The pack having been shuffled by one or more persons, make it be cut by
as many persons as you think proper.
Then desire one of the company to form the parcels of cards, all which
must contain thirteen each, beginning by the first card he takes up.
Suppose that this first card is a nine, the
next will be called ten, and so on till
thirteen; consequently this first parcel
will be composed of five cards 5
If the next card should be an ace, the ace
counting only one, the next parcel will
therefore be composed of thirteen cards 13
Suppose the next card is a court card, or
a ten, they being of the same value, this
parcel will contain, in order to make up
thirteen, four cards 4
If the following should be a five, then the
fourth parcel will contain nine cards 9
Should the next parcel be a seven, the
fifth parcel will be composed of seven
cards 7
A court card being the first of this
parcel, it will be composed of four cards 4
If the seventh begins by an eight, it will
be composed of six cards 6
In that case the eighth cannot be made,
except it begins by a ten, or a court card,
since there remains only four cards to
employ the whole number of the cards, which
is fifty two 4
―――
Sum total 52
―――
In the supposition then that this eighth parcel begins by a ten, or
court card, which is the same, there would remain no cards, and you
would have eight parcels.
If it began by any other card, not adapted to make out thirteen, there
would remain four cards, which must be spread on the table, without
discovering them.
In order to find out the number of points contained under each of the
parcels, whether they be to the amount of eight, or only seven, and
four cards remaining, you must make use of the following method:
Without touching the cards, separate in your mind four parcels; then
multiply silently by 14 the remaining parcels, whether they are four or
only three.
In the first case you are to say in your mind, 4 times 14 are 56, then
add to this number one point for each of the parcels that you have
separated in your mind, which will make 60. Then make the eight parcels
be turned up, and count the number of points contained in each of the
cards that are under, you will then find 60, observing that the aces
count only for one point, and the court cards for 10.
If there should be only 7 parcels, you will have 4 cards remaining; you
will however separate 4 in your mind; then you are to multiply the 3
remaining parcels by 14; and say to yourself, 3 times 14 is 42, and 4
for the 4 parcels that you separated, make 46; to which you must add 4
more for the 4 cards that will remain, which will make 50. On turning
up the 7 parcels you will necessarily find 50.
If by chance each parcel should begin by an ace, which is possible,
you could then make only 4 parcels, and as it must be the 4 aces, that
would be found under, you would only have 4 points.
If it happened also, that three parcels began each by an ace, it would
then take up 39 cards; it is probable that in such a case there would
be only four parcels in all, and a few cards remaining: you must then
content yourself with counting as many points as parcels; to which
you will add one point for each of the remaining cards, and this will
amount infallibly to the just number of the points of the cards under
the four parcels.