Part 18 (2/2)

_Et le fruit defendu dont se nourrit la ma.s.se a d'autant plus de saveur que le joli pet.i.t serpent auquel on doit sa decouverte a toutes les allures mignonnes d'un demon tentateur extremement seduisant_.

To Erle Brooker, whose sole vice was that of gambling, the monotonous invitation of the croupiers, and the jingle of louis as they were tossed carelessly over to the winners, were as the sound of the hounds to the old hunter, or the bugle to the retired soldier. All the old longing for excitement and the hope for a run of luck came again upon him, and although he had vowed he would never again play he soon felt his pulse quicken and his good resolutions fading away. As, accompanied by Zertho and Liane, he moved on from table to table, watching the play and criticising it with the air of one with wide experience, the desire for risking a few louis came irresistibly upon him. He remembered that before leaving Nice he had placed ten one-hundred-franc notes in his pocket. It was a sum small enough, in all conscience, to risk. He recollected the time when, with Zertho standing behind him taking charge of his winnings, he had won a hundred times that amount between mid-day and midnight.

Of all that gay crowd Liane looked the prettiest and smartest. As she cast a rapid glance around the various tables, many of the men and women she recognised as professional fellow-gamblers, each with their little piles of silver, gold and notes. One or two, well-dressed and more prosperous, had, she knew, at one time been down to their very last franc. The two men also singled out old acquaintances, men who pa.s.sed their days in these crowded rooms, nodded to them and remarked upon the sudden prosperity of some and the unusual seediness of others.

They were standing together closely watching the roulette at one of the centre tables. People were crowding four deep around it, but mostly the stakes were five-franc pieces, the minimum allowed.

”By Jove!” Zertho exclaimed at last, turning to the Captain. ”See what a run the red is having!”

”Fourteen times in succession, m'sieur,” observed a man at their elbow, consulting his card.

”It won't again. Watch,” Brooker answered briefly, closely interested in the game.

Next moment the ball was sent spinning around outside the revolving disc of black and red; the croupier with sphinx-like countenance uttered his monotonous cry, ”_Rien ne va plus_!” and after breathless silence the rattle told that the ivory had fallen. Brooker's prophecy proved correct. The black had gained.

”Going to risk anything?” inquired Zertho, with a smile.

”No,” interrupted Liane earnestly. ”Dad will not. He has already promised me.”

The Captain, his hand trembling in his pocket, turned to his daughter with a smile.

”Surely you won't deprive him of winning a few louis?” Zertho exclaimed. ”Be generous, just this once, dearest.”

Smiling, she turned to her father with a glance of inquiry.

”I have promised,” he observed quietly. ”I do not break my pledge to you, unless with your permission.”

Already the people, eager to tempt Fortune, were placing their money on the yellow lines upon the table, and while they spoke Zertho tossed a couple of louis upon the simple chance of the black. The game was made, black won, and he received back his stake with two louis in addition.

The sight of Zertho winning stirred Erle Brooker's blood. He had watched the run of the table sufficiently to know from experience that the chances were again in favour of the red, and with quick resolve he threw upon the scarlet diamond two notes for one hundred francs apiece.

Liane made a sudden movement to stay his hand, but too late. Then, with lips compressed she looked at him with bitter reproach, but uttered no word. The little ivory ball had already been launched on it way.

”_Rien ne va plus_!” cried the croupier an instant later, and the ball next second clicked into its socket.

Red won. The croupier tossed over to him two notes of the same value as those he had staked, and he took them up with an amused smile at his companions.

”Really, dad,” cried Liane, pouting prettily, ”it is too bad of you to break your promise. I only came with you on one condition, namely, that you wouldn't play.”

”Well, I've won ten louis, so no great harm has been done,” he answered.

”But there is harm,” she protested firmly. ”When once you come to the tables you cannot, you know, leave until you've won, or lost everything.

I thought you had, for my sake, given it up.”

They had drawn aside from the table, and were standing in the middle of the handsome room.

”This is only in fun, Liane,” Zertho a.s.sured her. ”We are neither of us any longer professionals. Our day is over.”

”It is certainly not kind of you to invite my father to play like this,”

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