2. THE MULTIPLICATION OF ONE THIMBLE TO EIGHT
The thimble holder, already mentioned, is required for this very effective trick. Place four thimbles in it and fasten it to the vest under the coat near the right armpit. Arrange three thimbles in different places in your clothing; for example, one may be placed in the left lower vest pocket, one in the cuff of the left trousers leg, and one in your collar at the back of the neck. With another thimble palmed in the right hand, you are ready to perform the trick.
Begin by showing the right hand empty by means of the transfer to the rear pinch, then produce the thimble by apparently catching it in the air on the tip of the second finger. Transfer it to the tip of the forefinger and really place it in the left hand as a feint. Take it again on the right forefinger tip and show it, then pretend to place it in the left hand but palm it in the right.
Vanish it from the left hand, then put the right hand behind the head to get the thimble from the collar. The hand being out of sight, it is an easy matter to transfer the palmed thimble from the thumb grip to the tip of the little finger. Press this finger, together with the second and third, tightly into the palm and bring out the thimble from the coat collar on the tip of the forefinger. Be careful to keep the back of the hand to the front, both in putting the hand behind the head and in bringing it forwards again.
Again vanish the visible thimble from the left hand. You can pretend to snap it up the left sleeve, show the hand empty, then take the thimble from the lower left vest pocket on the tip of the right forefinger. As the right hand goes under the coat to the vest pocket, seize the opportunity of transferring the thimble in the thumb crotch to the tip of the third finger; then pull the side of the coat open with the left hand, push the right forefinger into the pocket, and bring the thimble out on its tip. Two fingers of the right hand have been secretly capped with thimbles; keep them bent tightly into the palm of the hand. Vanish the visible thimble by the throw and take the thimble from the trousers cuff, slipping the middle fingertip in the other.
Again pretend to place the visible thimble into the left hand, using a different pass, and pretend to throw it up the right sleeve. Show the left hand empty, then thrust it under the right side of the coat to the armpit. Extract the four thimbles from the holder on the tips of the fingers; bend the second, third, and fourth fingers into the palm; and bring the hand out with the forefinger extended, a thimble showing on its tip. Be careful to keep the back of the hand towards the spectators.
The position now is that you have four thimbles in each hand, one only being visible, and the multiplication to eight could be made at once. This, however, would be very bad policy, since the production would take place immediately after the left hand had been placed under the coat. It is a standing rule that an interlude of some sort must take place between a steal and a production, so you proceed to pass the thimble from hand to hand. The visible thimble being on the tip of the left forefinger, place the hands a little to the left of the body, the fingers pointing downwards, the forefingers only extended, and the backs of the hands to the front. Move them across the body to a similar position on the right, and in the action palm the thimble on the left forefinger and produce the thumb palmed thimble in the right hand at the right forefinger tip. Hold the hands still for a moment for the effect to register; then move them back to the first position, palming the right-hand thimble and producing the other on the tip of the left forefinger. Once more move the hands to the right side of the body, repeating the effect.
Now vanish the thimble from the tip of the right, forefinger with an upward throw. Hold up both hands, the bricks to the front and the forefingers extended upwards, attracting all attention to them (Fig. 14). Bend them down; then sharply extend the four right-hand fingers, each capped with a thimble, and separate the fingers widely. Gaze at these for a moment; then look at the left fist and suddenly stretch its fingers upwards in the same way, showing each of them also capped with a thimble (Fig. 15). Turn the hands back and front to show that they are otherwise empty. Have a glass on your table into which you can drop the thimbles.
It must be understood that the various vanishes and recoveries leading up to the multiplication are subject to almost infinite variation, and each performer will arrange them to suit himself; but the final production of the eight thimbles—the most startling effect possible with thimbles—should invariably form the climax to the manipulations. Some performers make the great mistake of continuing with more sleights, thereby greatly lessening the whole effect.
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