Volume III Part 84 (1/2)
I kept my appointment, and entered her room at nine o'clock exactly I found her dressed, and onher she said that it should be of no consequence to ry, and I tookto her When I had finished she offered ed to be excused, telling her that in the humour in which she had put me I should prove the better player, and that I did not care to win ladies'I rose to leave the rooh to take me to the fountain”
”I think not If you take ive the iet whomsoever you please to take you to the fountain, but as forto be excused Farewell,no attention to her efforts to recall me
I found the inn-keeper, and told him that I must leave at three o'clock without a fail The lady, as at her , could hear ht to the fountain where the chevalier asked me what had become of his wife, and I answered that I had left her in her roo with a stranger, elcomed by a certain M de St Maurice Madame Zeroli left hi the matter I could not repulse her without the most troubleso ofme, that if I really loved her I should put off ht o'clock the next day I answered coolly that I would think it over I was serious all dinner-tio at three o'clock, but as I wanted to find so on account of the nun, I leta bank at faro
I staked all the gold I had, and I saw every face light up as I put down about four hundred louis in gold, and about six hundred francs in silver ”Gentleht o'clock precisely”
The stranger said, with a s, but I pretended not to understand hied Desaran to deal with due deliberation to eighteen or twenty punters, all professional gamblers I took a new pack at every deal
By five o'clock I had lost e wheels, and they said it was three Englisho on to Chamberi A moment after they came in, and I bowed It was Mr
Fox and his two friends, who had played quinze with ladly, and went ten louis, playing on two and three cards, going paroli, seven and the 'va', as well as the 'quinze', so thatHowever, I kept upneutral, the chances were in my favour So it happened, and at the third deal I had cleared the Englishe was ready
While I was shuffling a fresh pack of cards, the youngest of them drew out of his pocket-book a paper which he spewed to his two coe ”Will you stake the value of this bill on a card, without knowing its value?” said he
”Yes,” I replied, ”if you will tell me upon whom it is drawn, and provided that it does not exceed the value of the bank”
After a rapid glance at the pile of gold before e a suht by Zappata, of Turin”
I agreed, he cut, and put hishalf shares I drew and drew and drew, but no ace appeared I had only a dozen cards left
”Sir,” said I, calmly to the punter, ”you can draw back if you like”
”No, go on”
Four cards ht cards left
”My lord,” said I, ”it's two to one that I do not hold the ace, I repeat you can draw back”
”No, no, you are too generous, go on”
I continued dealing, and won; I put the bill of exchange in lish the effect this bold stroke hadFox caed reatest pleasure, and he paid me them back in London three years later
Everyone was curious to know the value of the bill of exchange, but I was not polite enough to satisfy their curiosity It was for eight thousand Piedlishone fortune declared for the bank I rose at eight o'clock, so won a few louis, all the others were dried up I had won ave twenty-five to Desarmoises, who jumped for joy I locked up my money, put -place
The worthy peasant wo me that everybody was asleep, and that she had not found it necessary to renew the lay-sister's dose, as she was still asleep
I was terrified I went upstairs, and by the light of a single candle I saw the wretched, veiled figure of the nun, extended upon a sack which the peasant wo the wall instead of a sofa The candle which lighted this dreary place was fixed in a bottle
”What have you decided on doing?” said I
”I have decided on nothing, for an unforeseen incident has confounded us The lay-sister has been asleep for eighteen hours”