aw an innocent-looking table, with a surface of
rosewood, suddenly develop a substance of green cloth. At the same time,
a neat little roulette-table made its appearance from a hiding-place
in a sofa. Passing near the venerable landlady, I heard her ask the
servant, in a whisper, "if the dogs were loose?" After what I had
observed, I could only conclude that the dogs were used as a patrol, to
give the alarm in case of a descent of the police. It was plainly high
time to thank Captain Peterkin for his hospitality, and to take our
leave.

"We have had enough of this," I whispered to Romayne in English. "Let us
go."

In these days it is a delusion to suppose that you can speak
confidentially in the English language, when French people are within
hearing. One of the ladies asked Romayne, tenderly, if he was tired of
her already. Another reminded him that it was raining heavily (as we
could all hear), and suggested waiting until it cleared up. The hideous
General waved his greasy hand in the direction of the card table, and
said, "The game is waiting for us."

Romayne was excited, but not stupefied, by the wine he had drunk. He
answered, discreetly enough, "I must beg you to excuse me; I am a poor
card player."

The General suddenly looked grave. "You are speaking, sir, under a
strange misapprehension," he said. "Our game is lansquenet--essentially
a game of chance. With luck, the poorest player is a match for the whole
table."

Romayne persisted in his refusal. As a matter of course, I supported
him, with all needful care to avoid giving offense. The General took
offense, nevertheless. He crossed his arms on his breast, and looked at
us fiercely.

"Does this mean, gentlemen, that you distrust the company?" he asked.

The broken-nosed Commander, hearing the question, immediately joined us,
in the interests of peace--bearing with him the elements of persuasion,
under the form of a lady on his arm.

The lady stepped briskly forward, and tapped the General on the shoulder
with her fan. "I am one of the company," she said, "and I am sure Mr.
Romayne doesn't distrust _me_." She turned to Romayne with her most
irresistible smile. "A gentleman always plays cards," she resumed,
"when he has a lady for a partner. Let us join our interests at the
table--and, dear Mr. Romayne, don't risk too much!" She put her pretty
little purse into his hand, and looked as if she had been in love with
him for half her lifetime.

The fata