The Pass
For the accomplishment of this sleight, the pack is held as in Figure 1, with the little finger of the left hand inserted over the card to be brought to the top. Now cover the
pack with the right hand. Grasp the lower portion of the pack lengthways between the second finger at the upper, and the thumb at the lower end, the left thumb lying slightly bent
across the pack.
Figure 1
Press the upper edge of the lower packet into the fork of the left thumb so that the two packets will be in the position depicted in Figure 2.
Figure 2
The fingers of the left hand are now extended, causing the upper portion of the pack to be drawn away, at the same time raising (with the right hand) the lower edge of the under
pack till the edges of the packets just clear each other (see Fig. 3), when, by the mere act of closing the left hand, they will be brought together as at first, save that they will
have changed places, and the desired card will now be on the top. The letters A and B in the illustrations will make this clear.
Figure 3
The "pass" will appear exceedingly difficult of execution at the outset; but with careful practice, aiming more at neatness than rapidity, the different movements which I have
described will melt, as it were, into one, and the sleight can then be accomplished in an absolutely undetectable manner.
There are numerous other methods of making the pass, some with the aid of only one hand; but as the above is conceded to be the most perfect, I have thought it necessary for me to
explain merely this one.
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