Four Cards having been Selected from a Pack, to Make on of them Change successively into each of the three others.
T
his trick can only be performed before a tolerably large company, for it is essential that the spectators to whom the performer successively ad-dresses himself should be at some distance apart, so that they may not compare notes. Even with this drawback, it is an admirable trick. The mode of performance is as follows:-Have a card freely drawn from the pack. 1.
Have this card replaced in the pack; bring it to the top by the pass; "change" it, and place the substitute card, face downwards, on your table. To the eyes of the spectators, you appear to have simply placed the chosen card on the table. 2.
As a necessary consequence of the "change," the card which was chosen, and which we will suppose to be the knave of spades, is left on the top of the pack. Transfer it, by means of the pass, to the middle of the pack and force it (see "To force a card"), on a second person.
3.
Take the knave of spades from the last-named spectator, "change" it as before for some other card, and lay this latter on the table beside the one already there. 4.
Proceed as already described with a third spectator, so as to make him also draw the knave of spades, which you once more cause to be replaced in the pack, and lay it, without changing, by the side of the other two cards.
5.
Have a card drawn (without forcing) by a fourth spectator, and, as if through inadvertence, leave such card in his possession.
6.
Take the three cards which are on the table, and spreading them fanwise, exhibit them to the company, remarking, "Here are the cards which have been chosen." Each of the three persons who drew sees his own card (inasmuch as they all drew the knave of spades), and imagines that the other two cards are those which were drawn by the other two spectators.
7.
Addressing yourself to the fourth person who drew, you inquire whether he sees his card among the rest. He naturally replies that he does not, inasmuch as it was left in his own possession.
"I beg your pardon, sir," you reply, "it was a slip on my part. Be kind enough to hand me back your card."
8.
While so saying, you place the three cards on the pack, which you hold in your left hand, taking care that the knave of spades is uppermost, and slightly pushed 9.
The Metamorphoses
forward on the pack, in readiness for the change.
Take the fourth person's card, which we will suppose to be the ten of hearts, exhibit it with apparent carelessness to the spectators, and "change" it for the knave of spades, keeping this card face downwards, so that the audience cannot see what it is.
10.
If the change has been neatly executed, no one will have any suspicion as to the identity of the card you hold; accordingly, stepping close to the first person who drew, "Here," you say. without showing it, "is the ten of hearts that gentleman drew. Would you be surprised to find that I can change it for the card which you selected? I have only to do so." You "ruffle" the card and exhibit it."
11.
"Now," you continue, holding the card again face downwards, and turning to the second person who drew, "by repeating this simple movement" (you ruffle the card again) "it is no longer your card, sir; it is this lady's." You show her the card.
12.
Proceed as above described with the third person also, so as to prove to her that her card has taken the place of the other. This is by no means difficult, inasmuch as it is still the knave of spades which you show.
13.
Just before you reach the fourth person, "change" the knave of spades once more for the ten of hearts, and showing it to the company generally, remark, "And now, by way of conclusion, it is no longer that lady's card, it has become this gentleman's again."
14.
I may once more remark that this trick, skilfully executed, is one of the most surprising that can well be performed. The successive "changes" which I have directed to be made in the course of this trick, including the last, can be made with perfect ease, under cover of the performer's frequent movements from one spot to another.
In order to divert the minds of the spectators form any idea that the same card was drawn three times in succession, you may perform the trick next following. In such case, you remark, addresing the company--
"You would like to know, I daresay, ladies and gentlemen, how the cards are
metamorphosed in this manner. I will endeavour to explain it to you by effecting the same transformation as visibly as possible."
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The Metamorphoses
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