Robert-Houdin has exhausted the subject of card-trickery, in
connection with that prestidigitation which, it seems, all card-
sharpers cultivate, the description of which, however, is by no
means so entertaining as the visible performance. I find,
nevertheless, in his book, under the title of 'Small Trickeries
made innocent by Custom,' certain things alluded to which I can
attest by experience.

I. At Whist, no communication whatever must be made by a player
to his partner, excepting those authorized by the laws of the
game; but some persons go further, and by the play of their
features 'telegraph' to their partners the value of their hands.

II. Any one with a good memory and endowed with quick perception
may form a very accurate estimate of the hands held by all the
players by remembering THE TRICKS AS THEY ARE PLAYED AND TURNED
DOWN--all of a suit, or trumped. Cards 'stick together' most
lovingly, and the ordinary shuffling scarcely alters their
sequence; and so, if a trick has been taken by an ace over a
king, for instance, and in the next deal you get the same king,
you may be sure that the ace is either on your right or your
left, according to the deal; of course, if you get the ace, then
the same probability, or rather necessity, exists as to the king;
and so on. Knave, queen, king, ace, of the same name, are almost
sure to be separated in the deal between the four players, or one
player will have two of them. The observation is a tax upon the
faculties; but I am sure, quite sure, that the thing can be done,
and is, when done, of material service; although, of course, the
knowledge can be turned to account only by an expert player, with
a partner who can understand the game which he wishes to play.