ng more than six points in eight or ten games. I asked
him to play a single game for one hundred pistoles; but as he saw I did
not stake, he told me it was late; that he must go and look after his
horses; and went away, still asking my pardon for his great freedom. The
cool manner of his refusal, and the politeness with which he took his
leave, provoked me to such a degree, that I could almost have killed
him. I was so confounded at losing my money so fast, even to the last
pistole, that I did not immediately consider the miserable situation to
which I was reduced.

"I durst not go up to my chamber for fear of Brinon. By good luck,
however, he was tired with waiting for me, and had gone to bed. This was
some consolation, though but of short continuance. As soon as I was laid
down, all the fatal consequences of my adventure presented themselves
to my imagination. I could not sleep. I saw all the horrors of my
misfortune, without being able to find any remedy; in vain did I rack
my brain; it supplied me with no expedient. I feared nothing so much as
daybreak; however, it did come, and the cruel Brinon along with it. He
was booted up to the middle, and cracking a cursed whip, which he
held in his hand, 'Up, Monsieur le Chevalier,' cried he, opening the
curtains; 'the horses are at the door, and you are still asleep. We
ought by this time to have ridden two stages; give me money to pay the
reckoning.' 'Brinon,' said I, in a dejected tone, 'draw the curtains.'
'What!' cried he, 'draw the curtains! Do you intend, then, to make your
campaign at Lyons? you seem to have taken a liking to the place. And for
the great merchant, you have stripped him, I suppose? No, no, Monsieur
le Chevalier, this money will never do you any good. This wretch has,
perhaps, a family; and it is his children's bread that he has been
playing with, and that you have won. Was this an object to sit up all
night for? What would my lady say, if she knew what a life you lead?'
'M. Brinon,' said I, 'pray draw the curtains.' But instead of obeying
me, one would have thought that the devil had prompted him to use the
most pointed and galling terms to a person under such misfortunes. 'And
how much have you won?' said he; 'five hundred pistoles? what must the
poor man do?

"'Recollect, Monsieur le Chevalier, what I have said, this money will
never thrive with you. It is, perhaps, but four hundred? three? two?
well if it be but one hundred louis d'or, continued h