_Preparation._ Velvet mat on table, and laid upon it, face down in a row
(or a double row, in the case of a small mat), the six velvet-backed
cards. These, so laid, will be undistinguishable by spectators at a very
short distance from the mat itself. Each is laid with its “white” end
toward the hinder part of the table, so that this shall be visible to the
performer when standing behind it. The marked queen of diamonds is laid
on the top of the pack. The die and dice-box, on their tray, are laid on
the mat, which may partially cover two or more of the six cards.
_Presentation._ Performer, picking up the pack of cards with his right
hand, transfers it to his left, leaving the queen of diamonds palmed in
the right. Picking up the tray and its contents with the right hand and
advancing with it, he offers the pack to some member of the company,
saying: “Will you kindly look well over this pack of cards and satisfy
yourself that there is nothing exceptional about them; and when you have
done so give them a thorough shuffle. And you, Sir” (handing tray and
die to another spectator), “please test this die in any way your please.
Throw it as many times as you like. I want you to be quite sure that
it throws a different number each time, and that it is not loaded, or
‘faked’ in any way.
“I don’t like bothering people to examine things, for in most cases it
is a mere waste of time. But in this case I have a special reason for
asking. There is something about this pack of cards and this die which I
myself don’t understand; and I shall be much obliged to anyone who will
help me to do so. As a matter of fact, these cards, though quite ordinary
in other respects, are afflicted with a peculiar restlessness. They
change places without notice and without any apparent reason. If I were
to try to play bridge with them, for instance, I should find as likely as
not that my best trump had invisibly left my hand and passed over to the
enemy, which would naturally upset my game and get me into trouble with
my partner. The die is equally peculiar, but in another way. From some
curious effect of sympathy it knows where a given card is to be found
when I don’t know myself.
“The only possible explanation I can think of for their peculiarities is
the fact that both cards and die were formerly the property of an old
magician, and that after his death they were shut up together for some
years in the same box with this wand, which also belonged to him, and
that they have imbibed some of its magical qualities. I will give you a
sample of their ‘eccentricities.’”
Performer takes back the cards and proceeds to force the queen of
diamonds on some member of the company (a lady for choice). Leaving
the drawn card for the time being in her hands, he asks a gentleman to
shuffle and cut the rest of the pack and count off from the cut five
indifferent cards. The card drawn by the lady is then shuffled with
these, so that its position among the six shall be unknown. Performer,
taking these from the holder, deals them in a row (or double row, as the
case may be) upon the velvet mat, placing each exactly over one of the
velvet-backed cards; the white hinder edges of these guiding him as to
their positions.
“We will now consider these cards as numbered in regular order, One,
Two, Three, Four, Five, Six! Among them somewhere or other, is the card
the lady chose. At what number it stands nobody knows (I can assure you
that I don’t), but the die will tell us instantly. May I ask you, Madam,
to name your card. The queen of diamonds; you say? Good! Now will the
gentleman who holds the die kindly throw it. What is the number thrown?
A three?” (Whatever the number happens to be.) “The die says the card
stands number three. Let us see whether that is correct.”
He picks up the two cards occupying the position indicated, and shows
the face of the undermost, which is of course seen to be the queen of
diamonds.
“But now we come to the more remarkable feature of the case. I told you
about the queer way in which the cards change places. Even in this short
time I daresay the lady’s card has got tired of being number three, and
has moved away to some other number. If so, the die will tell us. Throw
it again, Sir, please.”
This is done, the die bringing up a new number, say “five.”
“The die declares that the card has moved, and now stands fifth. We shall
soon see whether such is really the case. First, however, let us see
whether it has really departed from number three.”
Performer has meanwhile replaced the two cards just lifted. He now lifts
the upper one only, which (being one of the indifferent cards) shows
a different face. “The queen has gone, you see. And now to ascertain
whether she has really passed to number five.”
The two cards standing at that number are lifted together, and again a
queen of diamonds is exhibited. The trick can of course be repeated any
number of times, but it is better not to prolong it beyond a third or
fourth “move.”
In picking up two cards together, in order to show the undermost, they
are lifted with second finger at top, thumb at bottom and the first and
third fingers at the sides. Thus “framed” so to speak, the two cards
will lie squarely the one upon the other and be undistinguishable from a
single card. When it is desired to lift the upper card alone, it should
be nipped between the second finger at top right-hand corner and thumb
at bottom left-hand corner, when it will be brought away clear without
difficulty.
There is one contingency for which the performer must be prepared,
namely, that the throw of the die may happen to correspond with the
actual position of the card drawn. Both cards of the pair are in this
case alike, and the performer cannot, at the succeeding throw, show
that the drawn card is no longer in its late position. This possibility
is provided for by having the back of the card marked as before
explained. Should the contingency in question arise, the performer,
having meanwhile noted the marked card, does not call attention to the
disappearance of the queen from that number, but proceeds at once to show
that it has moved to its new position. There is not the smallest fear
that anyone will notice the omission.
[5] Since the description which follows was written, it has come to my
knowledge that there is already on sale a trick on somewhat similar lines
in point of _effect_ entitled _The Educated Die_. I need hardly say that
my own trick, so far as I am concerned, is absolutely original. The
advertised description of _The Educated Die_ would suit either trick, but
there is little further resemblance between them.