"Les quatre premiers et quatre en plein," she said.
But it was too late. "Rien ne va plus," said the man in the centre. "Trente-deux, noir, pair et passe."
The croupier handed her back the note. "You're lucky," he said. "You would have lost." She repeated her phrase, and he put the note on the top of his rake and passed it across the table. "Quatre premiers," he said, and the man in the middle placed it.
"Et quoi encore?" said the croupier, looking at Nancy.
"Quatre premiers et quatre en plein," repeated Nancy, mechanically.
"Combien à l'en plein?" said the man, holding out his hand.
Nancy gave him the second fifty-franc note, and he passed it up on his rake. "Quatre en plein."
"Quatre en plein. Tout va aux billets," said the man in the centre; and the ball whizzed round. Nancy's heart was thumping; it shook her; it beat like a drum. The little ball dropped, ran along awhile, stopped, clattered and clicked, and fell into a compartment.
"Trois."
Everybody looked at Nancy as she was paid, and she collected the gold and silver with clumsy hands. "Encore," she said, giving the croupier the remaining bill and some louis.