Nothing entertains urchins as much as the visit by a magician. Many of these professional manipulators have made their way through the streets of London, and all of them had glorious references from the best universities. Universities of whom nobody had ever heard. But that was to be expected, because what self respecting institute of higher learning would admit the teaching of deceptive arts? Today we had the fortune, or rather misfortune of having received a visit by a illusionist with the rather trite name of Dr. Faustus. A quack maybe, but at least the man was somewhat literate. He posted himself at the center of our little square and started proclaiming the grandeur of his talents, all the while pulling the thing ends of his massive moustaches. Adults were too busy but the loud exclamations attracted an army or urchins. Again a sign that the man was not too bright because urchins have no money to hand over and the little they may have is kept carefully guarded.

The man began with some simple tricks that revolved around coins disappearing from his hands and appearing out of various urchin's ears. This they had seen many times before and made a terrible hooting noise to indicate just that. Perhaps it was the yelling, perhaps it was the fact that some urchins began to wonder off that made him decide to take a leap of faith. In a loud voice he said to the crows: "other magicians make things appear out of thing air, they are all charlatans I tell you. It is not difficult to drag a bird from one's sleeve! No I say! Instead I will make an object of your choosing disappear into thin air!" An unexpected silence waved over the gathered children. "Who will be brave enough to provide a personal object that will disappear before your very eyes?" the man said again. At the front of the crowd, Sebastian and Olivia had been observing the proceedings with much skepticism. Both had seen enough of this sort to suspect foul play. It was Sebastian who grabbed Olivia's basket containing her pet rabbit and tossed it to the magician. Needless to say this act did not go over well with the little girl. Very slowly her small face displayed a darker and darker shade of red. "He'll never make a rabbit disappear Olivia, c'mon it's just a game", Sebastian said getting a bit nervous. Olivia's facial complexion returned somewhat to normal but still regarded the proceedings with contempt.

"Ah, what have we here?" exclaimed the conjurer, "a fluffy white rabbit. Quite the opposite of what I would normally do with such an animal but very appropriate indeed." He took the animal out of the basket and placed it on a smallish foldable table in front of him. Out of his pocket he pulled a large black scarf, which was placed over the rabbit, completely covering it. After a slow wave of a dilapidated wooden stick that was standing in for a wand, he placed his left hand on top of the scarf. He loudly pronounced the words "Experientia docet stultos" and with a swift jerk pulled the scarf away, leaving an empty space where the rabbit had once been. All of the urchins loved this trick, except Olivia and Sebastian. Olivia was regaining the dark purple color in her face whilst Sebastian's countenance did the opposite and sported a bleak pale look.

The magician had suddenly decided that the performance was over and had started packing up whilst shouting that he would be performing later on at Trafalgar Square. This was not something that was going to happen if Olivia had something to say about it. She clenched her fists and started moving slowly towards the magician. "Where is my rabbit", she said, "I want my rabbit back!" "It is gone my dear, I told you it is now part of the eternal ether", the man said, still not entirely understanding who he had in front of him. Having heard this Olivia lost it. She attacked the man and pounded her little fists freely on the man's head. "Olivia stop!", Sebastian said, trying to intervene. "I think you better show her where the rabbit is sir, she won't stop until you do", he added. Whilst trying to get Olivia away with one hand he pointed with his other towards the basket. "It's still in there", he stammered. Sebastian had to show Olivia that her pet was indeed still in it's basket before she would remove her hands from his throat.

It took a while for the little girl to calm down, all the while stroking the rabbit's ears. The magician had packed up his belongings and had disappeared faster than the rabbit had, mumbling some words about having to find an alternative supper.