Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

Then, addressing the audience, you say, “Surely, gentlemen, you don’t imagine that, if I wanted to place a ball under a cup, I should set about it after such a clumsy fashion as this!” As you say this, you place your left hand in your left pocket, as if taking a ball from thence (as it obviously would not do to give the audience cause to suspect the existence of a secret receptacle behind the table), and bring out again the two balls, but allow one only to be seen, keeping the other concealed in the palm. Bringing the cup over the hand, you squeeze in both balls as far as you can, when the innermost will remain, but the outermost, not having sufficient space, will drop out again on the table. The audience, not knowing that there are two balls, believe the cup, which you now replace on the table, to be empty. You continue, “No, gentlemen; when I pass a ball under a cup, you may be sure that I don’t let anybody see me do so.” As you speak, you take the ball on the table in your right hand, and make the movement of transferring it to your left, really palming it by the second method, and holding the left hand closed and high, as if containing it, and keeping your eyes fixed thereon, you carelessly drop your right hand till the finger-tips rest on the table, when you are able to let fall the ball upon the servante. You continue, “I will now pass this ball under either of the cups which you like to name. Indeed, I will do more; I will cause this ball invisibly to multiply itself into three, one of which shall pass under each of the cups. First, however, let me show you that there is nothing under the cups at present.” You raise each in turn--“Nothing here, nothing here, and nothing here!” The balls still adhere to the sides of the cups, which, therefore, appear to be empty, but you replace each with a slight rap on the table, and thereby loosen the ball within it. “Now, then!” You bring the two hands together, and gently rub them over each cup in turn; finally parting them and showing that both are empty, and then lifting the cups, show the three large balls underneath.