"Well! what about that rubber! Capédébious! shall we finish to-night?" cried Passedix, assuming a surly air and bringing his fist down on the table.
"I am ready, monsieur le favori du cardinal. But you will not ask me for your revenge again. I declare now that I will not throw after this."
"All right! that is understood. Who the devil asks you to?"
"There are the dice, monsieur; will you begin?"
"I have no objection."
Passedix put the three dice in the box that he held; this time, despite his efforts, one could see that his hand trembled and that he did not raise the box with the same confidence. However, the dice were thrown, and again the sum was fourteen.
Passedix jumped for joy, so that he nearly overturned the table; he breathed like a man who had been stifling for five minutes, then burst out in a roar of laughter that extinguished one of the lamps. His demonstration ended with the words:
"I think that you have lost, my boy! You will pay for our supper."
"But I believe that I am entitled to take my throw first."
"Oh! that is true; take your throw, it's your right; but if I were in your place, I would give it up and pay at once."