'Leave them there,' said Cosette, pointing to the four notes for a thousand francs each. 'I did say you would bring happiness.' They smiled at each other happily.
Black won again.
Cosette repeated her orders. Such a method of playing was entirely contrary to Henry's expert opinion. Nevertheless, black, in defiance of rules, continued to win. When sixteen thousand francs of paper lay before Henry, the croupier addressed him sharply, and he gathered, with Cosette's assistance, that the maximum stake was twelve thousand francs.
'Put four thousand on the odd numbers,' said Cosette. 'Eh? You think?'
'No,' said Henry. 'Evens.'
And the number four turned up again.
At a stroke he had won sixteen thousand francs, six hundred and forty pounds, for Cosette, and the total gains were one thousand two hundred and forty pounds.
The spectators were at last interested in Henry's play. It was no longer an illusion on his part that people stared at him.
'Say a number,' whispered Cosette. 'Shut the eyes and say a number.'