“Neither in one nor the other.”
I was at this moment the whole length of the room from the Marabout.
“Stay,” I said to him; “you see this five-franc piece.”
“Yes.”
“Close your hand firmly, for the piece will go into it in spite of yourself.”
“I am ready,” the Arab said, in an incredulous voice, as he held out his tightly closed fist.
I took the piece at the end of my fingers, so that the assembly might all see it, then, feigning to throw it at the Marabout, it disappeared at the word “Pass!”
My man opened his hand, and, finding nothing in it, shrugged his shoulders, as if to say, “You see, I told you so.”
I was well aware the piece was not there, but it was important to draw the Marabout’s attention momentarily from the sash, and for this purpose I employed the feint.
“That does not surprise me,” I replied, “for I threw the piece with such strength that it went right through your hand, and has fallen into your sash. Being afraid I might break your watch by the blow, I called it to me: here it is!” And I showed him the watch in my hand.