The Ruffle

A. With Both Hands

B. With One Hand

C. With a Single Card

The object of this flourish is to produce a crackling sound with the cards at the moment that some feat of magic is accomplished. The purpose is to mislead the audience into the belief that the feat is actually done at that moment.

A. With Both Hands

Proceed as follows:

1. Hold the pack in the left hand, as for dealing, but with its outer end protruding about an inch over the index finger.

2. Press the left thumb firmly down,on the middle of the back of the top card and with the tip of the right middle finger bend the outer ends of all the cards upwards about an inch (Fig. 25).

3. Release the ends of the cards by drawing the right hand away sharply. Being freed thus in rapid succession, the cards strike one against the other and produce the sharp crackling sound required.

Some performers get into the habit of using this flourish almost continuously with neither rhyme nor reason. This is not only inartistic but also irritating to the audience, and it betrays nervousness on the part of the performer. The flourish should be used only for the purpose of misleading the onlookers as to the moment when a certain effect is supposed to take place.

B. With One Hand

In this case the method is somewhat different:

1. Hold the deck in the left hand as for dealing.

2. Bend the index finger under the deck and with the first phalanx of the middle finger bend the cards downwards toward the palm of the hand.

3. Allow the cards to slip off the tip of the middle finger by bending that finger inwards, producing a prolonged crackle (Fig. 26).

A slight wave of the hand will cover the action,

C. With a Single Card

Sometimes it is desirable to produce a similar sound with one card– for example, when one card is apparently changed to another. To do this, hold the card in either hand between the index finger and thumb. Rest the other three fingers, one above the other on the index finger. To produce the required sound, press the three fingers inwards and let them escape and strike against the card in rapid succession (Fig. 27).