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The Gaming Table-Vol.2-Part1_Andrew Steinmetz(1816-1877)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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pockets full of money, and showed that nothing could be easier



than for Olivier to go and do likewise in his terrible

condition;--in short, on one hand there were within his grasp,



riches, pleasure, all manner of enjoyment; on the other, pitiless

creditors, ruin, misery, and contempt. The tempter, moreover,



offered to initiate his listener in his infallible method of

getting rich. In his frame of mind Olivier yielded to the



temptation, with the full determination, if not to get money by

cheating at cards, at any rate to learn the method which might



serve as a means of self-defence should he not think proper to

use it for attack--such was the final argument suggested by the



human Mephistopheles to his pupil.

Taking Olivier to his house, he showed him a pack of cards. 'Now



here is a pack of cards,' he said; 'there seems to be nothing

remarkable about it, does there?' Olivier examined the pack and



declared that the cards did not appear to differ in the least

from all others. 'Well,' said Chauvignac, 'nevertheless they



have been subjected to a preparation called biseautage, or having

one end of the cards made narrower than the other. This



disposition enables us to remove from the pack such and such

cards and then to class them in the necessary order so that they



may get into the hand of the operator.' Chauvignac then

proceeded to apply his precepts by an example, and although the



young man had no particular qualification for the art of

legerdemain, he succeeded at once to admiration in a game at



Ecarte, for he had already mastered the first process of

cheating. Having thus, as he thought, sufficiently compromised



his victim, Chauvignac left him to his temptations, and took

leave of him.



Two days afterwards the professor returned to his pupil and

invited him to accompany him on a pleasure trip. Olivier excused



himself on account of his desperate condition--one of his

creditors being in pursuit of him for a debt of one thousand



francs. 'Is that all?' said Chauvignac; and pulling out his

pocket-book he added,--'Here's a bank-note; you can repay me to-



morrow.' 'Why, man, you are mad!' exclaimed Olivier. 'Be it

so,' said Chauvignac; 'and in my madness I give you credit for



another thousand-franc bank-note to go and get thirty thousand

francs which are waiting for you.' 'Now, do explain yourself,



for you are driving ME mad.' 'Nothing more easy. Here is the

fact,' said Chauvignac. 'M. le Comte de Vandermool, a wealthy



Belgian capitalist, a desperate gamester if ever there was one,

and who can lose a hundred thousand francs without much



inconvenience, is now at Boulogne, where he will remain a week.

This millionnaire must be thinned a little. Nothing is easier.



One of my friends and confreres, named Chaffard, is already with

the count to prepare the way. We have only now to set to work.



You are one of us--that's agreed--and in a few days you will

return, to satisfy your creditors and buy your mistress a shawl.'



'Stop a bit. You are going too fast. Wait a little. I haven't

as yet said Yes,' replied Olivier. 'I don't want your Yes now;



you will say it at Boulogne. For the present go and pay your

bill. We set out in two hours; the post-horses are already



ordered; we shall start from my house: be punctual.'

The party reached Boulogne and put up at the Hotel de l'Univers.



On their arrival they were informed that no time was to be lost,

as the count talked of leaving next day. The two travellers took



a hasty dinner, and at once proceeded to the apartment of the

Belgian millionnaire. Chaffard, who had preceded them,



introduced them as two of his friends, whose property was

situated in the vicinity of Boulogne.



M. le Comte de Vandermool was a man about fifty years of age,

with an open, candid countenance. He wore several foreign



decorations. He received the two gentlemen with charming

affability; he did more; he invited them to spend the evening



with him. Of course the invitation was accepted. When the

conversation began to flag, the count proposed a game--which was



also, of course, very readily agreed to by the three comperes.

While the table was prepared, Chauvignac gave his young friend






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