Pick out all the aces and picture cards, and then place an ordinary card
upon the table. “This card,” you say, “we will call an inn.” You
commence your story as follows:
“On a dark night there come four rustics to this inn, and ask for a
night’s lodging. As none of the landlord’s four rooms are occupied, he
shows each of the yokels to one of the rooms, and goes quietly to bed.
(Lay the four knaves around the card which represents the hostelry, and
proceed.)
“Not long afterwards four policemen knock at the door, and request also
a night’s lodging. As Boniface has now no chamber unoccupied he puts an
officer in with each of the clowns. (Lay the four aces upon the four
knaves.)
“Presently four fine gentlemen come along, and these want a night’s
lodging. Mine host is now in great embarrassment, but there is nothing
left for him to do but to put a gentleman in each of the four tenanted
chambers. (Here you lay a king upon each ace.)
“Thus far times went tolerably well, although not meeting with general
approbation. But now come four fine ladies, who also must have a night’s
lodging. The landlord is now beside himself with perplexity; indeed he
fairly loses his senses, for the stupid fellow, not knowing where to
_halve_ them, actually _quarters_ a lady in each of the already occupied
rooms! (Lay the queens upon the four other cards.)
“The ladies are highly indignant. ‘Could he not have put like and like
together?’ they ask. So he ought to have done, for policemen and louts,
lords and ladies are badly assorted. The fellow is out of his wits!
“‘Well,’ cried the landlord, at last, ‘if you are agreed, I will lodge
you like with like.’ All readily consent, and soon all the rustics are
lodged in one chamber, all the constables in another, all the gentlemen
in a third, and all the ladies in a fourth.”
While you are saying this, you lay the four heaps one upon another, and
let the company cut them as often as they choose. But, notwithstanding
all their cutting, if you now tell them off in order from the bottom of
the pack, and place them about the tavern, all the knaves will be in one
heap, all the aces in another, and so on.