For instance, the common trick of bringing a glass bowl full of
water and fish out of a seemingly empty shawl is not so marvellous if
the conjurer has a well-draped table near him from behind which he can
get such things, or even good wide sleeves to hide them in. But my poor
conjurer was almost naked, and the bit of carpet, about the size of this
hearthrug, which he carried with him, did not seem capable of holding
glass bowls of water, most certainly. Besides which he shook it, and
spread it on the ground close by me, after which he threw himself down
and rolled on it. And yet from underneath this he drew out a glass bowl
of water with gold-fish swimming in it. But that trick and many others
one can see very well done in London now, though not so utterly without
apparatus. The trick which he did so particularly well, and which
puzzled me so much, I have never seen in Europe. This is the one I am
going to describe to you."
"Describe the conjurer a bit more first, Cousin Peregrine."
"There is nothing more to describe. He was not at all a grand conjurer,
he was only a poor common juggler, exhibiting his tricks in the public
streets many times in the day for the few small coins which the
bystanders chose to give him.
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