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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
636
The
rest
is
a
very
simple
matter.
The
person
who
is
to
represent
the
Sphinx
is
beforehand
placed,
duly
attired,
underneath
the
table.
There
is
a
trap
in
the
table
through
which
he
can
pass
his
head
at
the
proper
moment.
This
trap
is
a
round
piece
of
wood,
covered
to
match
the
surface
of
the
table,
and
working
on
a
hinge
on
the
side
nearest
to
the
audience.
It
has
no
spring,
but
is
kept
closed
by
means
of
a
button
on
the
opposite
side,
and
when
released
hangs
down
perpendicularly.
It
must
be
large
enough
to
allow
the
passage
of
the
somewhat
elaborate
headpiece
of
the
Sphinx,
and
would
therefore
leave
an
open
space
visible
round
the
neck.
This
difficulty
is
met
by
the
expedient
of
having
a
wooden
collar,
whose
upper
surface
is
a
facsimile
in
size
and
pattern
of
the
trap,
fastened
round
the
neck
of
the
representative
of
the
Sphinx.
When
he
lifts
his
head
up
through
the
trap,
this
collar
exactly
fills
the
opening,
and
thus
shows
no
break
in
the
surface
of
the
table.
The
box
is
bottomless,
and
when
brought
forward
by
the
performer
is
empty.
A
little
caution
has
to
be
observed
in
placing
it
upon
the
table,
for,
if
the
performer
were
to
approach
the
table
from
the
side,
his
legs
would
be
reflected
in
the
glass,
and
would
thereby
betray
the
secret.
He
must
therefore
make
his
appearance
from
some
quarter
outside
of
the
curtained
recess,
and
advance
to
a
position
well
in
front
of,
and
at
some
little
distance
from
the
table,
when,
by
moving
in
a
straight
line
from
the
audience
towards
the
middle
leg
a,
he
prevents
this
inconvenient
reflection.
The
placing
the
box
upon
the
table,
and
the
unlocking
it,
allow
time
for
the
representative
of
the
Sphinx
to
get
his
head
into
position
within
it.
This
done,
the
box
is
opened,
and
the
rest
depends
on
the
dramatic
talent
of
the
performer
and
his
assistant.
The
performance
being
concluded,
the
box
is
again
locked,
and
the
head
withdrawn,
a
handful
of
ashes
being
introduced
on
the
trap
in
its
stead.
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