PART 12
He put both his arms out in front of him, so suddenly that I couldn’t help but flinch. He showed me both his hands, with his fingers stretched out, as if he had just had his nails done.
– Choose the correct hand. The magic hand.
He gave me a kind smile and I felt all my hostility melt away like snow in the sun. I realised that all the tests, all the humiliations I had endured since morning had only one goal in the end: to take me here, exactly, in this magic shop, in front of this mysterious man. There was no chance of me running away as fast as could, screaming about a crazy man in these conditions. I felt the importance of passing his test, and I concentrated like never before. For the second time that day, the truth came to me in a sudden vision, and I knew how I had to react. I slowly raised my right hand, my own hand, and triumphantly answered:
– This is the magic hand.
A luminous expression came over the old man’s face.
– Well done! You must have faith in yourself! And now, the moment of truth…
He bent over the counter and, through the magnifying lenses of his round glasses, looked directly into my eyes, his long crooked nose nearly touching mine.
– Tell me: what exactly have you learned from your escapade?
Everything made sense now, it was miraculous, and with nearly no hesitation I answered:
– That I have to… trust in my own imagination?
The old man happily clapped his hands like a four year-old child.
– Exactly! Exactly! Ready-made solutions in magic boxes, those are for people who will never become magicians. You, you’re something else! Dare! Create! Invent! One day, yes, one day, you will surprise the whole world!
He had shouted the end of his sentence, as if he thought it was absolutely necessary for all the neighbours to hear the good news without delay. His eyes shone with excitement. I felt that I should be proud of myself, and really, in my heart of hearts, I was. At the same time, I had to stay in touch with reality:
– What about my brother? I insisted.
The old man seemed to come out of a daydream.
– Oh yes! Your brother! Nothing to it. You have all my apologies for the trouble he caused you, by the way. But before anything else, let me get my grimoire. It’s on top of this shelf here, if I remember correctly…
He took a sliding ladder, placed it at a precise point, and started his climb. This is when – OH, MY GOD! MY GOD! NO! MY GOD!!! – I saw something as horrifying as it was spectacular. I nearly fainted. My heel hit an obstacle and I fell between the arms of a wooden armchair that was luckily right behind me.
Picture this: the man had literally torn himself in half, his legs stayed firmly planted on the ground while the top half of his body – his torso and head – climbed to the top of the ladder, hoisting itself up by the arms!
The old man – or what was left of him – grabbed what he had called a grimoire (an old notebook with a cracked cover), stuck it in his shirt pocket and went back down the ladder. Both halves of his body stuck together as if nothing had happened. He gave me a meaningful wink.
– By the way, have you guessed what my name is? I’ve been known by many names, Merlin among others. Does that ring a bell?
Still in shock, I stuttered that yes, of course, I had heard that name. Merlin. Everyone knew the legend. Was I really speaking to him?
The enchanter – because in one way or another, he had to be one – seemed to think, then added:
– If we’re going to do magic, we might as well wear a stage costume. Watch closely.
He walked around the counter and picked up some sort of sleeve (a cloth cylinder held open by a hoop at each end, in fact) that he put on the floor. He heartily jumped into it feet first, grabbed the top hoop, and pulled it up to his shoulders, concealing his body, then let it fall. The whole exercise didn’t last more than a second, but when the hoop fell down, the enchanter’s clothes had completely changed. He was now wearing a stunning red and gold magician’s robe!
– Now, he announced, let’s take care of your little brother.
(Go to PART 13)