The Durham deception

Act Four

The Major says, ‘Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, you will witness something quite unprecedented. As you can see, I am not equipped with any props except for this simple kitchen chair and this – ’

He draws from his pocket a silk handkerchief. He sits in the chair which is positioned to face the audience. He claps his hands. One of his Hindoo assistants answers the summons. The Major hands the handkerchief to the boy and sits, arms folded, while the boy ties it over his eyes. When the Major is blindfolded, the boy leaves.

The Major’s colleague, Mr Dilip Gopal, now enters. He is immaculate. He looks at the magician and shakes his head. Evidently he is not satisfied with something. He takes another handkerchief from his pocket and proceeds to bind that one too about the head of Sebastian Marmont so that the unfortunate Major looks like a casualty of battle. But it is surely impossible for the Major to see a thing.

‘ Now,’ says the Major, ‘my associate Mr Gopal will pass among you, the audience. Any one of you is at liberty to hand him an object which you have about your person. Any object, I say. Mr Gopal will hold the said object in his hands before returning it to you. Using his mind, he will transmit through the ether an image of that object, a mental image. I will receive the image as it is borne through the ether and I will tell you, ladies and gentleman, what it is that Mr Gopal is holding.

‘ To avoid any imputation of trickery or collusion, Mr Gopal will say nothing, not a word, as he receives the objects from you. Not a word beyond the normal courtesies of course. I am not permitted to ask him questions nor would he be allowed to answer them. Mr Gopal, if you please… ’

Mr Dilip Gopal descends into the audience. He looks to the right and left and at first no one meets his eye. Then a fellow at the end of the stalls beckons to the Indian as if he were a servant. Mr Gopal goes towards him and executes an almost military salute, bringing his heels together and inclining his head. The fellow in the stalls slips something into his hand. Mr Gopal examines it. Apart from the little matter of the double blindfold, there is no possibility that the Major can see what he is holding – nor can most of the audience, come to that – since Gopal’s back is to the stage. Marmont keeps his swathed head fixed forward, his arms now resting on his knees.

‘ I thank you, sir,’ says Dilip Gopal.

‘ Mr Gopal, I am receiving an image of what is in your hands. Concentrate on it if you please. Just a little more concentration. Yes, I have it. A cigarette case, a silver cigarette case. It is inscribed, I believe, but the image is not clear enough for me to decipher the message. There is a slight disturbance in the ether tonight. ’

Dilip Gopal holds up the item. It glints. It is a cigarette case. He returns it to the owner and a ripple of applause spreads round the auditorium. The besuited Indian moves down the aisle. A woman catches his attention. She has something for him. Mr Gopal comes to another smart halt, clicking his heels. He takes the item and looks at it. He says in his formal manner, ‘Thank you, Madam,’ but nothing further.

‘ Let me see, Mr Gopal,’ says the Major, ‘or rather let me not see. I think that what you have in your hand is – yes, a picture is being transmitted to me even now – it is a purse, a small and delicate purse. ’

Dilip Gopal duly holds up a purse to the admiring audience. Now he moves towards the back of the stalls. A sallow-faced man is holding out an item. The Indian takes it, with thanks.

‘ Now concentrate, Mr Gopal- ’

Suddenly Major Marmont breaks off. Those in the front rows notice that his posture stiffens. After a moment the magician and mind-reader seems to recover his poise.

‘ I have a distinct impression of this item as it crosses the ether between Mr Gopal’s mind and my own. It is, yes it is a cravat pin, a stickpin. ’

Dilip Gopal again holds up the object to the audience, most of whom have to twist in their seats or crane forward to have a glimpse. But it does indeed appear to be a cravat pin, a rather fine one topped with a pearl. The Indian returns it to the man in the stalls. They look at each other. The man smiles in a way that Mr Gopal could only describe as mirthless.