"In two deals he had lost everything--all that he possessed. He remained standing motionless near the Colonel, staring, in a dazed manner, at the gaming table.
"'Won't you go on, Chevalier?' asked the Colonel, shuffling the cards for the next deal.
"'I have lost my all,' the Chevalier answered, powerfully constraining himself to be calm.
"'Do you mean to say you have nothing left?' the Colonel asked at the next deal.
"'I am a beggar,' the Chevalier cried, in a voice quivering with fury and pain, as he continued to stare at the gaming table. He did not notice that those who were staking were getting more and more the better of the banquier.
"The Colonel calmly continued the game.
"As he shuffled the cards for the third deal, he said to the Chevalier (without looking on him), 'You have a beautiful wife, you know!'
"'What do you mean?' cried the Chevalier angrily. The Colonel turned away a little without answering him.
"'Ten thousand ducats--or Angela!' he said, half averting his face, as the cards were being cut.
"'You are out of your senses!' cried the Chevalier, who had, however, now regained his composure a good deal, and began to observe that the Colonel was losing at every deal.