"How he fixes the deck," explained Dimanche in a lower and less painful tone. "Clever."
Muttering, Cassal shoved a bet in front of him.
"Look at that hat," said Dimanche.
"Ridiculous, isn't it? But I see no reason to gloat because I have better taste."
"That's not what I meant. It's pulled down low over his knobby ears and touches his jacket. His jacket rubs against his trousers, which in turn come in contact with the stool on which he sits."
"True," agreed Cassal, increasing his wager. "But except for his physique, I don't see anything unusual."
"It's a circuit, a visual projector broken down into components. The hat is a command circuit which makes contact, via his clothing, with the broadcasting unit built into the chair. The existence of a visual projector is completely concealed."
Cassal bit his lip and squinted at his cards. "Interesting. What does it have to do with anything?"
"The deck," exclaimed Dimanche excitedly. "The backs are regular, printed with an intricate design. The front is a special plastic, susceptible to the influence of the visual projector. He doesn't need manual dexterity. He can make any value appear on any card he wants. It will stay there until he changes it."
Cassal picked up the cards. "I've got a Loreenaroo equation. Can he change that to anything else?"