The Magic Shop by H.G. Wells
Section [1 | 2]
the magic shop

by H .G .Wells

I had seen the magic shop from afar several_times; I had passed it once_or_twice, a shop window of alluring little objects, magic balls, magic hens, wonderful cones, ventriloquist dolls, the material of_the basket trick, packs of cards that looked all right, and all that sort of thing, but never had i_thought of going in until one day, almost without warning, Gip hauled me by my finger right up_to_the window, and so conducted himself that there_was nothing for_it but to_take him in .I had_not thought the place was there, to_tell the truth--a modest- sized frontage in regent street, between_the picture shop and_the place where the chicks run about just out of patent incubators,-- but there it_was sure enough .I had fancied it_was down nearer the circus, or round the corner in Oxford street, or even in Holborn; always over the way and a little inaccessible it had_been, with something of_the mirage in its position; but here it_was now quite indisputably, and_the fat end of Gip's pointing finger made a noise upon_the glass .

" if i_was rich," said Gip, dabbing a finger at_the Disappearing Egg, "I'd buy myself that . and_that"-- which_was the Crying baby, very human--" and_that," which_was a mystery, and called, so a neat card asserted, " buy one and astonish your friends ."

" anything," said Gip, " will disappear under one of_those cones . I_have read about_it in a book .

" and there, dadda, is_the Vanishing Halfpenny-- only they've put it this_way up so's we_can't see how it's done ."

Gip, dear boy, inherits his mother's breeding, and he_did_not propose to enter the shop or worry in any_way; only, you_know, quite unconsciously, he lugged my finger doorward, and he_made his interest clear .

" that," he_said, and pointed to_the magic bottle .

" if_you had that ? " I_said; at which promising inquiry he looked up with a sudden radiance .

" I_could show it to Jessie," he_said, thoughtful as ever of others .

" it's less_than a hundred days to your birthday, Gibbles," I_said, and laid my hand on_the door- handle .

Gip made no answer, but his grip tightened on my finger, and so we came into_the shop .

it_was no common shop this; it_was a magic shop, and all the prancing precedence Gip would_have taken in_the matter of mere toys was wanting . he left the burthen of_the conversation to_me .

it_was a little, narrow shop, not very_well lit, and_the door- bell pinged again with a plaintive note as_we closed it behind us . for a moment or so we were alone and could glance about us . there_was a tiger in _papier-mch on_the glass case that covered, the low counter--a grave, kind- eyed tiger that waggled his head in a methodical manner; there were several crystal spheres, a china hand holding magic cards, a stock of magic fish-bowls in various sizes, and an immodest magic hat that shamelessly displayed its springs . on_the floor were magic mirrors; one to draw you out long and thin, one to swell your head and vanish your legs, and one to_make you short and fat like a draught; and while, we were laughing at_these the shopman, as I suppose, came in .

at any rate, there he_was behind the counter--a curious, sallow, dark man, with one ear larger than_the other and a chin like the toe-cap of a boot .

" what can we_have the pleasure ? " he_said, spreading his long magic fingers on_the glass case; and so with a start we were aware of him .

" i_want," I_said, " to_buy my little boy a few simple tricks ."

" legerdemain ? " he asked ." mechanical ? domestic ? "

" anything amusing ? " said I .

"Um ! " said the shopman, and scratched his head for a moment as_if thinking . then, quite distinctly, he drew from_his head a glass ball ." something in_this_way ? " he_said, and held it out .

the action was unexpected .I had seen the trick done at entertainments endless times before-- it's part of_the common stock of conjurers-- but I had_not expected it here ." that's good," I_said, with a laugh .

"Isn't it ? " said the shopman .

Gip stretched out his disengaged hand to_take this object and found merely a blank palm .

" it's in your pocket," said the shopman, and there it_was !

" how_much will that be ? " I asked .

" we_make no charge for glass balls," said the shopman politely ." we get them"-- he picked one out of_his elbow as he spoke--" free ." he produced another from_the back of_his neck, and laid it beside its predecessor on_the counter .Gip regarded his glass ball sagely, then directed a look of inquiry at_the two on_the counter, and finally brought his round- eyed scrutiny to_the shopman, who smiled ." you_may_have those two," said the shopman, " and, if_you don't mind one from my mouth . so ! "

Gip counselled me mutely for a moment, and then in a profound silence put away the four balls, resumed my reassuring finger, and nerved himself for_the next event .

" we get all our smaller tricks in_that way," the shopman remarked .

I laughed in_the manner of one who subscribes to a jest ." instead of going to_the wholesale shop," I_said ." of_course, it's cheaper ."

" in a way," the shopman said ." though we pay in_the end . but not so heavily-- as people suppose .. . our larger tricks, and_our daily provisions and all the other things we_want, we get out of_that hat .. . and you_know, sir, if_you'll excuse my saying it, there isn't a wholesale shop, not for genuine magic goods, sir .I don't know if_you noticed our inscription-- the genuine magic shop ." he drew a business card from_his cheek and handed it to_me ." genuine," he_said, with_his finger on_the word, and added, " there_is absolutely no deception, sir ."

he_seemed to_be carrying out the joke pretty thoroughly, i_thought .

he turned to Gip with a smile of remarkable affability ." you, you_know, are the right sort of boy ."

i_was surprised at his knowing that, because, in_the interests of discipline, we keep it rather a secret even at home; but Gip received it in unflinching silence, keeping a steadfast eye on him .

" it's only the right sort of boy gets through_that doorway ."

and, as_if by way of illustration, there came arattling at_the door, and asqueaking little voice could_be faintly heard ."Nyar ! I warn 'a go in there, dadda, I warn 'a go in there .Ny-a-a-ah ! " and then the accents of adowntrodden parent, urging consolations and propitiations ." it's locked, Edward," he_said .

" but it isn't," said I .

" it_is, sir," said the shopman, " always-- for_that sort of child," and as he spoke we had a glimpse of_the other youngster, a little, white face, pallid from sweet-eating and over-sapid food, and distorted by evil passions, a ruthless little egotist, pawing at_the enchanted pane ." it's no good, sir," said the shopman, as I moved, with my natural helpfulness, doorward, and presently the spoilt child was carried off howling .

" how do_you manage that ? " I_said, breathing a little more freely .

" magic ! " said the shopman, with a careless wave of_the hand, and behold ! Sparks of coloured fire flew out of_his fingers and vanished into_the shadows of_the shop .

" you were saying," he_said, addressing himself to Gip, " before_you came in, that you_would like one_of_our ' buy one and astonish your friends' boxes ? "

Gip, after a gallant effort, said " yes ."

" it's in your pocket ."

and leaning over the counter-- he really had an extraordinary long body-- this amazing person produced the article in_the customary conjurer's manner ." paper," he_said, and took a sheet out_of_the empty hat with_the springs; " string," and behold his mouth was a string box, from_which he drew an unending thread, which when he had tied his parcel he bit off-- and, it seemed to_me, swallowed the ball of string . and then he lit a candle at_the nose of one_of_the ventriloquist's dummies, stuck one of_his fingers ( which had become sealing- wax red) into_the flame, and so sealed the parcel ." then there_was the Disappearing Egg," he remarked, and produced one from within my coat- breast and packed it, and also the Crying baby, very human .I handed each parcel to Gip as it_was ready, and he clasped them to_his chest .

he_said very little, but his eyes were eloquent; the clutch of_his arms was eloquent . he was_the playground of unspeakable emotions . these, you_know, were real Magics .

then, with a start, I discovered something moving about in my hat-- something soft and jumpy .I whipped it off, and a ruffled pigeon-- no_doubt a confederate--dropped out and ran on_the counter, and went, I fancy, into a cardboard box behind the papier-mch tiger .

"Tut, tut ! " said the shopman, dexterously relieving, me of_my headdress; " careless bird, and-- as I live--nesting ! "

he shook my hat, and shook out into his extended hand, two_or_three eggs, a large marble, a watch, about half a dozen of_the inevitable glass balls, and then crumpled, crinkled paper, more and more and more, talking all the time of_the way in_which people neglect to brush their hats inside_ as_well as out-- politely, of_course, but with a certain personal application ." all sorts of things accumulate, sir .. . not you_, of_course, in_particular .. . nearly every customer .. .Astonishing what they carry about with_them .. ." the crumpled paper rose and billowed on_the counter more and more and more, until he_was nearly hidden from_us, until he_was altogether hidden, and still his voice went on and on ." we none of us know what the fair semblance of a human being may conceal, sir . are we all then no better than brushed exteriors, whited sepulchres-----"

his voice stopped-- exactly like when_you hit aneighbour's gramophone with a well-aimed brick, the same instant silence-- and_the rustle of_the paper stopped, and everything was still .. .

" have_you done with my hat ? " I_said, after an interval .

there_was no answer .

I stared at Gip, and Gip stared at me, and there were our distortions in_the magic mirrors, looking very rum, and grave, and quiet .. .

" i_think we'll go now," I_said ." will_you tell me how_much all this comes to ? .. .

" I_say," I_said, on a rather louder note, " i_want the bill; and my hat, please ."

it might_have_been a sniff from behind the paper pile .. .

" let's look behind the counter, Gip," I_said ." he's making fun of us ."

I led Gip round the head-wagging tiger, and what do_you_think there_was behind the counter ? no one at all ! only my hat on_the floor, and a common conjurer's lop-eared white rabbit lost in meditation, and looking as stupid and crumpled as only a conjurer's rabbit can do .I resumed my hat, and_the rabbit lolloped alollop or so out of_my way .

"Dadda ! " said Gip, in a guilty whisper .

" what_is it, Gip ? " said I .

" I_do like this shop, dadda ."

" so should I," I_said to myself, " if_the counter wouldn't suddenly extend itself to shut one off from_the door ." but I didn't call Gip's attention to_that ."Pussy ! " he_said, with a hand out to_the rabbit as it came lolloping past us; "Pussy, do Gip a magic ! " and_his eyes followed it as it squeezed through a door I had certainly not remarked a moment before . then this door opened wider, and_the man with one ear larger than_the other appeared again . he_was smiling still, but his eye met mine with something between amusement and Defiance ." you'd like to_see our showroom, sir," he_said, with an innocent suavity .Gip tugged my finger forward .I glanced at_the counter and met the shopman's eye again . i_was beginning to_think the magic just a little too genuine ." we haven't very_much time," I_said . but somehow we were inside the showroom before I_could finish that .

" all goods of_the same quality," said the shopman, rubbing his flexible hands together, " and that_is_the best . nothing in_the place that isn't genuine magic, and warranted thoroughly rum . excuse me, sir ! "

I_felt him pull at something that clung to my coat- sleeve, and then I_saw he held a little, wriggling red demon by_the tail-- the little creature bit and fought and tried to_get at his hand-- and in a moment he tossed it carelessly behind a counter . no_doubt the thing was only an image of twisted indiarubber, but for_the moment-- ! and_his gesture was exactly that of a man who handles some petty biting bit of vermin .I glanced at Gip, but Gip was looking at a magic rocking- horse . i_was glad he hadn't seen the thing ." I_say," I_said, in an undertone, and indicating Gip and_the red demon with my eyes, " you haven't many things like that_ about, have_you ? "

" none of ours ! probably brought it with_you," said the shopman-- also in an undertone, and with a more dazzling smile than ever ."Astonishing what people will_, carry about with_them unawares ! " and then to Gip, " do you_see anything you fancy here ? "

there were many things that Gip fancied there .

he turned to_this astonishing tradesman with mingled confidence and respect ." is_that a magic sword ? " he_said .

"A magic toy sword . it neither bends, breaks, nor cuts the fingers . it renders the bearer invincible in battle against any_one under eighteen . half a crown to seven and sixpence, according to size . these panoplies on cards are for juvenile knights-errant and very useful-- shield of safety, sandals of swiftness, helmet of invisibility ."

"Oh, dadda ! " gasped Gip .

I tried to_find

Section [1 | 2]