Fig. 186.
When the sliding drawer is in its proper position in the caddy, and is pushed as far as it will go towards the one or the other end, the result is as follows:—If it is pushed to the right, the bottomless compartment e occupies the space at that end, under lid c, while the opening in the false bottom of the caddy is, for the time being, closed by the bottom of d, which now occupies the middle space. If the sliding tray is pushed to the opposite end (i.e., to the left), d will occupy the space a at that end, while the bottomless compartment e, being over the opening, gives access to the space beneath.
The caddy is prepared for the purpose of the trick by placing in the space between the true and false bottoms a white handkerchief, and the sliding tray is then pushed to the right, so as to bring compartment d to the middle, and thus close the opening. The vase is prepared by filling both divisions with peas. The two pieces of apparatus having been placed on the table by the assistant, the performer opens the caddy, and taking off the lids of the three divisions, and holding it with his fingers inside the right hand end (thereby preventing any possibility of the tray shifting), brings it forward to the audience, and passing rapidly in front of them, begs to introduce to their notice an old tea caddy, in which he has accidentally discovered some curious magical properties. In the present condition of the caddy all three compartments appear exactly alike, and of equal depth; and the interior being of a dead black, the spectators are not likely to notice that they are somewhat shallow. Again closing the lids, and replacing the caddy on the table, he next draws attention to the vase. Taking off the cover without the moveable compartment, and holding it upside down, he pours the peas contained in the upper compartment (which should not be quite full) into the cover, and back again two or three times, finally offering a handful for inspection. He then borrows a lady’s handkerchief, which should as nearly as possible resemble the substitute hidden in the caddy. He asks permission to place it, for the purpose of the trick, in the vase. This is, of course, readily granted, but the peas are in the way. After a moment’s pretended hesitation, he says, “Well, I will put them in the caddy. Pray observe that I really do so.” So saying, he pours them into d (which, it will be remembered, is for the time being the centre compartment), leaving that compartment uncovered, so that they may remain visible to all. He then places the handkerchief in the apparently empty vase, which he closes and places on the table. He continues, “You have all seen me place the handkerchief in the vase, and the peas in the caddy. Now I will show you a very curious experiment. Perhaps some scientific gentleman among the audience will explain how the effect is produced; for I confess that though I have performed this trick some scores of times, I am not quite certain myself as to the reason of the phenomenon. Let me beg you once more to assure yourselves that these are genuine peas, real common-place peas at twopence a pint, with no nonsense about them.” As he says this, he passes along the front rank of the spectators, exhibiting the peas in the caddy, and occasionally taking out a handful, and offering them for closer inspection. As he reaches the end of the line, he says, “You are all thoroughly satisfied that these are genuine peas, and that the lady’s handkerchief is in the vase upon the table. Quite right. Now observe, I don’t even touch the vase, and yet, at the word of command, the handkerchief will pass into the caddy which I hold in my hand. Pass!” During the last few words, and holding the caddy for an instant with the lid towards the audience, so as to screen his hand, he has pushed the sliding tray to the left, so that d, containing the peas, now occupies the end space, while the bottomless compartment e has taken its place in the middle. Dipping down through this compartment into the hollow space beneath, he takes out the substitute handkerchief. “My commands are obeyed. Here is the handkerchief. But where are the peas? Probably, as the handkerchief has taken the place of the peas, the peas have taken the place of the handkerchief. Let us see.” He uncovers the vase, lifting this time with the cover the moveable compartment containing the real handkerchief. “Yes, here are the peas, right enough,” shaking the vase, and taking them up by handfuls to show them. He continues, “Now I dare say this seems very surprising to you, but in truth it is comparatively simple. The real difficulty begins when you try to make the handkerchief and the peas travel back again to their original situation. This part of the experiment is so difficult, that I always feel a little nervous over it, but I must make the attempt.” Pushing the substitute handkerchief openly down to the position it originally occupied, he takes the opportunity, in carrying the caddy back to the table, to slide back the tray as at first, and, after a little more talk, shows that the peas have returned to the caddy, and lifting the cover alone from the vase, produces therefrom the genuine handkerchief.
Fig. 187.
The Cover, to pick up any Article.—This (called in French “ramasse-tout”) is a brass cover of six to ten inches in height, and of the shape shown in [Fig. 187]. Within it works backwards and forwards on a spring hinge, a kind of scoop, pressing, when at rest, against the side of the cover, as in [Fig. 188], but moving into the position shown in [Fig. 189] whenever pressure is applied to the button a, again returning to its original position when such pressure is removed. The manner of using it is as follows:—The performer, we will suppose, desires to cause the disappearance of an orange, in order that it (or a counterpart) may be subsequently produced in some other quarter. Placing the orange upon the table, he places the cover over it, pressing, as he does so, the button a, so as to draw back the scoop. As his hand quits the cover, the pressure being removed, the return of the spring causes the scoop to clip the orange tightly against the side of the cover; and if the cover be now lifted without pressing the button, it will carry the orange with it. If it is desired again to produce the orange, the button is pressed in the act of lifting the cover, which then leaves the orange on the table.
It is hardly necessary to observe that the cover is always lifted perpendicularly, so that the spectator cannot see the interior.
Fig. 188. Fig. 189.