Thought Foretold The performer commences the experiment by handing to a spectator a sealed envelope, with the request to take charge of it until it is wanted. The performer then introduces a piquet pack of thirty-two cards and, after shuffling it, divides it into four heaps of eight cards each. These heaps are then arranged on a tray, over which a borrowed handkerchief is then spread. Turning so the tray is behind, the conjurer invites a spectator to remove from underneath the handkerchief any one of the four heaps and retain it. After the request has been carried out, the performer turns around, seizes the spectator's hand and while pretending to read their thoughts, proceeds to write on a blackboard the name of the cards contained in the selected heap. The performer then asks for the return of the envelope, which the performer opens. Removing a slip of paper, it is also found to have the names of the eight cards chosen. The pack used has, not surprisingly, been prearranged. Every eighth card is a trifle wider than the rest. After having given the pack a False Shuffle, the performer makes the pass at a wide card and divides them into four heaps on the tray. In doing so, the performer secretly obtains a glimpse of the bottom card. From that it is easy to determine the names of the cards contained in each heap. After one of the heaps has been removed from the tray, the performer can easily tell, by glancing at the tray, which heap is missing since the handkerchief will have sunk down in the place formerly occupied by the heap. Knowing the names of the cards, thanks to their prearranged order, the performer then proceeds to write on the blackboard the names of the cards. The envelope contains a slip of paper with the names of the first eight cards of the prepared pack. It also contains a second smaller envelope, which again contains another slip with the names of the next eight cards and a third, still smaller envelope. This is similarly arranged, containing a third slip and a fourth envelope, with a slip bearing the names of the last eight cards. Owing to this peculiar arrangement, the conjurer can easily produce from the envelope or envelopes, as the case may be, any one of the four slips. Supposing the first eight cards to have been chosen. The performer simply opens the first envelope and, neglecting the envelope within, removes the slip. Handing it to a spectator, the performer requests the spectator to read aloud the list of cards on the paper. The envelope and its contents (in this case), are carelessly thrown aside. If, however, the third set of cards has been chosen, the performer would open the first envelope. Paying no attention to the slip it contains, the performer would remove the second envelope. Opening this one and ignoring the slip it contained, the performer would take the third envelope. From here the performer would remove the slip only, placing the last envelope shown aside, as if it were of no further importance.  Home | Card Tricks | Card Trick Skills | The Pass | The Force | Changes False Shuffling | The Glimpse | Card Palm | Card Sleights Copyright © 2003-2006 HowToDoCardTricks.com. All rights reserved worldwide.   You can quickly get a copy of every trick on this web site in a downloadable PDF book. That's over 40 classic card tricks to amaze and astound your friends, all stored on your computer to refer to at any time! Just click the link below to get your own copy today for just $5.