Performer lifts flower-pot, with fingers inside pressing against pocket, and shows it apparently empty. “And here, in the other flower-pot” (lifts it and shows the four cards lying together on table) “are all four Kings. One more score to black. You didn’t see the cards go? Of course you didn’t; because they fly horizontally, like the aeroplanes, and they go so fast that they get there almost before they have started.”
SYMPATHETIC CARDS
Preparation. Card mat loaded with two cards of different denomination, say the queen of clubs and the knave of diamonds, taken from the pack. Flower-pots on table.
Presentation. Force the corresponding cards of same colour (in this case the queen of spades and the knave of hearts), lay the pack aside, and take the drawn cards back face down on the mat, leaving them thus on table till needed. The patter may run as follows:
“As I think I have mentioned before, the cards of a pack, from long association, become a sort of family. They have their likes and dislikes, just as human beings have. In particular, there is a curious bond of sympathy between each pair of the same colour, say the king of hearts and the king of diamonds, or the ten of clubs and ten of spades. If they are parted, and they possibly can, they will get together again.
“I will try to give you an example with the cards that have been drawn. We will put them for the moment in this pretty flower-pot, which, as you see, is quite empty.” (Show by lifting it up, that it is so, and then drop the two cards from the mat into it, the concealed pair going with them.) “They will only require to be assisted by a gentle electric current, which I shall create by waving my wand, so.
“Before we go any further, will the ladies who drew the cards say what they were,—I don’t mind asking you now, because they have passed out of my control. The queen of spades and the knave of hearts, you say? A fortunate choice, for the queen of spades and the knave of hearts happen to be particular friends, so I think we may now be sure of success. Now to establish the wireless wave, and I doubt not the queen of clubs and the knave of diamonds will speedily find them. (Make any appropriate gesture with wand.)
“Did you notice a little flash, like the striking of a very inferior lucifer match in a gale of wind? That’s when they went. Quick work, isn’t it? The cards were timed by two gentlemen one evening, each with his own watch. By the one gentleman’s watch they started at one minute past nine, and by the other gentleman’s watch, they arrived at one minute to nine, so it is clear that they must have made the journey in two minutes less than no time. But let us make sure that they have arrived.” Lift the flower-pot, and show the four cards lying on the table together. “And now, to convince you that there is no deception, will some lady or gentleman kindly look through the pack, and make sure that the queen of clubs and knave of diamonds have really left it.” Which is found to be the case.
The trick may of course be worked with any two pairs of cards, the mat being loaded and the corresponding cards forced accordingly.