twenty punters, all professional gamblers. I
took a new pack at every deal.

By five o'clock I had lost money. We heard carriage wheels, and they said
it was three Englishmen from Geneva, who were changing horses to go 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 me. My croupier gave them
cards, which they received gladly, and went ten louis, playing on two and
three cards, going paroli, seven and the 'va', as well as the 'quinze',
so that my bank was in danger of breaking. However, I kept up my face,
and even encouraged them to play, for, God being neutral, the chances
were in my favour. So it happened, and at the third deal I had cleared
the Englishmen out, and their carriage 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 companions. It
was a bill of exchange. "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 me, he said, "The bill is
not for so large a sum as your bank, and it is payable at sight by
Zappata, of Turin."

I agreed, he cut, and put his money on an ace, the two friends going half
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 more, and still no ace; I had only eight 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 my pocket
without looking at it. The Englishmen shook me by the hand and went off
laughing. I was enjoying the effect this bold stroke had made on the
company, when young Fox came in and with a roar of laughter begged me to
lend him fifty Louis. I counted them out with the greatest 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
Piedmontese francs, as I saw as soon as I was alone. The Englishmen had
brought me good luck, for when they had gone fortune declared