Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

As he reaches the end of the line, he says, “You are all thoroughly satisfied that these are genuine peas, and that the lady’s handkerchief is in the vase upon the table. Quite right. Now observe, I don’t even touch the vase, and yet, at the word of command, the handkerchief will pass into the caddy which I hold in my hand. Pass!” During the last few words, and holding the caddy for an instant with the lid towards the audience, so as to screen his hand, he has pushed the sliding tray to the left, so that d, containing the peas, now occupies the end space, while the bottomless compartment e has taken its place in the middle. Dipping down through this compartment into the hollow space beneath, he takes out the substitute handkerchief. “My commands are obeyed. Here is the handkerchief. But where are the peas? Probably, as the handkerchief has taken the place of the peas, the peas have taken the place of the handkerchief. Let us see.” He uncovers the vase, lifting this time with the cover the moveable compartment containing the real handkerchief. “Yes, here are the peas, right enough,” shaking the vase, and taking them up by handfuls to show them. He continues, “Now I dare say this seems very surprising to you, but in truth it is comparatively simple. The real difficulty begins when you try to make the handkerchief and the peas travel back again to their original situation. This part of the experiment is so difficult, that I always feel a little nervous over it, but I must make the attempt.” Pushing the substitute handkerchief openly down to the position it originally occupied, he takes the opportunity, in carrying the caddy back to the table, to slide back the tray as at first, and, after a little more talk, shows that the peas have returned to the caddy, and lifting the cover alone from the vase, produces therefrom the genuine handkerchief.