第4章

Banghursttookhimintothelittleroomandroutedoutanemptydecanter。Hedepartedinsearchofasupply。Hewasgoneperhapsfiveminutes。

Thehistoryofthosefiveminutescannotbewritten。AtintervalsFilmer’sfacecouldbeseenbythepeopleontheeasternmostofthestandserectedforspectators，againstthewindowpanepeeringout，andthenitwouldrecedeandfade。Banghurstvanishedshoutingbehindthegrandstand，andpresentlythebutlerappearedgoingpavilionwardwithatray。

TheapartmentinwhichFilmercametohislastsolutionwasapleasantlittleroomverysimplyfurnishedwithgreenfurnitureandanoldbureau——forBanghurstwassimpleinallhisprivateways。ItwashungwithlittleengravingsafterMorlandandithadashelfofbooks。

Butasithappened，Banghursthadleftarookriflehesometimesplayedwithonthetopofthedesk，andonthecornerofthemantelshelfwasatinwiththreeorfourcartridgesremaininginit。AsFilmerwentupanddownthatroomwrestlingwithhisintolerabledilemmahewentfirsttowardstheneatlittlerifleathwarttheblotting-padandthentowardstheneatlittleredlabel“。22LONG。“

Thethingmusthavejumpedintohismindinamoment。

Nobodyseemstohaveconnectedthereportwithhim，thoughthegun，beingfiredinaconfinedspace，musthavesoundedloud，andtherewereseveralpeopleinthebilliard-room，separatedfromhimonlybyalath-and-plasterpartition。ButdirectlyBanghurst’sbutleropenedthedoorandsmeltthesoursmellofthesmoke，heknew，hesays，whathadhappened。FortheservantsatleastofBanghurst’shouseholdhadguessedsomethingofwhatwasgoingoninFilmer’smind。

AllthroughthattryingafternoonBanghurstbehavedasheheldamanshouldbehaveinthepresenceofhopelessdisaster，andhisguestsforthemostpartsucceededinnotinsistinguponthefact——thoughtoconcealtheirperceptionofitaltogetherwasimpossible——thatBanghursthadbeenprettyelaboratelyandcompletelyswindledbythedeceased。Thepublicintheenclosure，Hickstoldme，dispersed“likeapartythathasbeenduckingawelsher，“andtherewasn’tasoulinthetraintoLondon，itseems，whohadn’tknownallalongthatflyingwasaquiteimpossiblethingforman。“Buthemighthavetriedit，“

saidmany，“aftercarryingthethingsofar。“

Intheevening，whenhewascomparativelyalone，Banghurstbrokedownandwentonlikeamanofclay。Ihavebeentoldhewept，whichmusthavemadeanimposingscene，andhecertainlysaidFilmerhadruinedhislife，andofferedandsoldthewholeapparatustoMacAndrewforhalf-a-crown。“I’vebeenthinking——“saidMacAndrewattheconclusionofthebargain，andstopped。

ThenextmorningthenameofFilmerwas，forthefirsttime，lessconspicuousintheNewPaperthaninanyotherdailypaperintheworld。

Therestoftheworld’sinstructors，withvaryingemphasis，accordingtotheirdignityandthedegreeofcompetitionbetweenthemselvesandtheNewPaper，proclaimedthe“EntireFailureoftheNewFlyingMachine，“and“SuicideoftheImpostor。“ButinthedistrictofNorthSurreythereceptionofthenewswastemperedbyaperceptionofunusualaerialphenomena。

OvernightWilkinsonandMacAndrewhadfallenintoviolentargumentontheexactmotivesoftheirprincipal’srashact。

“Themanwascertainlyapoor，cowardlybody，butsofarashissciencewenthewasNOimpostor，“saidMacAndrew，“andI’mpreparedtogivethatpropositionaverypracticaldemonstration，Mr。Wilkinson，sosoonaswe’vegottheplacealittlemoretoourselves。ForI’venofaithinallthispublicityforexperimentaltrials。“

Andtothatend，whilealltheworldwasreadingofthecertainfailureofthenewflyingmachine，MacAndrewwassoaringandcurvettingwithgreatamplitudeanddignityovertheEpsomandWimbledondivisions；

andBanghurst，restoredoncemoretohopeandenergy，andregardlessofpublicsecurityandtheBoardofTrade，waspursuinghisgyrationsandtryingtoattracthisattention，onamotorcarandinhispyjamas——

hehadcaughtsightoftheascentwhenpullinguptheblindofhisbedroomwindow——equipped，amongotherthings，withafilmcamerathatwassubsequentlydiscoveredtobejammed。AndFilmerwaslyingonthebilliardtableinthegreenpavilionwithasheetabouthisbody。

IhadseentheMagicShopfromafarseveraltimes；Ihadpasseditonceortwice，ashopwindowofalluringlittleobjects，magicballs，magichens，wonderfulcones，ventriloquistdolls，thematerialofthebaskettrick，packsofcardsthatLOOKEDallright，andallthatsortofthing，butneverhadIthoughtofgoinginuntiloneday，almostwithoutwarning，Giphauledmebymyfingerrightuptothewindow，andsoconductedhimselfthattherewasnothingforitbuttotakehimin。Ihadnotthoughttheplacewasthere，totellthetruth——amodest-sizedfrontageinRegentStreet，betweenthepictureshopandtheplacewherethechicksrunaboutjustoutofpatentincubators，butthereitwassureenough。IhadfancieditwasdownnearertheCircus，orroundthecornerinOxfordStreet，oreveninHolborn；alwaysoverthewayandalittleinaccessibleithadbeen，withsomethingofthemirageinitsposition；buthereitwasnowquiteindisputably，andthefatendofGip’spointingfingermadeanoiseupontheglass。

“IfIwasrich，“saidGip，dabbingafingerattheDisappearingEgg，“I’dbuymyselfthat。Andthat“——whichwasTheCryingBaby，VeryHuman——andthat，“whichwasamystery，andcalled，soaneatcardasserted，“BuyOneandAstonishYourFriends。“

“Anything，“saidGip，“willdisappearunderoneofthosecones。

Ihavereadaboutitinabook。

“Andthere，dadda，istheVanishingHalfpenny——，onlythey’veputitthiswayupso’swecan’tseehowit’sdone。“

Gip，dearboy，inheritshismother’sbreeding，andhedidnotproposetoentertheshoporworryinanyway；only，youknow，quiteunconsciouslyheluggedmyfingerdoorward，andhemadehisinterestclear。

“That，“hesaid，andpointedtotheMagicBottle。

“Ifyouhadthat？“Isaid；atwhichpromisinginquiryhelookedupwithasuddenradiance。

“IcouldshowittoJessie，“hesaid，thoughtfulaseverofothers。

“It’slessthanahundreddaystoyourbirthday，Gibbles，“Isaid，andlaidmyhandonthedoor-handle。

Gipmadenoanswer，buthisgriptightenedonmyfinger，andsowecameintotheshop。

Itwasnocommonshopthis；itwasamagicshop，andalltheprancingprecedenceGipwouldhavetakeninthematterofmeretoyswaswanting。

Helefttheburthenoftheconversationtome。

Itwasalittle，narrowshop，notverywelllit，andthedoor-bellpingedagainwithaplaintivenoteaswecloseditbehindus。

Foramomentorsowewerealoneandcouldglanceaboutus。

Therewasatigerinpapier-macheontheglasscasethatcoveredthelowcounter——agrave，kind-eyedtigerthatwaggledhisheadinamethodicalmanner；therewereseveralcrystalspheres，achinahandholdingmagiccards，astockofmagicfish-bowlsinvarioussizes，andanimmodestmagichatthatshamelesslydisplayeditssprings。

Onthefloorweremagicmirrors；onetodrawyououtlongandthin，onetoswellyourheadandvanishyourlegs，andonetomakeyoushortandfatlikeadraught；andwhilewewerelaughingatthesetheshopman，asIsuppose，camein。

Atanyrate，therehewasbehindthecounter——acurious，sallow，darkman，withoneearlargerthantheotherandachinlikethetoe-capofaboot。

“Whatcanwehavethepleasure？“hesaid，spreadinghislong，magicfingersontheglasscase；andsowithastartwewereawareofhim。

“Iwant，“Isaid，“tobuymylittleboyafewsimpletricks。“

“Legerdemain？“heasked。“Mechanical？Domestic？“

“Anythingamusing？“saidI。

“Um！“saidtheshopman，andscratchedhisheadforamomentasifthinking。Then，quitedistinctly，hedrewfromhisheadaglassball。

“Somethinginthisway？“hesaid，andhelditout。

Theactionwasunexpected。Ihadseenthetrickdoneatentertainmentsendlesstimesbefore——it’spartofthecommonstockofconjurers——

butIhadnotexpectedithere。

“That’sgood，“Isaid，withalaugh。

“Isn’tit？“saidtheshopman。

Gipstretchedouthisdisengagedhandtotakethisobjectandfoundmerelyablankpalm。

“It’sinyourpocket，“saidtheshopman，andthereitwas！

“Howmuchwillthatbe？“Iasked。

“Wemakenochargeforglassballs，“saidtheshopmanpolitely。

“Wegetthem，“——hepickedoneoutofhiselbowashespoke——“free。“

Heproducedanotherfromthebackofhisneck，andlaiditbesideitspredecessoronthecounter。Gipregardedhisglassballsagely，thendirectedalookofinquiryatthetwoonthecounter，andfinallybroughthisround-eyedscrutinytotheshopman，whosmiled。

“Youmayhavethosetoo，“saidtheshopman，“and，ifyouDON’Tmind，onefrommymouth。SO！“

Gipcounselledmemutelyforamoment，andtheninaprofoundsilenceputawaythefourballs，resumedmyreassuringfinger，andnervedhimselfforthenextevent。

“Wegetalloursmallertricksinthatway，“theshopmanremarked。

Ilaughedinthemannerofonewhosubscribestoajest。“Insteadofgoingtothewholesaleshop，“Isaid。“Ofcourse，it’scheaper。“

“Inaway，“theshopmansaid。“Thoughwepayintheend。Butnotsoheavily——aspeoplesuppose……Ourlargertricks，andourdailyprovisionsandalltheotherthingswewant，wegetoutofthathat……

Andyouknow，sir，ifyou’llexcusemysayingit，thereISN’T

awholesaleshop，notforGenuineMagicgoods，sir。Idon’tknowifyounoticedourinscription——theGenuineMagicshop。“Hedrewabusiness-cardfromhischeekandhandedittome。“Genuine，“