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，“