3. Three overlays (see p. 20), each consisting, in the present instance,
of a court card, backed with velvet of similar tint and texture to that
with which the mat is covered. Three of the edges of each card are
blackened, but the fourth (one of its shorter sides) is left white, and
thickened by the insertion of an extra slip of white card along that end.
The effect of this is that, as the card lies on the mat, its white edge
is visible from that side, but from no other position.
4. Three cards, corresponding with the three overlays, which we will
suppose to represent the queen of clubs, and the knaves of spades and
diamonds respectively. The queen is wholly unprepared, but each of the
two knaves has a point of fine wire, or a black bristle projecting a
sixteenth of an inch or so, midway from each of its sides. The “queen”
overlay is furnished with similar points, the object of these being to
enable the performer the more easily to lift a given card with or without
its duplicate overlay.
In preparing for the trick the two “knave” overlays, each covering a
shilling, are laid beforehand on the mat, velvet side up, eight or ten
inches apart, as shown in Fig. 11, under which circumstances they are
invisible to the spectators at a few feet distance, and very nearly so
to the performer, save that their white edges, turned towards himself,
furnish him with an exact guide to their position. On the top of the pack
are laid, first the two knaves. On these the queen overlay, and uppermost
the unprepared queen.
[Illustration: FIG. 11]
In presenting the trick the borrowed shilling is laid on the mat midway
between the two overlays already on the table, and is covered with the
top card of the pack, the third overlay being lifted off with it, and
resting beneath it with its centre as nearly as possible over the coin.
The two following cards are now laid one on each side of the first, as
in Fig. 12, each on the corresponding overlay, the white edges of these,
visible to the performer, but not to the company, serving as guides to
exact position. When the performer desires to show that the coin is not
under a given card, he raises the card only, lifting it lengthwise, and
leaving the coin covered by the overlay. When he desires to exhibit a
coin, he picks up the card covering it breadthwise between finger and
thumb and with it the overlay beneath it.
[Illustration: FIG. 12]
The introductory patter may run as follows:
“You have all heard, no doubt, of what is called the thimblerig trick,
frequently exhibited at fairs and on race-courses. Some of you gentlemen
may even have parted with a little money over it. For the benefit of the
ladies I will explain what it is.
“The operator has before him on a small board or tray three thimbles,
or half walnut-shells. He exhibits a small pea, or a pellet the size of
a pea, which he affectionately calls the ‘joker.’ This he places under
one of the thimbles, all three of which he then shifts about on the tray;
inviting the spectators to bet with him as to which thimble the pea is
under. He has two or three confederates, who bet, and naturally win,
but if an outsider is rash enough to back his own supposed smartness he
loses; for as a matter of fact the pea is not placed under either of
the thimbles at all until after the bet is made, when it is skilfully
introduced under whichever thimble best suits the performer.
“The trick is in truth a mere affair of dexterity; the performer having
acquired by long practise the power of placing the pea under any thimble
he pleases. What I propose to show you is a similar effect, but more
surprising, because, as you will see, there is no room for dexterity, or
indeed any form of trickery; so that I have to depend entirely upon my
magic power. I shall use a shilling, as being more easily seen than a
pea, and three cards from this pack to represent the thimbles.
“Will some gentleman oblige me with the loan of a shilling; marked in
such a way that he may be sure of knowing it again.”
Receiving the coin in his right hand, the performer makes believe to
transfer it to his left; wherein he already has a shilling of his own.
Surreptitiously depositing the coin lent to him behind the pack of cards
on the table, he exhibits the substitute on the palm of the left hand and
rubs it with the fingers of the right.
“I do this,” he explains, “in order to drive out all adverse magnetisms,
and to substitute my own. I will now put the coin in full view on the
table and cover it with a card. See that I do so fairly.”
After laying down the coin he takes the top card of the pack, and with
it, unknown to the spectators, the overlay beneath it, and lowers them on
to the coin.
“Notice particularly, please, where I have placed the coin, and notice
too that I do not touch it again. I will now place two more cards, one
on each side of the first one.” He does so, letting the spectators see
clearly that there is nothing in the hand save the card itself, and then
slowly lowering it exactly on to one of the two overlays on the table.
“Now I make a few magnetic passes over the cards, so.” He waves his wand
backwards and forwards above the cards, at a few inches’ distance.
“And now, where is the coin? Still under the middle card, you would say?
You are mistaken.” He lifts that card lengthwise, leaving the overlay
covering the coin; then replacing the card. “It is no longer there, you
see. In point of fact it has passed under this card.”
He lifts one of the side cards breadthwise, the overlay coming with
it, and exposes the coin beneath it. “Here it is, you see. We will try
once more.” He replaces the card and then shows, in like manner, that
the coin has passed to the card on the opposite side. After one or two
transpositions have been shown, the audience being allowed to say under
which card the coin shall appear, and the last shift having been to one
of the side positions, the performer says: “I should like you to be
satisfied that it is really the marked coin and no other, that wanders
about in this way. I will ask the gentleman who lent it to me to verify
his mark.”
He picks up from one of the side positions the coin last uncovered and
brings it forward, but in transit “switches” it for the borrowed coin,
which he has a moment previously picked up from its resting place behind
the pack. It is, of course, this last which he offers for identification,
again exchanging it for the substitute before replacing this in its
former position. The final reproduction must be from under the centre
card, the performer again ringing the changes before returning the coin
to the owner. At the close of the trick all three cards are placed on the
pack, the centre overlay going with them. The other two overlays are left
on the mat, each still covering its own coin, and the whole being carried
off together. If the mat is of the folding kind it can be closed before
removal, effectually concealing the accessories used in the trick.
Some amount of skill will be found necessary to pick up the card with
or without the corresponding overlay, as may be desired. The difficulty
however speedily disappears with practice. On the other hand, the trick
is well worth the trouble needed to master it, for if the spectators are
convinced (as, given perfect execution, they should be) that it is really
the borrowed coin which travels about as it appears to do, nothing short
of genuine magic will furnish an adequate explanation.
The performer is of course by no means bound to adopt the _mise en scène_
above suggested. If preferred, the patter might be based on a supposed
plot between the two knaves to rob the queen, the coin representing the
stolen property, secretly passed from the one to the other when either
was accused of the theft. The story might conclude with an appeal by the
queen to a benevolent magician, through whose good offices her property
is brought back to its original position, and in due course restored to
her. The touch of the mystic wand would naturally play an important part
in effecting the restoration.