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We had come to see blackguards； but these men were something worse。
There is a comic side； more or less appreciable； in all blackguardism
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here there was nothing but tragedymute； weird tragedy。 The quiet in the
room was horrible。 The thin； haggard； long…haired young man； whose
sunken eyes fiercely watched the turning up of the cards； never spoke； the
flabby； fat…faced； pimply player； who pricked his piece of pasteboard
perseveringly； to register how often black won； and how often rednever
spoke； the dirty； wrinkled old man； with the vulture eyes and the darned
great…coat； who had lost his last sou； and still looked on desperately； after
he could play no longernever spoke。 Even the voice of the croupier
sounded as if it were strangely dulled and thickened in the atmosphere of
the room。 I had entered the place to laugh； but the spectacle before me was
something to weep over。 I soon found it necessary to take refuge in
excitement from the depression of spirits which was fast stealing on me。
Unfortunately I sought the nearest excitement； by going to the table and
beginning to play。 Still more unfortunately； as the event will show； I won
won prodigiously； won incredibly； won at such a rate that the regular
players at the table crowded round me； and staring at my stakes with
hungry； superstitious eyes； whispered to one another that the English
stranger was going to break the bank。
The game was Rouge et Noir。 I had played at it in every city in Europe；
without； however； the care or the wish to study the Theory of Chances
that philosopher's stone of all gamblers！ And a gambler； in the strict sense
of the word； I had never been。 I was heart…whole from the corroding
passion for play。 My gaming was a mere idle amusement。 I never resorted
to it by necessity； because I never knew what it was to want money。 I
never practised it so incessantly as to lose more than I could afford； or to
gain more than I could coolly pocket without being thrown off my balance
by my good luck。 In short； I had hitherto frequented gambling…tablesjust
as I frequented ball…rooms and opera… housesbecause they amused me；
and because I had nothing better to do with my leisure hours。
But on this occasion it was very differentnow； for the first time in my
life； I felt what the passion for play really was。 My success first
bewildered； and then； in the most literal meaning of the word； intoxicated
me。 Incredible as it may appear； it is nevertheless true； that I only lost
when I attempted to estimate chances； and played according to previous
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calculation。 If I left everything to luck； and staked without any care or
consideration； I was sure to winto win in the face of every recognized
probability in favour of the bank。 At first some of the men present
ventured their money safely enough on my colour； but I speedily increased
my stakes to sums which they dared not risk。 One after another they left
off playing； and breathlessly looked on at my game。
Still； time after time； I staked higher and higher； and still won。 The
excitement in the room rose to fever pitch。 The silence was interrupted by
a deep…muttered chorus of oaths and exclamations in different languages；
every time the gold was shovelled across to my side of the tableeven the
imperturbable croupier dashed his rake on the floor in a （French） fury of
astonishment at my success。 But one man present preserved his self…
possession； and that man was my friend。 He came to my side； and
whispering in English； begged me to leave the place； satisfied with what I
had already gained。 I must do him the justice to say that he repeated his
warnings and entreaties several times； and only left me and went away
after I had rejected his advice （I was to all intents and purposes gambling
drunk） in terms which rendered it impossible for him to address me again
that night。
Shortly after he had gone； a hoarse voice behind me cried： 〃Permit me；
my dear sirpermit me to restore to their proper place two napoleons
which you have dropped。 Wonderful luck； sir！ I pledge you my word of
honour； as an old soldier； in the course of my long experience in this sort
of thing； I never saw such luck as yoursnever！ Go on； sir /Sacre mille
bombes！/ Go on boldly； and break the bank！〃
I turned round and saw； nodding and smiling at me with inveterate
civility； a tall man； dressed in a frogged and braided surtout。 If I had been
in my senses； I should have considered him； personally； as being rather a
suspicious specimen of an old soldier。 He had goggling bloodshot eyes；
mangy moustaches； and a broken nose。 His voice betrayed a barrack…room
intonation of the worst order； and he had the dirtiest pair of hands I ever
saweven in France。 These little personal peculiarities exercised； however；
no repelling influence on me。 In the mad excitement； the reckless triumph
of that moment； I was ready to 〃fraternize〃 with anybody who encouraged
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me in my game。 I accepted the old soldier's offered pinch of snuff； clapped
him on the back； and swore he was the honestest fellow in the worldthe
most glorious relic of the Grand Army that I had ever met with。 〃Go on！〃
cried my military friend； snapping his fingers in ecstasy〃Go on； and win！
Break the bank/Mille tonnerres！/ my gallant English comrade； break the
bank！〃
And I /did/ go onwent on at such a rate； that in another quarter of an
hour the croupier called out； 〃Gentlemen； the bank has discontinued for to…
night。〃 All the notes； and all the gold in that 〃bank〃 now lay in a heap
under my hands； the whole floating capital of the gambling… house was
waiting to pour into my pockets！
〃Tie up the money in your pocket…handkerchief； my worthy sir；〃 said
the old soldier； as I wildly plunged my hands into my heap of gold。 〃Tie it
up； as we used to tie up a bit of dinner in the Grand Army； your winnings
are too heavy for any breeches…pockets that ever were sewed。 There！ that's
itshovel them in； notes and all！ /Credie！/ what luck！ Stop！ another
napoleon on the floor！ Ah！ /sacre petit polisson de Napoleon！/ have I
found thee at last？ Now then； sirtwo tight double knots each way with
your honourable permission； and the money's safe。 Feel it！ feel it；
fortunate sir！ hard and round as a cannon…ball/Ah； bah！/ if they had only
fired such cannon…balls at us at Austerlitz /nom d'une pipe！/ if they only
had！ And now； as an ancient grenadier； as an ex…brave of the French army；
what remains for me to do？ I ask what？ Simply this： to entreat my valued
English friend to drink a bottle of champagne with me； and toast the
goddess Fortune in foaming goblets before we part！〃
〃Excellent ex…brave！ Convivial ancient grenadier！ Champagne by all
means！ An English cheer for an old soldier！ Hurrah！ hurrah！ Another
English cheer for the goddess Fortune！ Hurrah！ hurrah！ hurrah！〃
〃Bravo！ the Englishman； the amiable； gracious Englishman； in whose
veins circulates the vivacious blood of France！ Another glass？ /Ah； bah！/
the bottle is empty！ Never mind！ /Vive le vin！/ I； the old soldier； order
another bottle； and half a pound of bonbons with it！〃
〃No； no； ex…brave； neverancient grenadier！ /Your/ bottle last time；
my bottle this。 Behold it！ Toast away！ The French Army！ the great
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Napoleon！ the present company！ the croupier！ the honest croupier's wife
and daughtersif he has any！ the Ladies generally！ everybody in the
world！〃
By the time the second bottle of champagne was emptied； I felt as if I
had been drinking liquid firemy brain seemed all aflame。 No excess in
wine had