Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

He hears, or pretends to hear, some one remark that he took away the orange, and answers accordingly. “Oh! you think I took away the orange. Allow me to assure you that I did nothing of the kind.” (He lifts up the hat, and shows the orange in its place.) “I will cover it again; or, still better, to prove that I do not take it away, I won’t cover it at all, but leave it here in full view on the table.” He replaces it on the table, but this time places it on what is called a “wrist-trap,” in readiness for a subsequent disappearance. “Having taken the orange from under the cover,” he continues, “I have now to make the solid block vanish from the drawer, and take its place; but I shall do it this time invisibly. See, I have only to wave my wand from the one to the other, and the thing is done. The drawer is empty” (pulling out the false drawer only), “and here is the block” (he lifts the paper cover, and shows the hollow shell). “Now I come to the most difficult part of the trick, which is to bring both articles back to their original position. First, I will take the block of wood.” He covers the shell with the paper tube, and makes a movement of his wand from the cover to the drawer. “Pass! Let us see whether it has obeyed.” He this time pulls the drawer completely out, and lets the block fall heavily on the stage. “Now for the orange.” He places both hands round it, as if picking it up between them, and presses as he does so the spring of the trap, which opening, lets the orange fall through into the table. Bringing the hands, still together, immediately above the paper cover, he rubs them together as if compressing the orange, finally separating them and showing them empty, and immediately afterwards lifting the cover with the hollow shell, and showing the first orange beneath it.