magic and real detectives-第30部分

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coming　and　of　the　question　that　was　worrying　me；　and　he　asked　me　if

I　desired　to　consult　the　stars　as　to　my　destiny；　to　have　him

decipher　it　from　the　lines　of　my　palm；　or　whether　I　should　prefer

to　converse　with　the　dead。　　The　last　was　my　choice。



Not　far　from　a　window　at　one　side　of　the　room　there　was　a　small

table　on　which　were　a　few　articles。　　He　directed　me　to　be　seated　at

this　table；　and　handed　me　a　slip　of　paper　of　a　size　of　probably

four　by　five　inches。　　He　directed　me　to　write　the　question　I

desired　answered　on　this　paper；　and　when　through　to　fold　the　paper

in　halves　three　times　with　the　writing　inside。　　I　did　so　while　he

walked　to　his　bowl　of　water　apparently　paying　no　attention　to　me；

and　then　returned。



When　he　had　returned　to　a　position　opposite　me　at　the　table；　he

reached　to　take　my　writing　out　of　my　hand；　seeing　which　I　quickly

bent　down　one　corner　of　the　paper　and　gave　it　to　him。　　He　directed

one　sharp　glance　at　me　as　I　did　this；　at　the　same　time　picking　up

an　envelope　from　the　table　with　his　other　hand。　　He　held　this

envelope　open　flap　side　toward　me；　and　slowly　inserted　my　paper

into　it。　　As　he　did　this；　looking　sharply　at　me；　he　remarked；　〃I　am

no　sleight…of…hand　performer。　　You　see　your　question　is　actually　in

the　envelope。〃　　This　was　the　case；　for　it　was　close　to　me　and　I

could　plainly　see　the　top　of　it　against　the　back　of　the　envelope；

the　lower　portions　being　inserted；　and　I　could　see　the　little

corner　folded　down；　as　I　had　bent　it；　and　I　was　certain　he　had　not

exchanged　it。　　In　fact　he　took　occasion　to　use　his　hands　in　such

manner　that　I　could　see　there　was　nothing　concealed　about　them；

that　he　〃palmed〃　nothing；　and　that　he　made　no　exchange。　　I　was

entirely　satisfied　that　all　was　fair；　and　that　no　exchange　had　been

made。



Next；　he　sealed　the　envelope；　and　holding　it　toward　the　window；

called　my　attention　to　the　fact　that　as　the　envelope　was　partly

transparent　I　could　see　my　paper　within　it　and　that　it　was　actually

there。　　This　was　really　the　case。　　He　now　took　a　match；　and

lighting　it　applied　the　flame　to　this　identical　envelope　without

its　leaving　my　sight；　and　proceeded　to　burn　the　last　vestige　of　it

and　the　paper　within　it；　allowing　the　ashes　to　drop　into　a　small

vessel　on　the　table。



There　was　no　doubt　that　he　did　not　exchange　envelopes　and　that　he

burned　it　before　my　very　eyes。　　He　now　took　the　ashes　and　emptied

them　into　the　bowl　of　water　on　the　side　table。　　A　little　blue　flame

appeared　on　the　surface　of　the　water　after　that　for　a　moment；　and

then　disappeared。



He　now　brought　from　a　drawer　a　number　of　slatesabout　eight　or　ten

small　slates　with　padded　edges。　　They　were　the　smallest　size　of

slates；　I　should　judge；　and　with　them　he　brought　another　slate；　a

trifle　larger；　probably　two　inches　both　longer　and　wider。　　He

requested　me　to　examine　thoroughly　or　to　clean　them　all　to　my　own

satisfaction；　and　to　stack　the　small　ones　on　the　table；　one　on　top

of　the　other；　and　when　all　were　thus　placed；　to　place　the　large

slate　on　top　of　the　stack。



While　I　was　doing　this　he　called　to　his　attendant　for　a　drink　of

water；　and　incidentally　stepped　into　the　hall　to　receive　it；　so

that　his　menial　would　not　profane　this　sanctuary　with　his　presence。



Returning　to　the　table　he　took　a　seat　opposite　me　and　placed　one　of

my　hands　and　one　of　his　on　top　of　the　slates。　　In　due　time　he　took

up　the　slates　and　we　found　nothing。　　He　replaced　them；　and　waited

for　a　few　moments；　then　seeming　dissatisfied　with　conditions；　he

took　up　the　top　slate　in　his　left　hand　and　with　his　right　hand

began　writing　a　message　for　me。　　He　did　this　like　mediums　do

automatic　writing；　with　eyes　half　closed；　and　while　writing　his

person　was　convulsed　a　few　times。　　He　then　opened　his　eyes　and　read

aloud　what　he　had　written；　asking　me　if　it　answered　my　question。　　I

replied　that　it　did　not；　as　it　was　entirely　foreign　to　the　subject。

Then　seeming　dissatisfied；　he　moistened　his　fingers；　erased　the

writing；　and　replaced　the　top　slate　on　the　stack　of　slates。



He　now　placed　his　hands　on　this　slate　again；　and　after　a　time

examined　it；　but　it　was　still　free　from　writing。　　He　lifted　up　some

of　the　other　slates；　but　as　there　was　no　writing；　he　scattered　the

slates　around　on　the　table　and　asked　me　to　spread　a　large　cloth

over　them　which　he　handed　to　me。　　This　I　did；　and　under　his

direction　placed　my　arms　and　hands　over　this。　　He　walked　to　the

bowl　of　water　on　the　side　table；　and　gazed　into　it。　　I　watched　him；

and　I　saw　a　rather　large　flame　appear　on　the　surface　of　the　water；

dance　about；　and　disappear。



He　immediately　informed　me　that　he　was　certain　that　I　now　had　a

message。　　He　remained　at　a　distance　while　I　examined　the　slates　one

by　one。　　Finally；　on　one　of　them　I　found　a　message；　neatly　written

and　covering　the　entire　slate。　　It　read：



〃Mrs。　Piper　is　a　genuine　medium。　　She　possesses　powers　of　a　very

unusual　nature。　　Her　tests　given　Hyslop　and　others　are　genuine。　　Do

not　be　a　skeptic。　　You　are　making　a　mistake；　dear　friend。　　It　is

all　plain　to　me　now；　and　spirit　is　all　there　is。WILL。〃



Now；　the　question　I　had　written　was　addressed　to　a　very　dear　friend

who　is　now　dead；　and　read　as　follows：



〃WILL　J：　In　regard　to　the　medium；　Mrs。　Piper；　of　whom　we

conversed　on　your　last　visit；　I　would　ask　if　she　be　genuine；　and　if

the　tests　she　gave　Professor　Hyslop　and　others　were　genuine。　　Give

me　a　test。〃



This　was　all　nicely　done；　and　I　am　sure　would　have　greatly

impressed　nearly　everyone。　　Being　a　performer　myself；　I　could　of

course　follow　the　performance　in　minute　detail；　and　I　am　thus

enabled　to　give　to　the　readers　of　this　paper　a　detailed　account　of

the　method　used　by　the　doctor。　　I　will　state　that　since　that　time　I

have　very　successfully　operated　this　same　test；　minus　the　bowl　of

water　and　flame　of　fire；　and　that　I　can　assure　all　that　it　is　very

practicable　and　that　it　is　very　deceptive。





HOW　THE　TRICKS　SUCCEEDED





When　the　medium　picked　up　the　envelope　in　which　to　place　my　paper；

there　was　within　it　a　duplicate　piece　of　paper　folded　the　same；　and

of　the　same　size　（one　inch　and　a　quarter　by　two　inches）　as　the　one

I　had　folded。　　He　kept　the　face　of　this　envelope　opposite　me　so　I

could　not　see　that　side　of　it。　　On　the　face　of　it　was　a　horizontal

slit　cut　with　a　knife。　　This　slit　was　about　two　inches　long　and　was

situated　about　halfway　down　the　face　of　the　envelope。　　The

duplicate　folded　paper　was　placed　vertically　in　the　envelope　at　its

center；　so　that　its　center　was　located　against　the　slit。　　This

piece　of　paper　was　held　in　position　by　a　touch　of　paste　at　a　point

opposite　the　slit；　which　caused　it　to　adhere　to　the　inside　of　the

back　of　the　envelope。



When　he　picked　up　this　prepared　envelope　with　his　left　hand；　he　did

so　with　the　slit　side　or　face　in　his　palm　next　to　the　fingers　of

his　left　hand。　　This　envelope　lay　slit　side　down　before　he　picked

it　up；　so　that　I　did　not　see　the　face　of　the　envelope　at　all；　and

he　kept　that　side　of　the　envelope　from　me　during　the　entire　trick。

The　paper　within　the　envelope　had　been　placed　far　enough　down　so

that　its　top　part　was　not　exposed　to　my　view。　　The　envelope　thus

appeared　perfectly　natural；　as　an　ordinary　one　with　nothing　in　it。



He　thus　held　the　envelope　in　his　left　hand；　flap　open　wide；　with

the　back　side　of　the　envelope　later　to　be　sealed；　facing　me。　　Now

he　really　inserted　my　paper　in　this　envelope　with　his　right　hand　as

he　took　it　from　me；　but　in　fact；　he　pushed　it　down　just　behind　the

hidden　slip　of　paper　within　the　envelope。　　I　mean　that　he　inserted

it　between　the　concealed　slip　and　the　face　or　slit　side　of　the

envelope；　and　as　he　did　this　he　caused　the　lower　end　of　my　slip　of

paper　to　pass　through　the　slit　in　the　center　of　the　front　of　the

envelope。　　The　lower　portion　of　my　slip　was　thus　out　of　the

envelope　on　its　rear　side；　between　the　front　of　the　envelope　and

the　fingers　of　his　left　hand；　although　I　could　see　nothing　of　this。

He　pushed　it　down　so　that　the　top　still　remained　in　view　with　the

bent　corner　exposed；　and　then　sealed　the　flap　over　it。



Holding　the　envelope　toward　the　window；　he　called　to　my　notice　the

fact　that　my　paper　was　within；　and　that　I　could　see　it　plainly。　　I

could　see　the　shadow　of　the　two　papers；　which　appeared　as　one；　and

thus　his　statement　seemed　correct。　　Of　course　he　did　not　show　me

the　rear　side　OR　FACE　of　the　envelope；　with　my　paper　protruding；

which　was　immediately　behind　the　duplicate；　so　that　the　shadow　of

it　was　also　the　shadow　of　the　duplicate。



This　shadow　also　hid　from　my　view　the　shadow　of　the　slit。　　The

envelope　was　sealed　fairly。



Now　with　his　right　hand　he　moved　a　small　vessel　on　the　table　toward

himself。　　Then　taking　the　envelope　in　his　right　hand；　slit　side

downward；　he　held　it　close　to　this　vessel；　at　the　same　time　with

his　left　hand　he　took　a　match　from　his　pocket　and　proceeded　to　burn

the　envelope。　　This　move　concealed　the　trick；　and　it　was　very

deceiving　and　cleverly　done。　　As　he　took　the　envelope　from　his　left

hand　with　his　right　hand；　he；　with　his　left　fingers　touching　the

protruding　portion　of　my　slip；　caused　it　to　remain　in　his　left　hand

and　to　be　drawn　entirely　out　of　the　slit。　　His　eyes　followed　the

envelope　as　his　right　hand　took　it；　which　naturally　caused　my　eyes

to　follow　it；　as　his　attention　seemed　centered　on　the　envelope　and

it　appeared　to　occupy　the　stage　of　action。　　This　move　was　executed

in　a　moment；　not　requiring　any　time　worth　mentioning；　although　it

takes　so　long　to　describe　it　on　paper　intelligibly。　　Now　while　his

eyes　（and　of　course　mine）　followed　the　envelope；　without　pause　his

left　hand　went　into　his　left　pocket　in　a　natural　manner　to　get　the

match。　　He；　of　course；　left　my　slip　in　his　pocket　with　his　surplus

matches；　and　when　he　retired　for　the　drink　of　water；　he　read　my

question。



As　to　the　slate　trick；　all　was　fair　until　he　picked　up　the