at
an action, eh? I back Frangipane at eight to one. Who'll take me?"

"Do keep quiet now," said Labordette at last. "You'll be sorry for it if
you do."

"Frangipane's a screw," Philippe declared. "He's been utterly blown upon
already. You'll see the canter."

The horses had gone up to the right, and they now started for the
preliminary canter, passing in loose order before the stands. Thereupon
there was a passionate fresh burst of talk, and people all spoke at
once.

"Lusignan's too long in the back, but he's very fit. Not a cent, I tell
you, on Valerio II; he's nervous--gallops with his head up--it's a bad
sign. Jove! Burne's riding Spirit. I tell you, he's got no shoulders. A
well-made shoulder--that's the whole secret. No, decidedly, Spirit's too
quiet. Now listen, Nana, I saw her after the Grande Poule des Produits,
and she was dripping and draggled, and her sides were trembling like one
o'clock. I lay twenty louis she isn't placed! Oh, shut up! He's boring
us with his Frangipane. There's no time to make a bet now; there,
they're off!"

Almost in tears, La Faloise was struggling to find a bookmaker. He had
to be reasoned with. Everyone craned forward, but the first go-off
was bad, the starter, who looked in the distance like a slim dash of
blackness, not having lowered his flag. The horses came back to their
places after galloping a moment or two. There were two more false
starts. At length the starter got the horses together and sent them away
with such address as to elicit shouts of applause.

"Splendid! No, it was mere chance! Never mind--it's done it!"

The outcries were smothered by the anxiety which tortured every breast.
The betting stopped now, and the game was being played on the vast
course itself. Silence reigned at the outset, as though everyone were
holding his breath. White faces and trembling forms were stretched
forward in all directions. At first Hazard and Cosinus made the running
at the head of the rest; Valerio II followed close by, and the field
came on in a confused mass behind. When they passed in front of the
stands, thundering over the ground in their course like a sudden
stormwind, the mass was already some fourteen lengths in extent.
Frangipane was last, and Nana was slightly behind Lusignan and Spirit.

"Egad!" muttered Labordette, "how the Englishman is pulling it off out
there!"

The whole carriageload again burst out with phrases and exclamations.
Everyone rose on tiptoe