“‘But, my dear Count,’ replied my grandmother, ‘I tell you that I haven’t any money left.’
“‘Money is not necessary,’ replied St. Germain: ‘be pleased to listen to me.’
“Then he revealed to her a secret, for which each of us would give a good deal...”
The young officers listened with increased attention. Tomsky lit his pipe, puffed away for a moment and then continued:
“That same evening my grandmother went to Versailles to the jeu de la reine. The Duke of Orleans kept the bank; my grandmother excused herself in an off-hand manner for not having yet paid her debt, by inventing some little story, and then began to play against him. She chose three cards and played them one after the other: all three won sonika, [Said of a card when it wins or loses in the quickest possible time.] and my grandmother recovered every farthing that she had lost.”
“Mere chance!” said one of the guests.
“A tale!” observed Hermann.
“Perhaps they were marked cards!” said a third.
“I do not think so,” replied Tomsky gravely.
“What!” said Narumov, “you have a grandmother who knows how to hit upon three lucky cards in succession, and you have never yet succeeded in getting the secret of it out of her?”