" By
some legerdemain the Admiral found that he was clutching in his right hand one of the obnoxious bills."
French "lightness of hand" = "the hand is quicker than the eye, "prestidigitation" = quick fingered. Entertainer magician's art of deception.

I've been familiar with legerdemain as a term for a long time now and have assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that leger meant 'light'. Does it?

I've never thought about a connection with "leger lines", those extra little staff lines used when a note is placed above or below the five lines of the musical staff. hmm...

Yes, "leger" (more properly, with an accent aigu "léger") means light in French, the opposite of lourd, heavy. (It's also "layer" in German.)

And I've always thought those above/below-the-staff lines were "ledger" lines, no? (Or were you being facetious and I simply obtuse?)

I thought they were ledger lines, too, but haven't looked up the spelling yet since today's task is to have fun with wwh's zero hits as part of his Christmas present.

moi, facetious?

I found this:

leger

\Leg"er\, a. [F. l['e]ger, fr. LL. (assumed) leviarius, fr. L. levis light in weight. See Levity.] Light; slender; slim; trivial. [Obs. except in special phrases.] --Bacon.

Leger line (Mus.), a line added above or below the staff to extend its compass; -- called also added line.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

I've seen both spellings used, I've just always used this one, not sure why...

Many thanks, et'. I think I prefer the 'leger' spelling now that you've so graciously verified it simply because the lines appear to be floating, whether up high in the sky or down low as in the ocean. Leger lines it will be for me from now on!