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magic and real detectives-第38部分

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cloth; and reveals to the eyes of the astonished audience the ring…

…now encircling his own armin spite of the fact that the ties are

still in statu quo; and the sitter never let go his hold for an

instant。  The ties and the ring may again be examined; if desired;

before the hands are separated。



This is an exceedingly effective test; and has every appearance of

being genuineindeed; it is hard to see where trickery can come

in。  The trick is one of the simplest imaginable; however; and is

performed in the following manner:



The medium has provided himself with TWO rings exactly alike; one

of these the audience is free to examine; the other the medium is

wearing on his right arm; under his coat。  When the two hands are

clasped together; therefore; it is a simple thing for the medium;

under cover of the enveloping cloth; to slip the duplicate ring

down his sleeve; and on to his own hand; and that part of the

〃miracle〃 is accomplished!  It remains only to explain what becomes

of the first ring。  The cloth thrown over the arms is very thick

and stiff; as stated; and the inner side of this contains a double

partition; or sort of bag; into which the medium slips the

duplicate ring。  The cloth may now be shown on both sides; without

disclosing the ring; and the medium makes away with it as soon as

possible; in order to avoid detection。







DECEPTION EXPLAINED BY THE SCIENCE OF PSYCHOLOGY





The object 'of this passage' is to enable the reader to see; more

easily; how it is that the watchful observer is deceived into

believing that a thing is so; when in reality it is not; and vice

versa; and also to give an idea of the various methods employed by

the medium in order to accomplish his results。



I must first of all call the reader's attention to one or two rules

which every conjurer learns at the commencement of his study; and

which he learns to apply so constantly that it becomes second

nature to him。  The first is: Never let the eyes rest on the hand

that is performing the 〃sleight;〃 but always on the other hand; or

on some object on the table or elsewhere; as this will have a

tendency to draw the eyes of the audience to that point also。  The

sitters or audience will always look at the point closely watched

by the magiciantheir eyes have a tendency to follow his; and

wherever he looks; there will the onlooker look also。  Needless to

say; the magician makes use of this fact; and many tricks and

illusions are dependent upon it for their successful ac…

complishment。  Whenever the magician or medium looks intently at

one hand; therefore; the OTHER hand should be watched; as it is a

sure sign that THAT is the hand which is performing the trick。



Another fundamental rule that is observed by all sleight…of…hand

performers is: Never to let an audience know beforehand what is to

be done; i。 e。; the nature of the trick that it is intended to

perform。  If the spectator knew what was forthcoming; he would be

on the lookout for movements of the performer at certain critical

timesjust at the periods when close observation is least wanted

and would quite possibly detect the performer in the act of

executing certain movements which would show how the trick was

performed。  But not knowing what is coming; the spectator is unable

to watch closely at the critical momentnot knowing what that

moment isand so is unable to detect the trick; his attention

being diverted by the performer; just before this movement is made;

to some other object or movement。



The methods of diverting the spectator's attention are various。

There is the use of the eyes; as before shown。  Then there is the

spoken word; the performer telling the onlookers to observe some

certain object or action; and the effect is to cause them to watch

it; as they are told。  They follow the line of least resistance。

The combined effect upon the spectator of the spoken word and the

eyes together is generally irresistible。



Another important factor is this: A performer should always let any

suggestion; right or wrong; soak well into the spectator's mind

before attempting to change it。  This is for two reasons。  In the

first place; if the suggestion is correct; if; e。 g。; the performer

really DOES place an object in his left hand; and it is shortly

found to have vanished from that hand; he is annoyed by hearing

some one say that he was not really sure it was there in the first

place; as 〃it was covered up so quickly。〃  If; on the other hand;

the suggestion given was a false one; if; e。 g。; the performer says

he has placed an object in his left hand; when; in reality; he has

not done so but has palmed it in the right; then it is still

necessary to allow a certain time…interval to elapse between the

performing of the action which apparently placed the object in the

hand; and the showing of the hand empty; for this reason。  If the

hand into which the object is supposedly placed is IMMEDIATELY

shown empty; the natural conclusion of the sitter is that the

object was not in reality placed there at all; but was retained in

the other hand; which would be the fact。  If; however; the

performer allowed some time to elapse; between the action of

placing the object in that hand (supposedly) and the showing of the

hand empty; he; meanwhile; keeping his eyes fixed on the hand;

suggesting to the sitters that the object IS there; and in every

way acting as if it WERE there; the idea will gradually gain a firm

hold on the minds of the spectators that the object is there; in

reality; and they are correspondingly surprised to find it

ultimately vanished。  It is just such a knowledge of 〃the way

people's minds work;〃 as a friend once said to me; which enables

the conjurer to deceive the public; and it is precisely the same

cast of mind that the medium possesses。  He is; in fact; a good

judge of human nature。



Another fact that must be borne in mind is that; when once a

spectator has seen a movement made two or three times in the same

manner; he frequently 〃sees〃 the performer make that movement on

another occasion; when the performer had; in reality; only STARTED

to make the movement; and suggested the rest。  Thus; if the

performer throws a ball up into the air two or three times in

succession; and on the fourth occasion merely pretends to throw it

up; really retaining it in the other hand; the great majority of

the spectators will really 〃see〃 the ball ascend into the air on

the fourth occasion; and will so state; on being asked。  We here

depend upon association and habit。'1'





'1' A very similar illusion is mentioned by Professor Hyslop; v。

Borderland of Psychical Research; Pp。 228…9; in which pellets were

apparently placed in a box; really being palmed in the medium's

hand。





Professor Jastrow summed up this portion of the psychology of

deception very well when he said:'1'





'1' Fact and Fable in Psychology; pp。 124…5。





〃He (the conjurer) must dissociate the natural factors of his

habits; actually attending to one thing while seemingly attending

to another; at the same time his eyes and his gestures and his

'patter' misdirect the attention to what is apparently the

essential field of operation; but really only a blind to distract

attention away from the true scene of action。  The conjurer directs

your attention to what he does not do; he does not do what he

pretends to do; and to what he actually does; he is careful neither

to appear to direct his own attention nor to arouse yours。〃



Prof。 Max Dessoir; in a very fine article on 〃The Psychology of

Conjuring;〃 writes as follows: 〃By awakening interest in some

unimportant detail; the conjurer concentrates that attention on

some false point; or negatively; diverts it from the main object;

and we all know the senses of an inattentive person are pretty

dull。 。 。 。  When causing the disappearance of some object; the

conjurer counts one; two; three; the object must really disappear

before three; not at three; because; the attention of the public

being diverted to three; they do not notice what happens at one and

two。 。 。 。  A specially successful method of diversion is founded

on the human craze for imitation。 。 。 。  The conjurer counts on

this in many cases。  He always looks in the direction where he

wants the attention of the public; and does everything himself

which he wants the public to do。 。 。 。  If the trick is in the left

hand; the conjurer turns sharply to the person to his right;

presuming correctly that the spectators will make the same

movement; and will not notice what is going on in the left hand。 。 。 。

Every sharp; short remark will; for a moment; at least; divert

the eyes from the hands and direct them to the mouth; according to

the above…mentioned law of imitation。〃



The successful conjurer has carefully studied beforehand every

movement that is madeevery word that is spokenduring a

conjuring performance; and has seen that these all fit naturally

into place; and help conceal the real workings of the trick。  The

right and left hands must be trained to operate independently; and

without the need of looking at either。  Many conjurers practice

doing two separate things at the same time; one with either hand;

and the ability to do this is essential。  Above all; the performer

must be full of conscious self…possession; and feel himself to be

master of the situation; no less than to feel the ability to cope

with any emergencies that may arise。



Turning; now; to a consideration of the seance; we find that many

of these psychological rules still hold good; and their operation

enables the medium to perform many actions which would otherwise be

impossible。  A certain suggestion is given to the sitters; and

imagination and inference do the rest。  〃Our conclusions as to what

we see or hear are always founded on a combination of observation

and inference; but

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