Part 17 (1/2)
The count, whose whole cash capital was in the bank, began to be alarmed at the risk he ran; but there was nothing for it but to accept.
It is a common saying that those who are fortunate in love are unfortunate at play but the reverse of this is often more nearly the truth. He who is fortunate in one thing is apt to be fortunate in everything; it is the same when one is unfortunate.
The count continued to draw cards, but no _three_ turned up. His emotion, notwithstanding his efforts to conceal it, was great. Finally, he came to a card which he knew by the lines at the top to be the king of hearts, and paused.
”Draw,” said the captain.
”It is no use! The king of hearts! Curses on it! The little priest has plucked me. Take up your money.”
The count threw the cards angrily on the table.
Don Luis took up the money calmly, and with apparent indifference.
After a short silence the count said:
”My little priest, you must give me my revenge.”
”I see no such necessity.”
”It seems to me that between gentlemen--”
”According to that rule the game would have no end,” said Don Luis, ”and it would be better to save one's self the trouble of playing altogether.”
”Give me my revenge,” replied the count, without paying any attention to this argument.
”Be it so,” returned Don Luis; ”I wish to be generous.”
The count took up the cards again, and proceeded to deal.
”Stop a moment,” said Don Luis; ”let us understand each other. Where is the money for your new bank?”
The count showed signs of confusion and disturbance.
”I have no money here,” he returned, ”but it seems to me that my word is more than enough.”
Don Luis answered, with grave and measured accent:
”Count, I should be quite willing to trust the word of a gentleman, and allow him to remain in my debt, if it were not that in doing so I should fear to lose your friends.h.i.+p, which I am now in a fair way to gain; but, as I was a witness this morning to the cruelty with which you treated certain friends of mine, to whom you are indebted, I do not wish to run the risk of becoming culpable in your eyes by means of the same fault.
How ridiculous to suppose that I should voluntarily incur your enmity by lending you money which you would not repay me, as you have not repaid, except with insults, that which you owe Pepita Ximenez!”
From the fact that this accusation was true, the offense was all the greater. The count became livid with anger, and, by this time on his feet, ready to come to blows with the collegian.
”You lie, slanderer!” he exclaimed. ”I shall tear you limb from limb, you----”
This last insult, which concerned the honor of her whose memory was most sacred to him, was never finished; its end never reached his ears. For, with marvelous quickness, dexterity, and force, he reached across the table which was between himself and the count, and, with the light, flexible bamboo cane with which he had armed himself, struck his antagonist on the face, raising on it instantly a dark purple welt.
There was neither retort, outcry, nor uproar after this. When the hands come into play, the tongue is apt to be silent. The count was about to throw himself on Don Luis, for the purpose of tearing him to pieces, if it were in his power. But opinion had changed greatly since yesterday morning, and was now on the side of Don Luis. The captain, the doctor, and even Currito, who now showed more courage than he had done on that occasion, all held back the count, who struggled and fought ferociously to release himself.
”Let me go!” he cried; ”let me get at him and kill him!”