cket his louis, and go away with a
letter from M'sieu' Doltaire. But M'sieu' Doltaire, he laugh in the face
of M'sieu' Cadet, and say ver' pleasant, 'That is a servant of the King,
m'sieu', who live by his sword alone. Why should civilians be so greedy?
Come, play, M'sieu' Cadet. If M'sieu' the General will play with me, we
two will what we can do with you and his Excellency the Intendant.'

"They sit just beneath me, and I hear all what is said, I see all the
looks of them, every card that is played. M'sieu' the General have not
play yet, but watch M'sieu' Doltaire and the Intendant at the cards.
With a smile he now sit down. Then M'sieu' Doltaire, he say, 'M'sieu'
Cadet, let us have no mistake--let us be commercial.' He take out his
watch. 'I have two hours to spare; are you dispose to play for that
time only? To the moment we will rise, and there shall be no question of
satisfaction, no discontent anywhere--eh, shall it be so, if m'sieu' the
General can spare the time also?' It is agree that the General play for
one hour and go, and that M'sieu' Doltaire and the Intendant play for
the rest of the time.

"They begin, and I hide there and watch. The time go ver' fast, and my
breath catch in my throat to see how great the stakes they play for. I
hear M'sieu' Doltaire say at last, with a smile, taking out his watch,
'M'sieu' the General, your time is up, and you take with you twenty
thousan' francs.'

"The General, he smile and wave his hand, as if sorry to take so much
from M'sieu' Cadet and the Intendant. M'sieu' Cadet sit dark, and speak
nothing at first, but at last he get up and turn on his heel and walk
away, leaving what he lose on the table. M'sieu' the General bow also,
and go from the room. Then M'sieu' Doltaire and the Intendant play. One
by one the other players stop, and come and watch these. Something get
into the two gentlemen, for both are pale, and the face of the Intendant
all of spots, and his little round eyes like specks of red fire; but
M'sieu' Doltaire's face, it is still, and his brows bend over, and now
and then he make a little laughing out of his lips. All at once I hear
him say, 'Double the stakes, your Excellency!' The Intendant look up
sharp and say, 'What! Two hunder' thousan' francs!'--as if M'sieu'
Doltaire could not pay such a like that. M'sieu' Doltaire smile ver'
wicked, and answer, 'Make it three hunder' thousan' francs, your
Excellency.' It is so still in the Chamber of the Joy tha