Royal Road to Card Magic The

towards the audience, the fingers pointing downwards. Thrust the card between the thumb and palm of the left hand and pat it well into the hand with the tips of the right fingers. Rub the back of the left hand with the right fingertips, then turn the left hand showing the card. 'The last card often refuses to make its journey,' you explain ruefully. 'I'll try again.'
    Again show the card with the right hand and thrust it into the left hand as before. This time, however, when the right fingertips have patted the card into the left hand and only 25 mm (1 in) of the card extends from the hand, press outward against the end of the card with the right fingertips. This levers the card against the side of the left forefinger causing it to spring back into the right palm, the left thumb moving back a little to permit this. Palm the card in the right hand and rub the back of the left hand with the fingertips as you did before.
    Move the left hand, still back outwards, away from the right hand, fixing your gaze on it. Blow on the hand, then slowly turn it and show that the card has vanished. Move your right hand with the palmed card rather slowly to the right trouser-pocket, thrust it in and a moment later withdraw it with the card clipped between the first and second fingers, saying, 'And here it is!'
    Because we think so highly of this feat, we have described it in the fullest possible detail. Although it is a trick that demands the utmost of a performer, it is worth learning to do well. A trick so charming to watch is a rarity, and the time spent in mastering it is time well spent. Once you have made it yours, you will never drop it from your repertoire.
    Enlarging and Diminishing Cards
    This feat in which a pack of unprepared cards is made apparently to grow larger, then to diminish in size, and finally to disappear was devised by the great magician Robert-Houdin, and was used by him to follow the previous trick. It is perhaps the prettiest effect of pure skill that is possible with cards. Unfortunately, because of the modern tendency for substituting mechanical appliances for skill wherever possible, the feat is seldom seen. Decks of various sizes are now used, the substitution of one for another giving the illusion of the cards being diminished in size. Anyone who has mastered Robert-Houdin's method will look down on these as mere makeshifts.
    For the purpose of the trick the performer must be able to spread the cards in his left hand with one swift motion of his right hand, by pressing the thumb against the left side of the deck and then sliding it to the right, releasing the cards progressively. The action is practically the same as that of opening a fan.
    The cards should be of a flexible type and in perfect condition and unless the performer has very large hands a packet of about thirty cards only should be used. Any ace except the ace of spades placed at the face of the packet helps to disguise the subterfuge that is used.
    The trick can be introduced as a plausible explanation of how the cards are passed up the sleeve, or indeed of any trick in which cards have apparently been passed from one place to another.
    1. Show the deck in your left hand, face outwards, about half its length protruding above the left forefinger, as you begin by saying, 'These are specially prepared cards. I confess it. They have rubber in their composition so that by pulling or squeezing them they can be made any size required. You see that they are just the usual size at present.' Fan the cards swiftly and display them (figure 133). Then close the fan smartly, bringing the pack back to its original position.

    2. Seize the upper end of the deck with the right hand, and with assumed effort pull it upwards, making the cards protrude 12 mm (½ in) more above the left forefinger. Spread the cards again and display the enlarged fan, saying, 'You see the cards are somewhat larger.' Close the fan as before.
    3. Again with pretended effort pull on the upper end of the deck until its lower end is almost flush with the upper side of the left forefinger. Spread the cards and at the same time push outwards with the left thumb on the inner ends, making them project from the tips of the left fingers to almost their full length (figure 134). They will appear to have almost doubled in size.

    4. 'If I want them to be smaller I have simply to tap them, so.' Close the fan, squaring the pack, and with the right hand pat the upper end smartly, pushing the