EMOTIONAL REACTION ‘The basic effect of this trick is the location of a card, but the con- ditions under which it is found and the novel form of presentation emplayed, make a very strong item During his lecture tour of Europe in 1958, Dai Vernon performed this trick for his audiences, and although the method is based upon a well-known principle, it is so well hidden that the secret eluded even the most experienced magicians. PRESENTATION, The theme for the patter is on human emotions, so commence by explaining to your audience that the effect they are about to witness depends upon the emotional reactions of a person who will assist you. Aska gentleman to come forward and have him seated to your left. State that the seat of emotions is the heart, therefore you are going to ask the assistant to carry out most a his left hand as, of course, the heart ix nearer the left side of the body. Page 7F to you so that you may demonstrate what is required. Explain that the st have the pack shuffled by the assistant who then hands it assistant must spread the cards between his hands from left to nght. with the faces of the cards towards him, and hold the cards in the same manner as he would a bridge hand. ‘One of the cards seen is to be thought of, the pack broken at that position, and the chosen card and all those abowe it held against his heart with the left hand (Figure 1). The remainder of the pack in his right hand is to be placed ‘on the table As you spread the cards for the demonstration, — se- cretly note the bot- tom card of the face up pack (the top card when the pack is face down), break the pack anywhere and momentarily bold the left hand portion against your heart, then place the two portions of the pack together again in their original positions and hand the squared pack to the assistant. By this demonstration you have pot only provided a logical reason for handling the pack (which has enabled a key card to be sighted seeretly), but you have also censured that the assistant understands cxactly what is requir- ed. He will now imitate your actions, and after noting a card will break the pack at that point and hold the left hand portion against his heart, Unknown to anyone, you know the top card of the packet he is holding and this is your key card. Have him place the remainder of the cards (in his right hand) face down on the table. Ask another spectator to step forward and pick up the packet of cards from the table and shuffle them thoroughly. ‘Tell him to replace the cards on the table, then to be very careful in cutting off a packet as the first assistant is going to return his cards at the point where the cut is made. Watch the operation intently, completely ignoring the first assistant for the moment. Actually the shuffling and cutting has little bearing on the trick, but by making this appear important you are dis- tracting attention away from the packet held by the first assistant, As the second axsistant cuts oft a packet of cards, imetruct the finst assistant to place his cards on top of those still on the table. Suess that Page 8he must be careful pot to let you catch a glimpse of the selected card, then say quietly, “Cut your cards to make certain". This is an aside and the majority of the audience will be unaware that anything has been said = They will be amused to sce the first assistant cut his packet and ‘willl assume that he is being especially careful by making it quite impos- sible for you to ever find his card again. Actually. by cutting, he has Placed his card next to, and abowe the key cand and the trickery has been completed for you in a natural and unsuspicious manner. Tell the second assistant to place his cut-off packet of cards on top of those on the table, making a sandwich of the packet which was held against the first assistant's heart. Request him to cut the cards and square the pack. ‘Thank the second assistant and dismiss him, then pick up the pack and ask the first assistant to hold your left wrist. State that you will endeavour to find the selected card by his cmotional response alone. Tell him to try to check his emotions so that you are given no cluc when his card is sighted. Spread the cards face up between your hands from left to right and look forthe key card. The selected card will be the one immediately to the left of the key card. However, do not dis- close it at once; play up the situation, saying that no matter how hard ‘he tries to control his reactions you arc still getting a response by the contact of his hand upon your wrist. Run the cards between your hands slowly three or four times, step away a few paces and turn the cards so that the faces cannot be seen by the assistant. then slowly withdraw the selected card and hold it high with its back towards the audience. Ask the assistant to name his card then turn it face on to the audience for all to sec. Although the method is so simple, the form of presentation is Sete ch asa ‘The ingenious way in which the key card is employed ix so disarming thal cven the most observant and knowledgeable spectators arc thrown completely off the scent.