“Make note of the date.” I told him. “For this is the first day of the rest of your comfortable life. Think of the best meals you can imagine-and they shall be yours. Think of a liquor cabinet that never runs dry.”

“Why should I think about them?” he said, suddenly suspicious. But not too suspicious to stop himself from grabbing the drink when it arrived.

“Because they could be yours. Plus some better geriatric treatment-get rid of some of those wrinkles. All this will come true-plus the added benefit of your magical miracles once more gracing the platforms of the stars.”

“No way. Have the shakes too much to work them.”

“You won’t have to do a thing on stage. But you will know that your new assistant will continue in your noble tradition.”

“Don’t have an assistant. Always worked alone.”

“You have one now. Me. Interested?”

“No. My magic is my magic. Don’t share it.”

“Not sharing. Continuing.” I pushed the brimming glass closer to him. “I shall study what you teach, and reveal nothing I learn to anyone.”

“Not even to me,” Angelina said. “Except of course those illusions where I assist you. It will all be so wonderful.”

She patted the back of his hand and was rewarded with a wintry smile.

“Would be nice to work again. Keep my hand in, you know.” Then he frowned.

“No way. When I go-the secrets go. You can’t bribe me.”

“I’m not trying to bribe you!” I said loudly to cover the fact that I was trying to bribe him. “Your magic should not die with you. Thousands yet unborn are already lusting after you.” That didn’t sound right. The booze must have been getting to me as well; these drinks were lethal.

“What my husband is trying to say,” Angelina said, the only one still sober 39 apparently. “Is that he admires your work so much that he wants your retirement years to be happy ones. If you share your magic with him they certainly will be. A career for him and years of happiness for you.”

“Well-“ he said, and I knew that we had won the day.

We rented a house nearby. Every morning the limo would pick him up and bring him over. He was looking rehabilitated already. The better diet, a certain amount of booze, plus the geriatric jabs worked their wonders. Also, I think he grew in stature as he worked his miracles for us. While we waited for some stunning-and expensive-apparatus we had ordered, he drilled me in the basic skills.

“Misdirection, misdirection and misdirection. Those are the three words you must never forget. Remember-the audience wants to be fooled. While they look here you are working there.”

Here was his raised left hand which plucked a palmed coin out of thin air. There was a top hat, empty a moment before, now containing a white rodent, which he pulled out by its long ears. I had been completely fooled. I had never seen him take the creature from the bag hanging behind the table. Then, concealed by his body, slip the creature into the hat.

It seemed so obvious once he showed me how it was done. He saw my expression and smiled.

“Of course it is a letdown when a piece of magic is exposed. So obvious, you think, why didn’t I see it? Which is why magicians never reveal their secrets. Discovering the truth behind the manipulation is like the loss of innocence. You must believe in magic-even though you know better-and convey this belief to your audience. Do this and they will love you for it. In a world without magic you must make magic. The audiences will beat a happy path to your door. Now try it like I showed you. Smoothly. That is better-but not by much.”

Angelina knocked on the door and I unlocked it.

“A delivery. A large crate from Prosper Electronics.”

“Ha!” Gressane said, elated, rubbing his hands together with happiness. “Very soon now we will recreate the supreme mystery of the Vanishing Porcuswine!”

Chapter 4

One of the reasons we had rented this particular house was the fact that it had an immense living room. When all of the furniture had been removed and stuffed into the garage, the room became our stage. Blue curtains divided it, curtains that opened and closed at the touch of a button. Angelina and I, sitting in chairs that faced the curtain, became a happy audience. Watching while Grissini instructed the workmen as they assembled the apparatus for the Vanishing Porcuswine.

It looked simple enough. A two-sided cage made of metal slats was erected on the stage before a rear curtain, making a triangle with the curtain as one side, the slats the other two sides.

Only when the workmen had been well tipped and dismissed did Grissini turn his attention to us.

“The illusion is now ready,” he said. “All we need now is a porcuswine.”

“That will take a bit of doing,” I said. “Couldn’t we use another creature to demonstrate?”

He thought for a moment, then pointed at Angelina. “The effect is much greater, of course, with a large and threatening animal. However, for demonstration purposes, she will do. Come with me, my dear.”

Grissini led her behind the rear curtains, then out through the gap in the curtains and into the cage.

“You must stand very still,” he said. “Whatever happens you must not move. Do you understand?”

“Absolutely. Like a rock.”

“Good. When this illusion is done correctly the porcuswine is chained and immobile. Now-we begin!”

He came back through the curtain just as he had gone in. Angelina stood demurely, hands folded before her as the Great Grissini faced his audience of one and bowed. I clapped enthusiastically.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, his amplified voice filling the room. “You have seen the handlers lead this dangerous porcuswine—lovely lady, sorry-into this cage. A cage made of solid steel, solid and unbreakable.” He tapped his metaltipped wand against the slats, which gave a solid and satisfactory steel ring. “You have examined the solid locks and chains which secure this great creature in place.” The shackles were in place. The porcuswine, unhappily, not. “There is no possible way to escape from this cage-except by magic. Magic that will astound and amaze you. Behold!”

Invisible drums rolled thunderously and then, in a final crashing crescendo, they stopped. In that very same instant a black curtain dropped between cage and audience. It remained for a single second before Grissini seized it and whisked it away.

“Angelina!” I cried aloud.

For she was gone, the cage was empty. I sprang to my feet and started to lunge forward.

“Patience!” Grissini ordered in a voice of thunder and I stopped, sat down, only an illusion. Then why was I soaked with sweat? It took a great effort of will to sit still while the magician went behind the rear curtain once again.

And reappeared with Angelina on his arm. I could no longer remain in my chair. I rushed forward to embrace her.

“What happened?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Everything just went black until Grissini appeared and led me back here. What did you see?”

“Nothing. That is, the curtain fell for an instant-and you were gone.”

“I don’t think I was. Other than being in the dark I don’t believe that I moved.” She turned to face the smiling magician. “What happened?”

He bowed and swept his hand gracefully in the air. “I will be most happy to tell you, since you will be part of this illusion in the future.” His smile broadened as he stabbed his finger theatrically into the air.

“It is all done with mirrors.”

I am afraid that all we could do was gape blankly and adenoidally at this news. Yet it was true. He had us stand to the side, squarely facing the metal slats of one side of the cage.

“Now all will be revealed. Without the obscuring black curtain. Watch closely now-abracadabra!”

Instantly and silently the space between the slats became a mirror. We were looking at our shocked expressions. He laughed with pleasure.