Suddenly the tow-haired woman who had replaced myself in his affections leaned over, and said in a voice quite audible to me:
"Put the maximum on number 6!"
With blind obedience he counted out the sum sufficient to win the maximum of six thousand francs, and pushed it upon the number she had named.
"Rien ne va plus!" cried the croupier the next instant, and then, sure enough, I saw the ball drop into the number the witch had prophesied.
The croupier counted the stake quickly, and pushed with his rake towards the fortunate player notes for six thousand francs, with the simple words:
"En plein!"
"Enough!" cried the woman, prompting him. "Play no more to-night."
He sighed, and with a strange, preoccupied air gathered up his coin, notes, and other belongings, while a player tossed over a five-franc piece to "mark" his place, or, in other words, to secure his chair when he vacated it. Then, still obedient to her, he rose with a faint smile upon his lips.
As he did so, he raised his eyes, and they fell full upon mine, for I was standing there watching him.
Our gaze met, suddenly. Next instant, however, the light died out of his countenance, and he stood glaring at me as though I were an apparition. His mouth was slightly opened, his hand trembled, his brow contracted, and his face grew ashen.