Royal Road to Card Magic The

hand away from the right. At the end of this turn, the two hands are some distance apart as at the beginning. Now turn the left hand so that its back is to the audience and the bottom card cannot be seen.
    6. Drop the card held by the right hand on a table or chair, or extend it to someone to blow on if the trick calls for this handling, or use the hand in a gesture to emphasise what you are saying, being careful that the face of the card cannot be seen until you are ready to reveal the change.
    The entire actions should be an exact simulation of a natural turn to the left for any of the purposes mentioned in the preceding paragraph. A speedy movement of the hands is to be avoided, since it will warn the audience that something has been done, although they may not know what.
    The bottom change is excellent for use with a single card in each hand or with a packet in each hand.
    Top and Bottom Changes
    It should be noted that, in giving instructions for the changes, we have told you that the change should be made while turning to the left. You should practise the changes in this manner until you have the knack. When you can perform them smoothly and elusively, you should learn to make changes while moving the pack to the right. When performed in this manner, the left hand moves to the right to indicate an object or person, and as it passes the right hand the exchange is made, with the right hand remaining absolutely motionless.
    The exchange must be made without an instant's pause, and it is covered by a turning of the body to the right as the left hand makes its gesture and the exchange.
    In the case of both the top and bottom changes, it is advisable to practise them by going through the same action you will use in the trick you plan to perform.
    The following points are important:
    (a) You must not snatch the card from the left hand.
    (b) You must not pause noticeably at the moment when the hands meet and the cards are exchanged.
    (c) When the exchange has been completed, the hands should be about the same distance apart as at the beginning.
    (d) After the exchange, hold the right-hand card tilted downwards so that its face cannot be seen.
    (e) Divest the sleight of importance in your own mind. Remember that the larger movement of the turn conceals the smaller movement of the hands and that to the audience the hands never meet.
    One final word of caution. Do not watch yourself in a mirror as you practise. You cannot perform the action naturally if you divide your attention between what you do and how it looks. Moreover, mirror watching has a tendency to cause the eyes to widen; this is not attractive and can become a fixed habit.

CHAPTER 18

Arrangements

    In this chapter we shall give you a number of tricks requiring an arrangement of the cards that will bring about a result you desire. These arrangements must be made without the knowledge of the audience, and this may be accomplished in one of these ways.
    1. You may prepare the arrangement before you perform, place the cards in their case and offer the trick as your first feat.
    2. You may place the arrangement in your pocket before the performance. The absence of six or seven cards, or even a dozen, will rarely be noticed. When you need the arrangement, palm the cards and secretly add them to the pack.
    3. You may arrange the cards openly between tricks. You will already have seen how this is done in the feat described as Obliging Aces). The general rule is that when you are making an arrangement openly you must do it boldly. The moment your manner becomes furtive you will create suspicion.
    Between impromptu tricks there are always a few moments of laughter and comment, and you can make your arrangement at this time if you do it as you talk, dividing your attention between the cards and those about you. You must remember that, although you know you are making an arrangement and may at first be self-conscious, those about you do not know what you are doing. You can let them think you are searching for the joker as you shift cards about, or you need offer no explanation at all.
    Some of our most adept card experts make arrangement with the utmost sangfroid. Their manner is so disarming that, though they are seen arranging the cards, their audiences never connect this with the trick that follows.
    4. You may arrange the cards during the course of the trick that precedes the one requiring the arrangement. Let us say that you are performing a key location trick and