Royal Road to Card Magic The

corners and look at the bottom card. 'Yes, they are both there.' Replace the pack on your left hand and pull the two palmed cards to the bottom as before, thus bringing the second pair to the top and bottom of the deck.
    8. Address the second spectator. 'What were your cards? The king of clubs and the jack of hearts. We can hardly expect to succeed again, but this seems to be my good night.' Shake the deck and lift it to show the bottom card, the king of clubs. 'There it is! Now for the jack of hearts.' Another little shake and you lift off the top card, showing the jack of hearts.
    Replace this card on top and repeat exactly the same moves to bring the next pair, the five of spades and the nine of diamonds to the bottom and the top.
    9. Proceed in the same manner to show these two cards, keeping up the same attitude of bewilderment at your success. After showing the third pair, bring the last pair to the bottom and top as before, and lay the deck on the table as if the feat were finished, shaking your head and saying, 'I simply cannot understand it.' The fourth spectator will remind you that there is still another pair of cards to be discovered.
    10. Apologise, saying that you have been so astounded at your success with the other pairs that you forgot all about his cards. 'The spell is broken, I'm afraid,' you continue. 'You see I have put the deck out of my hands, and it would be impossible to find your cards in the same way. I'll have to try another method for discovering them. Ah, yes. Just let me touch my fingers to yours.' Rub the tips of your right fingers on the tips of his.
    Pick up the deck in your right hand, pressing it well into the fork of the thumb. Grip it firmly, with the thumb on the top card and the fingers on the bottom card. 'I'll toss the whole pack into the air and I'll try to catch your two cards!'
    Strike an attitude, your right side towards the spectators. Make a few preliminary up-and-down movements with your right arm, then with a sharp upward jerk let all the cards except the top and bottom ones fly upward about 30 cm (12 in). Instantly close your thumb and fingers on the two cards retained in your right hand and with the same hand strike the pack in the air, scattering the rest of the cards in all directions. Slide the two cards apart, insert the forefinger between them, and grip the lower one between it and the thumb. Move the middle finger on to the face of the upper card and grip it against the ring finger, then separate the cards as far as possible (figure 131).

    Hold the pose for a few moments, keeping the backs of the two cards outwards. 'Please name your cards,' you say to the spectator. 'The nine of spades and the queen of hearts,' he replies. Slowly turn the two cards face outwards, take one in each hand, and display them.
    The discoveries of the cards, especially that of the last two, must be done dramatically. When well acted, this feat will be remembered and talked about long after other card tricks have been forgotten.
    Everywhere and Nowhere
    Nothing is quite so amazing to the general public as witnessing the mysterious transformation of one card to another, perhaps because it so nearly approximates the popular concept of magic. Here we have a fine feat of this type. The magician, attempting to find a chosen card, shows three indifferent cards. Each of these, a moment later, is shown to be the chosen card. Still a moment later, everything is as it should be, with the chosen card flanked by two indifferent cards.
    You will require two duplicate aces of spades, with backs matching those of the pack you are using. Place these, together with the ace belonging to the pack, at the top of the deck. Have three clear glass tumblers on your table, neatly spaced.
    1. 'Ladies and gentlemen,' you say, 'a card trick that proves that, although seeing may be believing, you should not always believe what you see.' Advance to someone on your left, shuffling the cards by the overhand method to place the aces at the middle in position for forcing. 'Will you help me? Take any card.' Force one of the aces, preferably by the one-hand force or the classic force.
    Have the card shown to all and replaced at the point from which it was taken, then square the cards neatly and give them one riffle shuffle, doing this slowly so that all may note its fairness. When performing for a small group it is most convincing to permit the spectator himself to make this shuffle. Take the pack, saying, 'A very