Take the four kings into your hand in such a manner that one slightly
overlaps the other, yet so that each can easily be distinguished when
held closely in the hand.
After showing them to the company, you slide them together, and place
them, thus joined, upon the top of the pack, held in your right hand.
You then draw off the four top cards, and lay each in a person’s lap,
face downwards, directing them to place the flat of the hand upon them.
You now draw four other cards from the pack, and place them each upon
the lap of a neighbour of each of the four above persons, and direct
them also to cover them with the flat of the hand. You now step with the
rest of the cards, in front of each of these eight persons, flirt the
cards towards the lap of each, and when each lifts his card from his
lap, and looks at it, it appears that the four persons, upon whose lap
you have placed the four kings, have altogether different cards, and
their neighbours have now the four kings.
This is done in the following manner. While you are drawing the four
kings from the pack, and placing them as described, one upon the other
in your hand, you, at the same time, unperceived, carry off four other
cards, and place them behind the four kings, so that they lie in the
hollow of your hand, and cannot be seen. When, after having showed the
four kings, you push them together in a heap, the four kings, of course,
come in front of the four other cards, which latter now lie on the top
of the pack; these you distribute to the first four persons, and then
deal out the four kings to their neighbours.