[CHAPTER IX.]
SECRET GAMBLING HOUSES—(continued).
School of cheating—Travelling Greeks—Le Service—Formidable manœuvre—Imperceptible signs—The business of the Comtois—The coup de retraite—Abundant harvest—Prodigality and debauch—Fortune takes her reprisal.
The three associates at first always worked together, and made some good hits in several of the gambling houses in the metropolis; but finding at length, that, as the number of Greeks increased, the number of victims lessened, they determined on starting a clandestine hell of their own, at the head of which they placed a very respectable lady of their acquaintance, named Madame de Haut-Castel, familiarly called "la Pompadour."
To Chaffard was deputed the task of recruiting for dupes, and drawing them away from other houses.
This establishment prospered very well for some time, but, one fine day, they perceived that their affairs were entangled.
A good number of habitués, who had been introduced as dupes, after having been cleaned out by the masters of the place, took their revenge on the new recruits, and fleeced them with infinite skill.
Andréas soon suspected, that there was no faith to be placed in the "Fencing-Master," and discovered that he, in conjunction with "la Pompadour," whose admirer and devoted slave he had become, had started a sort of class, for men who had nearly ruined themselves by gambling; to whom, for a handsome douceur, they taught some of their best tricks in cheating.
The two other associates were incensed at this discovery, but dared not show how exasperated they were, fearing, as they did, the sword of Chaffard; so they contented themselves with concealing their disgust, and paying him off in his own coin. They decided to quit Paris; and, giving as a reason, their wish to explore the watering and bathing places during the summer season, they left the establishment in Paris to the care of the "Fencing-Master," with full power to do what he pleased, nay even to dispose of it if he liked.