only appeared to them a trick the more, and a very common trick
into the bargain.

"He must think us very stupid," they said. "How could he possibly
aim without having his eyes open?"

And they thought there must be imperceptible holes in the
oilcloth, a sort of latticework concealed in the material. It was
useless for him to allow the public to examine the mask for
themselves before the exhibition began. It was all very well that
they could not discover any trick, but they were only all the
more convinced that they were being tricked. Did not the people
know that they ought to be tricked?

I had recognized a great artist in the old mountebank, and I was
quite sure that he was altogether incapable of any trickery. I
told him so, while expressing my admiration to him; and he had
been touched by my open admiration and above all by the justice I
had done him. Thus we became good friends, and he explained to
me, very modestly, the real trick which the crowd do not
understand, the eternal trick contained in these simple words:
"To be gifted by nature and to practice every day for long, long
years."

He had been especially struck by the certainty which I expressed
that any trickery must become impossible to him. "Yes," he said
to me; "quite impossible! Impossible to a degree which you cannot
imagine. If I were to tell you! But where would be the use?"

His face clouded over, and his eyes filled with tears. I did not