Desire the person for whom you are acting to choose one of these packs, “for herself” or “himself,” as the case may be. Turn it up, and spread out the four cards it contains, from left to right, explaining their individual and relative signification. Next proceed in like manner with the pack on your left hand, which will be “for the house;” then the third one, “for those who do not expect it;” and lastly, “the surprise.”
In order to render our meaning perfectly clear, we will give another example. Let us suppose that the pack for the person consulting you is composed of the Knave of Hearts, the Ace of Diamonds, the Queen of Clubs, and the Eight of Spades reversed. By the aid of the list of meanings we have given, it will be easy to interpret them as follows:
“The Knave of Hearts is a gay young bachelor—the Ace of Diamonds—who has written, or will very soon write, a letter—the Queen of Clubs—to a dark woman—Eight of Spades reversed—to make proposals to her, which will not be accepted.”
On looking back to the list of significations, it will be found to run thus:
Knave of Hearts.—A gay young bachelor, who thinks only of pleasure.
Ace of Diamonds.—A letter soon to be received.
Queen of Clubs.—An affectionate woman, but quick-tempered and touchy.
Eight of Spades.—If reversed, a marriage broken off, or offer refused.
It will thus be seen that each card forms, as it were, a phrase from an assemblage of which nothing but a little practice is required to form complete sentences. Of this we will give a further example, by interpreting the signification of the three other packs—“for the house,” “for those who do not expect it,” and “the surprise.” The first of these, “for the house,” we will suppose to consist of the Queen of Hearts, the Knave of Spades reversed, the Ace of Clubs, and the Nine of Diamonds, which reads thus:
“The Queen of Hearts is a fair woman, mild and amiable in disposition, who—Knave of Spades reversed—will be deceived by a dark, ill-bred young man—the Ace of Clubs—but she will receive some good news, which will console her—Nine of Diamonds—although it is probable that the news may be delayed.”