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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
649
“The
Arab
wastes
in
vain
over
the
unlucky
chest
an
amount
of
force
which
would
have
lifted
an
enormous
weight;
till
at
last,
exhausted,
panting,
and
burning
with
shame,
he
ceases,
looks
dumfounded,
and
begins
to
appreciate
the
power
of
the
magic
art.
He
has
half
a
mind
to
give
up
the
attempt;
but
to
give
up
would
be
to
acknowledge
himself
conquered,
and
to
admit
his
weakness;
and
after
having
been
famed
for
his
muscular
strength,
to
sink
to
the
level
of
a
child.
The
bare
idea
makes
him
furious.
Gathering
new
strength
from
the
encouragement
which
his
friends
offer
him
by
word
and
look,
he
casts
towards
them
a
glance
which
seems
to
say,
‘You
shall
see
what
the
son
of
the
desert
can
do.’
Once
more
he
bends
over
the
chest,
his
nervous
hands
grip
the
handle,
and
his
legs,
planted
one
on
each
side
of
the
chest
like
two
columns
of
bronze,
serve
as
a
fulcrum
for
the
mighty
effort
which
he
is
about
to
make.
It
seems
almost
impossible
but
that
under
such
a
strain
the
box
must
fly
to
pieces.
Strange!
this
Hercules,
a
moment
ago
so
strong
and
self-confident,
now
bends
his
head;
his
arms,
riveted
to
the
box,
are
drawn
by
a
violent
muscular
contraction
against
his
chest;
his
legs
quiver,
and
he
falls
on
his
knees
with
a
cry
of
agony.
“An
electric
shock,
produced
by
an
induction
coil,
had
just
been
communicated,
at
a
signal
from
me,
from
behind
the
scenes
to
the
handle
of
the
chest.
Thence
the
contortions
of
the
unlucky
Arab.
To
prolong
his
agony
would
have
been
inhuman.
I
gave
a
second
signal,
and
the
electric
current
was
cut
off.
My
athletic
friend,
released
from
his
terrible
bondage,
raised
his
hands
above
his
head.
‘Allah!
Allah!’
he
cried,
shaking
with
fright,
then
wrapping
himself
hastily
in
the
folds
of
his
burnous,
as
though
to
hide
his
disgrace,
he
rushed
through
the
spectators,
and
made
his
way
to
the
door
of
the
hall.”
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