How does Borden do The Transported Man after his date with Sarah?

Question

At the end of Alfred Borden's first date with Sarah, he asks her if he could come into her apartment for a cup of tea. When she says that the landlord would not allow it, Borden jokes that a small lock is not enough to keep him out and leaves for the stairs.

In a couple of seconds that Sarah closes the door and turns around, Borden is already in her apartment with milk and sugar in his hand. How does he do it? Apartments don't generally have a back door for Borden to have slipped in. There is also no indication that the guy inside the apartment is the other twin. It surely cannot be the other twin as there is no way that they would have known how the date would have gone or where they would go later or if Sarah would let Borden inside her apartment at all.

So how does Borden exactly do this initial Transported man trick at Sarah's apartment?

Answer 1

Excellent question, you raise here. The only trick Borden knew was using his other twin brother. So it is expected that he used his brother. But it is possible that Borden wanted to pick that girl and so after his performance was over, he instructed his brother to enter her house. But again one can argue then how did he know that heir conversation was regarding a cup of tea. In that case, I would say the brother inside the room was probably eavesdropping what the duo was talking with each other, so that he might not fall into embarassment.

Answer 2

I assumed that he had arranged with his brother ahead of time that he would walk her home and ask to come in for tea and to then find an excuse not to in order to 'appear' inside.

Either she would decline or he would adlib a different reason not to go in through the door with her.

Magicians are usually very good at adlibbing under pressure.

Answer 3

I think it is implied that the date we are seeing is at some time subsequent to their initial meeting, which would allow them to know where she lives and to have one of them (the one that wants to be alone with her) waiting there after the lunch date.