Easy Does It #10: In Want of a Wife
What do Jane Austen and Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser have in common?
Welcome to another edition of Easy Does It, a regular Ruseletter column about simple (and sometimes self-working) magic tricks that you can learn to impress your friends and family.
This instalment features a memorable trick called “In Want of a Wife”, a romantic, Austen-inspired treatment of Hofzinser’s Royal Marriages. 👰
It’s similar in theme and effect to “Perfect Partners”, the routine I shared a few days ago (see A Letter of Some Consequence). While it requires a modicum of sleight of hand (an Elmsley Count and a double lift), it isn’t at all difficult to perform. I hope you’ll love it as much as I do. ❤
📋 Quick Reference
Effect Type: Small-Packet Coincidence Effect
Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ (Intermediate)
Audience Size: Close-up/Parlour
Duration: ⏱️⏱️ (3-5 minutes)
Setup Time: 🎯 (Minimal)
Reset Time: Instant
Key Moves & Principles: Elmsley Count, Double Lift, Under-Down Deal
Regular Ruseletter readers will know that I’ve been quietly assembling a repertoire of romantic card tricks suitable for weddings, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day performances, and intimate social gatherings. (See Easy Does It #4: Sixpence Ceremony, Easy Does It #7: Simplex Soulmates, Easy Does It #8: Double Happiness, and Easy Does It #9: Algorithmic Love for previous examples.)
“In Want of a Wife” is a natural addition to this collection—but it’s also something a little different. While most of my romantic tricks are designed for couples, this one is designed specifically for a single spectator: ideally, an avid reader of Jane Austen’s novels. (It can also be adapted to be performed for a couple, of course.)
What Makes This Trick So Special?
Because “In Want of a Wife” requires no pre-arrangement, you can perform it with a borrowed deck at a moment’s notice. There’s no setup to remember, no secret stack to maintain, and no specially prepared cards or props to carry. All you need is a standard deck and the presence of mind to recall the simple sequence of moves that make the trick work.
While the routine isn’t self-working, the Under-Down Deal does most of the heavy lifting for you. No sleight of hand is required beyond the Elmsley Count and the double lift, both of which are within reach of any intermediate card worker. In addition, the Regency courtship preamble provides natural, engaging misdirection during the technically sensitive moments of the routine (the discrepant false count sequences).
Once the first match-up is revealed, many Royal Marriage effects become predictable, repetitive and even a little dull. The rich, historic presentation gives this effect an emotional resonance that audiences can connect with. The romantic theme is universally recognised, even by people who’ve never read the novel. In other words, this is a trick that appeals to a broad audience of all ages.
Finally, the effect builds beautifully across four distinct phases, each one seemingly more impossible than the last. The final line leaves audiences with something to take away beyond the coincidence of the cards matching.
Hay’s Paradox, Revisited
Regular readers will recall my discussion of Henry Hay’s Paradox of Practice in Easy Does It #8, where I introduced the concept of “easy hard tricks”—easy or self-working effects that are technically simple to perform but require significant time and effort to present in a compelling manner.
“In Want of a Wife” is a classic example of an easy hard trick. The mechanics are straightforward. The Under-Down Deal is completely self-working. The Charlier Shuffle requires no advanced skill whatsoever. Even the Elmsley Count and double lift are within comfortable reach of most card workers (after a modest amount of practice).
However, the presentation is rich and multilayered. The Regency courtship patter, the Austen quotations, and the “Love me, love me not…” elimination ritual all require thought, rehearsal, and genuine investment to deliver convincingly. The good news is that I’ve done much of that work for you. The basic script is written. The quotations are sourced. The misdirection is built in. Your job is to make it your own.
And that, as Henry Hay would remind us, is where the real magic happens.
Who Is This Trick For?
“In Want of a Wife” will resonate most powerfully with fans of Jane Austen’s novels—and there are more of them than you might think. Pride and Prejudice alone has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. The 1995 BBC adaptation starring Colin Firth remains one of the most beloved costume dramas ever made. Even people who’ve never read a word of Austen will almost certainly recognise the dashing Mr Darcy and headstrong Elizabeth Bennet.
The trick truly shines when performed for someone who knows and loves the story—at a book club, a literary dinner, a Pride and Prejudice viewing party, or simply for a friend who owns more Penguin Classics than kitchen utensils. This is your opener, or a charming transition between stronger pieces.
For someone less familiar with the novels, it works equally well—it’s simply a beautiful romantic effect with a compelling narrative. Either way, the emotional impact is the same. I hope it might even encourage some spectators to pick up a copy of Pride and Prejudice.
And before you ask: yes, men are absolutely allowed to read Austen. Mr Darcy himself would almost certainly have approved!
This is the kind of trick that gets remembered. Not because the method is clever—though it is—but because it tells a heartwarming story. As I’ve said before, to paraphrase Maya Angelou, people may forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.
One Final Thought
At their heart, many of Jane Austen’s novels are about courtship, marriage and the elusive “happily ever after”. So is Hofzinser’s Royal Marriages plot. That’s what they have in common: both Austen and Hofzinser understood that the most satisfying stories are those in which everyone finds their perfect match. The Kings find their Queens. Darcy finds his Lizzie. And I hope your audience finds a little of that same quiet magic, drawn from a more genteel age that has long since disappeared.
As Austen herself might have observed, it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a magician in possession of a good trick, must be in want of a great presentation.
“In Want of a Wife” is, I humbly suggest, both.
Yours Magically,
Marty