lonel, whose joy at his grand thought of
claiming the loan of Chevalier Menars' steadfast good-luck knew no
bounds.

"This good-luck, which quite astonished all the rest of those present,
made not the slightest impression upon the Chevalier; nay, somehow, in
a way inexplicable to himself, his aversion to play took deeper root,
so that on the following morning when he awoke and felt the
consequences of his exertion during the night, through which he had
been awake, in a general relaxation both mental and physical, he took a
most earnest resolve never again under any circumstances to visit a
play-house.

"And in this resolution he was still further strengthened by the old
Colonel's conduct; he had the most decided ill-luck with every card he
took up; and the blame for this run of bad-luck he, with the most
extraordinary infatuation, put upon the Chevalier's shoulders. In an
importunate manner he demanded that the Chevalier should either punt
for him or at any rate stand at his side, so as by his presence to
banish the perverse demon who always put into his hands cards which
never turned up right. Of course it is well known that there is more
absurd superstition to be found amongst gamblers than almost anywhere
else. The only way in which the Chevalier could get rid of the Colonel
was by declaring in a tone of great seriousness that he would rather
fight him than play for him, for the Colonel was no great friend of
duels. The Chevalier cursed his good-nature in having complied with the
old fool's request at first.

"Now nothing less was to be expected than that the story of the Baron's
marvellously lucky play should pass from mouth to mouth, and also that
all sorts of enigmatical mysterious circumstances should be invented
and added on to it, representing the Chevalier as a man in league with
supernatural powers. But the fact that the Chevalier in spite of his
good-luck did not touch another card, could not fail to inspire the
highest respect for his firmness of character, and so very much
increase the esteem which he already enjoyed.

"Somewhere about a year later the Chevalier was suddenly placed in a
most painful and embarrassing position owing to the non-arrival of the
small sum of money upon which he relied to defray his current expenses.
He was obliged to disclose his circumstances to his most intimate
friend, who without hesitation supplied him with what he needed, at the
same time twitting him with being the m