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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
87
TO
DETECT,
WITHOUT
CONFEDERACY,
WHICH
OF
FOUR
CARDS
HAS
BEEN
TURNED
ROUND
IN
YOUR
ABSENCE.--It
will
be
found
upon
examining
a
pack
of
cards,
that
the
white
margin
round
the
court
cards
almost
invariably
differs
in
width
at
the
opposite
ends.
The
difference
is
frequently
very
trifling,
but
is
still
sufficiently
noticeable
when
pointed
out,
and
may
be
made
available
for
a
trick
which,
though
absurdly
simple,
has
puzzled
many.
You
place
four
court
cards
of
the
same
rank,
say
four
queens,
in
a
row,
face
upwards,
taking
care
that
the
wider
margins
of
the
cards
are
all
one
way.
You
then
leave
the
room,
and
invite
the
company
to
turn
round
lengthways
during
your
absence
any
one
or
more
of
the
four
cards.
On
your
return
you
can
readily
distinguish
which
card
has
been
so
turned,
as
the
wider
margin
of
such
card
will
now
be
where
the
narrower
margin
was
originally,
and
vice
versâ.
There
is
so
little
chance
of
the
trick
being
discovered,
that
you
may,
contrary
to
the
general
rule,
repeat
it
if
desired.
Should
you
do
so,
it
is
better
not
to
replace
the
cards
already
turned,
as
this
might
give
a
clue
to
the
secret,
but
carefully
note
in
your
own
mind
their
present
position,
by
remembering
which
you
can
discover
any
card
turned
just
as
easily
as
at
first.
TO
ARRANGE
TWELVE
CARDS
IN
ROWS,
IN
SUCH
A
MANNER
THAT
THEY
WILL
COUNT
FOUR
IN
EVERY
DIRECTION.--This
is
rather
a
puzzle
than
a
conjuring
trick,
but
may
sometimes
serve
as
an
interlude
to
occupy
the
minds
of
your
audience
while
you
are
preparing
for
some
other
feat.
The
secret
is
to
place
nine
of
the
twelve
cards
in
three
rows,
so
as
to
form
a
square;
then
place
the
remaining
three
cards
as
follows:
the
first
on
the
first
card
of
the
first
row,
the
second
on
the
second
card
of
the
second
row,
and
the
last
on
the
third
card
of
the
last
row.
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