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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
624
THE
FLYING
WATCHES
AND
THE
BROKEN
PLATE.--This
is
a
rather
more
elaborate
form
of
the
trick
last
described.
The
performer
collects
three
or
four
watches
from
the
company,
the
assistant,
meanwhile,
being
sent
to
fetch
a
plate.
On
his
return,
the
watches
are
laid
one
by
one
on
the
plate,
and
he
is
ordered
to
place
them
on
the
table.
In
attempting
to
do
so
he
trips
and
falls,
the
watches
being
scattered
in
all
directions,
and
the
plate
being
smashed
to
pieces.
The
performer
reprimands
the
offender
for
his
carelessness,
and
picking
up
the
watches,
finds
that
they
are
injured
in
various
ways.
After
a
momentary
hesitation,
he
hits
on
a
way
of
repairing
the
damage.
Calling
for
his
pistol,
he
drops
the
battered
watches
and
the
fragments
of
the
plate
into
it,
keeping
all
down
with
a
wad
of
newspaper.
The
assistant
now
brings
in
the
picture-frame,
as
in
the
last
trick,
and
the
performer,
taking
good
aim,
fires
at
it.
At
the
instant
of
firing,
the
plate
is
seen
restored
in
the
centre
of
the
frame,
with
the
borrowed
watches
encircling
it.
The
performer
advances
to
remove
and
return
them
to
the
owners,
but
is
(or
appears
to
be)
thunderstruck
at
perceiving
that
the
restoration
is
incomplete,
a
large
piece
being
missing
from
the
plate.
(See
Fig.
295.)
After
a
moment’s
reflection,
he
discovers
the
cause
of
the
defect,
for,
looking
about
upon
the
stage,
he
finds
and
picks
up
a
fragment
which
he
had
overlooked
when
he
put
the
rest
in
the
pistol,
and
which
consequently
is
wanting
in
the
restored
plate.
He
apologizes
for
the
oversight,
and
proceeds
to
remedy
it.
Standing
at
the
furthest
portion
of
the
stage,
he
makes
the
motion
of
throwing
the
recovered
fragment
towards
the
frame.
It
is
seen
to
vanish
from
his
hand,
and
the
plate
at
the
same
moment
appears
whole
as
at
first.
The
plate
is
removed,
and
with
the
restored
watches
handed
to
the
audience
for
examination,
when
the
closest
inspection
fails
to
discover
any
trace
of
fracture.
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