Royal Road to Card Magic The

number of cards taken.' Take the deck, shuffle overhand, using the lift shuffle and retaining the arranged cards at the top. 'Since it makes no difference what cards are taken, will you, sir, [addressing someone on your right] just call “Stop” whenever you please as I shuffle the cards.' Begin the lift shuffle, and at the word 'Stop' drop the controlled packet on to the cards in your left hand. Hold this hand out to the spectator and have him take the card stopped at. 'Do you think you can remember two cards? Very well, take the next as well.' Address another person on his right and have him take the next two cards.
    3. Place the cards in your right hand underneath those in your left, begin another lift shuffle and ask a third person to the right of the second to call 'Stop' in the same way. Have him take the two top cards of the left-hand packet and have a fourth person take the next pair. This is the easiest, quickest and most convincing way of forcing a number of cards. 'Please remember your cards. Show them to those near you so that there can be no mistake.'
    4. 'This done, the old master handed the deck to the first person, asking him to replace his cards, shuffle the deck, and hand it on to the next person, who did the same thing. In this way all the cards were replaced and each person shuffled the deck. Will you do that?' Hand the deck to the first person.
    While the cards are being thus shuffled into the deck, casually place both hands in your trouser-pockets, palm the nine cards in your right hand and relax.
    5. When the fourth person, who will be well on your left, has replaced his cards and shuffled the deck, go to him, hold out your left hand palm upwards, and with your right hand pull up your left sleeve a little, keeping the hand on your left forearm. 'Will you place the deck on my left hand? Thank you. You have shuffled freely, now I want you to make a free cut.' When he has lifted off a portion of the deck, take the remainder in your right hand, adding the palmed cards, then take the cut from him with your left hand and place it below, thus completing the cut. Place the pack face downwards on your left hand and hold it there in full view.
    6. 'A number of freely selected cards have been replaced in the deck, each of you has shuffled it and finally the deck has been cut freely. It would be entirely possible for one of the selected cards to find its way to the top or bottom.' Lift the deck with the right hand, with the thumb at one end and the fingers at the other, and show the bottom card. If by chance it is a card someone has selected, just remove it and thrust it into the middle of the deck. Lift the top card, show it, and ask, 'Did anyone draw this card?' Since this is the indifferent card you have added to the deck, nobody will claim it. Slip the left little fingertip under the top card of the deck and replace the card on top. Square the deck, palm the two cards in your right hand, and take the deck in that hand by the extreme right corners between the thumb and the forefinger only (figure 130), bending the other fingers well into the palm.

    7. 'Now here is the mystery. The old master simply placed the deck on his left hand, so.' As you do so, reach out with the left fingers and draw the two palmed cards to the bottom of the deck, thus bringing the first pair of cards to the top and the bottom. The action takes a moment and is covered by the right hand. 'Then by simply shaking the cards so [move the left hand up and down slightly] he made the first pair of cards appear, one on the top and the other on the bottom. An absolute impossibility, but just for the fun of it I'll try. Will you [addressing the first spectator] kindly name your two cards? The six of diamonds and the five of clubs. I have tried this hundreds of times and never succeeded.' Shake the pack, raise the inner end of the top card, and shake your head. 'It never comes right with me. Just once more.' Shake the deck again, lift the inner end, and exclaim, 'A miracle!' Lift the pack by the ends with your right hand and hold it with the face card, the six of diamonds, facing the audience.
    Pause a moment, then replace the pack on your left hand, shake it and lift off the top card, the five of clubs. 'Incredible! I can hardly believe it, but there it is!'
    Slip the left little fingertip under the top card as before, replace the five of clubs on top and palm the two top cards. Take the pack in your right hand by the extreme top right