Chapter XXXVII: Part I: The "coup De Piquet."

How to Repique and Capot one's Adversary.

The trick I am about to describe, dates from the last century. It was the invention of a juggler named Comus, who performed it with his eyes bandaged.

From this interesting combination, have originated all the other _coups de piquet_, so often displayed by jugglers.

I shall here give a description of how it is done, as it will make what I have mentioned in the preceding chapter, more easy to understand.

In taking up the pack of cards, the juggler, with a pretended awkwardness, shuffles the cards in such a manner, that many of them are turned face to face. This enables him, under the pretext of turning them the right way about, to select and place at the bottom of the pack a sequence of eight cards in any suit, a king and three aces.

Once in possession of these twelve cards, he slightly bends the corners, which leaves a ridge that he can easily discern. (See part vii., chapter ix.)

He then hands the cards to his adversary to shuffle.

Whilst this is being done he has his eyes bandaged with a handkerchief, which, however, does not prevent his seeing through the interstices caused by the projection of his nose.

He then takes back the pack, and whilst pretending to shuffle, he finds the marked cards, and places them where he wishes, as will be explained in the following part.

Some jugglers, instead of bending the cards, with the greatest _sang froid_, pass the twelve cards above alluded to, underneath the others, and then pretend to shuffle.