‘“What do you say, sir—head or tail?”
‘“Head!” cried I, in a frenzy; “there ought to be one in the party.”
‘“Won again, by Jove!” said he, opening his hand; “I think you’ll find that rouleau correct; and now, sir, au revoir. I shall have my revenge one of these days.”
‘He shook my hand and went out, leaving me sitting up in the bed, trying to remember some one circumstance of the previous night, by which I could recall my joining the play-table. But nothing of the kind; a thick haze was over everything, through which I could merely recollect the spicy bishop, and my continued efforts to keep their glasses filled. There I sat, puzzled and confused, the bed covered with bank-notes, which after all have some confounded magic in their faces that makes our acceptance of them a matter of far less repugnance than it ought. While I counted over my gains, stopping every instant to think on the strange caprices of fortune, that wouldn’t afford me the gambler’s pleasure of winning, while enriching me with gain, the door opened, and in came Crotty.
‘“Not up yet! why, we start in ten minutes; didn’t the waiter call you?”
‘“No. I am in a state of bewilderment this whole morning——-”
‘“Well, well, get clear of it for a few seconds, I advise you, and let us settle scores——”
‘“What!” cried I, laughing, “have I won from you also?”
‘“No, by Jove, it’s the other way. You pushed me rather sharply though, and if I had taken all your bets I should have made a good thing of it. As it is”—here he opened a memorandum-book and read out—“as it is, I have only won seven hundred and twenty, and two hundred and fifty-eight—nine hundred and seventy-eight, I believe; does not that make it?”
‘I shivered like one in the ague, and couldn’t speak a word.