"You have got to be joking," Gilbert said as he stared at the huge marquee that hung above the entrance to the Egyptian Hall Theater. "'Baffler of the Senses?'"
Henry chuckled. "It's certainly a colorful nickname," he said, squinting up at the rows of ornately painted advertising, his lips moving slightly as he read the outrageous descriptions. "Apparently he's also the 'Darling of Europe.'" He pointed to a life-sized illustration that hung next to the marquee. "That must be him, with that red hair of his." He gestured over to a similar banner on the other side. "I'm guessing that's his partner, Goran Stone, the 'Gypsy Prince.' You must admit, 'Shackleton and Stone, Magicians Extraordinaire' is a rather catchy name."
Gilbert looked up at the smiling portrait of his former lover. "Remind me again why I have agreed to this nonsense."
"Because, Gilbert, you really have no one else you can turn to," Henry said. "Do you want to approach total strangers instead?" He dropped a hand on Gilbert's shoulder. "I have a feeling that he will be more than willing to help you."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Gilbert muttered as he followed his friend into the theater.
He was rather surprised that the theater was filled to capacity. It was Gilbert's first time in the venue, and after he and Henry seated themselves in their private box he looked around, taking in the ornate, vaulted ceiling and the intricate ironwork on the balcony and stage railings. "There have to be several hundred people here," he said, and then he pointed in front of the stage. "There's even a small pit orchestra."
"Apparently, the show has been sold out for the next few weeks," Henry said. "Like I said, he's done well for himself. This is exciting! I've never been to a magic show before."
Gilbert decided that if nothing else, the whole debacle would be worthwhile for the change it had wrought in his friend. Ever since the night of Lee's session, Henry had been slowly coming out of his fog; they had dined in town earlier in the week, and Henry had even accompanied him to his weekly dinner with Constance. He knew Henry was looking forward to seeing Joseph again, and he vowed to remain civil, if only for Henry's sake.
The gaslights above turned low, even as the lights along the front of the stage brightened. The conductor tapped his music stand, and the murmurs of the crowd were soon joined by the sounds of instruments tuning.
"Showtime," he murmured.
And then, with a drum roll and a blare of horns, Joseph Shackleton strolled onto the stage. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!"
As Joseph addressed the audience, Henry leaned over and murmured, "I don't think we're ever seen him in tails before, it suits him."
It certainly did, Gilbert thought. The suit fit him so well that it was obviously bespoke.
"The longer hair suits him as well, although I would never wear mine that length. I believe it's all the rage in Italy right now."
Gilbert watched the shining, deep red strands of Joseph's hair brush against the shoulders of his suit jacket, and he didn't trust himself to reply. A burst of applause forced his attention back to what Joseph was actually saying.
"…and now, without any further ado, let me introduce my partner in illusionary crime, Goran Stone, the Gypsy Prince!"
After another drum roll, a young, brown-haired man jogged out onto the stage, and then he executed a set of somersaults and flips that brought him to stand next to Joseph. He was clad in deep blue velvet pants that were tucked into calf-high boots, and beneath an intricately embroidered vest of the same color, he wore a billowing, pale blue satin shirt. Goran bowed deeply, and then the two magicians began their first trick.
As they escaped from locked chests, levitated in the air, and beheaded each other, Gilbert was surprised to realize he was actually enjoying the show. Joseph and Goran had an easy manner between them and the acts were set up to not just amaze the audience, but make them laugh as well.
Midway through the show, the two men, dressed as safari hunters, wheeled a large basket to the centerer of the stage. Joseph went to remove the lid.
"Hey!" Goran said, "I'm pulling the tiger out of the basket tonight." He tugged at the lid.
"You did it last time, it's my turn," Joseph said. "Besides, the tiger likes me best."
They tussled over the lid, until it slipped out of their grasp and landed on the floor. What sounded like a loud growl emanated from the basket.
"Oh, you've done it now," Joseph said. "You've made him angry." He pointed inside the basket. "You'd better go down there and give him a treat."
Goran turned toward the audience and rolled his eyes, and then he reached into the basket and withdrew a length of rope. People gasped when he threw the rope toward the ceiling and it hung straight in the air, dangling into the basket. He gripped the rope and climbed into the basket, telling Joseph, "It's all your fault if I get et," as he disappeared from view. There was a great clattering beneath the stage, and more growls. Suddenly, Goran appeared up near the ceiling, hanging onto the rope.
"Mister Shackleton!" he called down, "I forgot the treat! Can you bring it up?" He disappeared again.
Joseph sighed and pulled out a large, raw steak from the basket, and then he stuck it in his pocket, gripped the rope and began to climb. Just as he reached the top, Goran climbed out of the basket.
"What're you doing up there? The tiger's down here!"
"I'm going to feed you to the tiger, brat!" Joseph said, shaking a fist at Goran, and then he climbed up the rope—and appeared moments later in the basket. Goran helped him out.
They peered into the basket, leaning back quickly when there was another growl. "All right, you can pull him out," Goran said, and the audience laughed.
Accompanied by a drum roll, Joseph carefully reached inside the basket, and then he lifted out an orange striped kitten who clambered up his arm to stand on his shoulder. "See," he said, "Tiger likes me best."
The audience erupted into laughter and applause, and Gilbert found himself applauding along with the others. Joseph bowed and waved to different sections of the audience, and when he turned to face their section he hesitated a moment, peering over at the box where Gilbert and Henry sat.
Henry waved.
"Put your hand down!" Gilbert ordered in a harsh whisper. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I think he saw us," Henry said, as Joseph turned to wave at another section.
"Well if he didn't before, he bloody well did now!"
Henry gave him a long look. "We're going to visit him after the show, Gilbert, it doesn't hurt to let him know we're here." He pointed back to the stage. "Oh look, he's going to fire Mister Stone out of a cannon!"
Goran survived being a human cannonball, and he reappeared clad in his Gypsy garb, declaring that he would exact revenge on Joseph for always locking him up for most of their tricks.
"I'm going to shackle you, Mister Shackleton," he said, opening a tall standing cabinet and pushing Joseph into it. He tied Joseph to the chair that sat inside, supplementing the thick rope with arm and leg shackles, and then he closed the door and wrapped the entire cabinet several times around with a heavy chain. Fastening a padlock to the chain ends, Goran reached in his pocket for the key, but couldn't find it.
"Looking for this, Mister Stone?" Joseph called to him from the theater entrance. He was dressed once more in a formal suit.
There was more laughter and applause while Joseph walked down the centerer aisle, brandishing the key. The two men bowed and pushed the cabinet off stage, and when then they came back Joseph carried a single bottle of champagne. He walked to the front of the stage and addressed the audience.
"Thank you for joining us tonight," he said, and he held up the bottle of sparkling wine. "Mister Stone, let's share some champagne with our lovely audience before they leave us." He winked at the ladies in the front row, who tittered in response.
"All of them?" Goran held a hand above his eyes and peered at the audience.
"Of course! It would be rude to only include the front row," Joseph replied, "although they did pay more for their tickets."
The audience responded with chuckles.
Goran came over and said in a loud stage whisper, "We only have the one bottle."
Joseph waved a hand at him. "Details, details. Go get some glasses."
Goran trotted off stage, and he returned with a large cart that jingled with the sound of hundreds of champagne glasses clinking against each other.
Joseph lifted a glass from the cart, poured some champagne in it and handed it to Goran. "Everyone, just pass it along," he said.
The tiny orchestra played a rollicking waltz as Joseph filled glass after glass, giving them to Goran, who handed them down to the people in the front row. Excited murmurs rose from the crowd as it became something of a game, passing the champagne back through the rows until within a surprisingly short time, everyone had a glass.
Henry thanked the usher who brought champagne for him and Gilbert.
Joseph filled two more glasses, one for him and one for Goran.
"Tonight is a special night. Not just because all you lovely people came to see us, but because tonight, two of my oldest friends are here as well—friends I haven't seen in many years. I won't embarrass them by singling them out, mostly because one of them would likely murder me for doing so." Joseph paused while the audience laughed, and then he continued, "Ladies and gentlemen, please, join me in a toast." He held up his glass, looked right at Gilbert and said, "To old friends."
The audience repeated, "To old friends," and the theater was filled with the sound of clinking glasses.
"To old friends," Henry said, and he tapped his glass against Gilbert's.
Gilbert remained silent, and he left his champagne untouched.