Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

PASS IX. TO MAKE THREE BALLS IN SUCCESSION PASS UNDER THE MIDDLE CUP.--At the conclusion of the last Pass, three balls were left in view, while a fourth, unknown to the audience, was hidden under the middle cup. You proceed, picking up a ball with the right hand, “I take this ball, and place it under this cup” (C); (in reality palming it). “I now order it to pass under the middle cup. Presto! Here it is, you see.” You raise the middle cup to show that the ball has obeyed your command, and, in again covering the ball, secretly introduce with it that which you have just palmed. “I take this one” (you pick up another), “and place it under this cup” (A)--here you palm it as before--“and order it also to pass under the middle cup.” You raise the middle cup, and show that there are now two balls under it, and, in again covering them, introduce the ball which you last palmed. “I take this last ball, and place it under this cup” (C)--palming it--“whence I shall command it to again depart, and join its companions under the middle cup. This time it shall make the journey visibly.” You take your wand in the left hand, and with it touch the cup C. “Here it is, you see, on the end of my wand. You don’t see it? Why, surely it is visible enough. Look.” You pretend to produce the palmed ball from the wand, and exhibit it to the company. “You can all see it now.” You lay down the wand, and go through the motion of transferring the ball to the left hand, really palming it in its passage. “Now, then, pray watch me closely, and you will see it pass under the cup. One, two, three!” You make the gesture of throwing it through the middle cup, and open the hand to show it empty, immediately turning over the goblets to show that there are three balls under the middle and none under the outer ones.