“So far is all very well,” said the nobleman; “but I believe you have omitted one card, the knave.”
“True, my lord; the knave reminds me of your lordship’s informer.”
The nobleman became more pleased with Jack than before, freely forgave him, raised his wages, and discharged the informer.
APPENDIX.
GAMBLERS’ TRICKS WITH CARDS, EXPOSED AND EXPLAINED.
GAMBLERS’ PREPARATION OR DOCTORING OF CARDS.
Of cards which are “marked” as they come from the manufacturers there is elsewhere mention. But it sometimes happens that the player cannot understand the peculiar patterns of the back, and hence has to mark them himself as he plays.
This is generally done, while he is holding them, by denting them with the nail, scratching the edges or face, or bending the corners.
When the cards have backs perfectly white, the swindling manufacturer can, at a moment’s glance, tell you what is on the face of the card; and this secret he communicates to others, whom he employs to go out, and by means of these cards to swindle people out of their money. This may seem quite incredible to some; it is, nevertheless, done, and very successfully too, and it is accomplished by embossing the paper on the back, so as to form a small, fine grain, which the eye would take to be the grain of the paper, this grain running different ways to represent different cards. And there is only one position in which this card must be held that it can be told; and that is, hold the end of the card that is from you the highest, and then the shade will cast the grain in a way that you can plainly see the marks.