is worked almost in the same manner.
The effect of the trick is shown in [Fig. 7], where the head of the unfortunate Queen is seen resting upon the hafts of two axes laid over the arms of a chair.
Fig. 7.—The Queen Mary illusion.
Fig. 8.—The Queen Mary illusion.
It need scarcely be said that the whole trick lies in the construction of the chair, illustrated by [Figs. 7] and [8]. The peculiarity about the chair is that the back only reaches down to the spot where the arms join it, thus leaving a space behind the seat. This space is concealed from view by a slanting mirror, the bottom of which rests on the seat, whilst the top comes between the arms of the chair. This mirror must incline at an angle of 45° from the seat.
The haft of one of the axes laid across the chair arms serves to conceal the upper edge of the mirror, so that when a head is thrust upwards, it has the appearance of resting upon the ax handle.
In the curtain against which the chair is placed there must be a hole exactly corresponding to the empty space in the back of the chair.
Now, through this hole a girl, whose face and hair have already been made up to look like that of the murdered Queen of Scots, thrusts her body just far enough to allow the head to appear above the edge of the mirror. Owing to the angle at which it is placed the mirror reflects the seat of the chair in such a way that it appears to be the missing portion of the back. The spectators see nothing of the girl’s body; all that is presented to their horrified gaze is the trunkless head of the beautiful but unfortunate Queen.