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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
579
The
solid
die,
having
remained
in
the
hat,
may
readily
be
produced
when
required.
THE
DECANTER
AND
THE
CRYSTAL
BALLS.--The
routine
of
this
trick,
as
practised
by
different
performers,
varies
a
good
deal.
We
propose
to
describe
it
in
two
forms,
the
first
being
as
nearly
as
possible
that
which
was
adopted
by
Robert-Houdin.
First
Method.--The
apparatus
in
this
case
consists
of
four
glass
balls
(two
of
plain
glass
an
inch
and
a
half
in
diameter,
one
of
ruby-coloured
glass
of
the
same
size,
and
one
of
plain
glass,
three-quarters
of
an
inch
in
diameter)
and
a
decanter
of
clear
glass,
with
a
hollow
or
“kick”
underneath
it
just
large
enough
to
admit
one
of
the
larger
balls.
The
decanter
is
two-thirds
filled
with
port
or
claret,
and
is
brought
forward
with
the
red
ball
beneath
it,
in
the
hollow
we
have
mentioned,
and
is
placed
on
the
performer’s
table.
The
remaining
balls
are
disposed
as
follows:
the
two
large
balls
in
the
performer’s
left
pochette,
and
the
small
one
in
the
pochette
on
the
other
side.
Thus
provided,
the
performer
comes
forward,
wand
in
hand.
Taking
the
wand
carelessly
in
his
right
hand,
he
says,
“Ladies
and
gentlemen,
I
have
already
given
you
some
proofs
of
the
singular
powers
of
this
wand,
but
I
do
not
know
whether
I
have
drawn
your
attention
to
one
remarkable
faculty
which
it
possesses,
viz.,
that
if
I
strike
anything
with
it,
at
the
same
time
mentally
calling
for
any
object,
that
object
is
instantly
produced
from
the
article
touched.
Let
us
put
it
to
the
test.”
(He
pulls
back
his
coat-sleeves,
showing
indirectly,
by
a
careless
gesture,
that
his
hands
are
empty.)
“For
the
purpose
of
the
trick
I
am
about
to
show
you,
I
require
a
crystal
ball.
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