The plot of novel is built on the sharp rivalry of two prominent magicians of the second half of ХIХ century. Enmity being conceived in extreme youth converts their life into an endless contest. At the years a desire to win a final shattering victory over a rival becomes unendurable, and a fight acquires such incandescence, when all facilities are good already, and to motion the theft of stranger secrets, prompts, go to the audience at execution of number, frank derangement of presentation. But everybody still remains a virtuoso on the business and continuously perfects mastery, inventing all new and new acute tricks.And already both successful, rich and attained unprecedented heights in the art of иллюзиона. Heights the border of reality passes after that. But one of them is ready to go yet higher.