cards face downwards on the pack and shuffle