e it. But our one friend with the long light locks was impatient
for the fray. The gambling-room had now been opened, and the servants
of the table, less impatient than he, were slowly arranging their money
and their cards. Our friend had taken his seat, and was already
resolving, with his eyes fixed on the table, where he would make his
first plunge. In his right hand was a bag of gold, and under his left
hand were hidden the twelve napoleons with which he intended to
commence. On yesterday he had gone through his day's work by twelve,
though on one or two occasions he had plunged deeply. It had seemed to
this man as though a new heaven had been opened to him, as of late he
had seen little of luck in this world. The surmises made as to the low
state of his funds when he entered the room had been partly true; but
time had been when he was able to gamble in a more costly fashion even
than here, and to play among those who had taken his winnings and
losings simply as a matter of course.

And now the game had begun, and the twelve napoleons were duly
deposited. Again he won his stake, an omen for the day, and was
exultant. A second twelve and a third were put down, and on each
occasion he won. In the silly imagination of his heart he declared to
himself that the calculation of all chances was as nothing against his
run of luck. Here was the spot on which it was destined that he should
redeem all the injury which fortune had done him. And in truth this man
had been misused by fortune. His companion whispered in his ear, but he
heard not a word of it. He increased the twelve to fifteen, and again
won. As he looked round there was a halo of triumph which seemed to
illuminate his face. He had chained Chance to his chariot-wheel and
would persevere now that the good time had come. What did he care for
the creature at his elbow? He thought of all the good things which money
could again purchase for him as he carefully fingered the gold for the
next stake. He had been rich, though he was now poor; though how could a
man be accounted poor who had an endless sum of six hundred napoleons in
his pocket, a sum which was, in truth, endless, while it could be so
rapidly recruited in this fashion? The next stake he also won, but as he
raked all the pieces which the croupier pushed toward him his mind had
become intent on another sphere and on other persons. Let him win what
he might, his old haunts were now closed against him. What good w