three hundred
thousand francs from me, and I was wondering if you intended to give me
the slip."

The baron frowned, and this time he omitted the title of prince
altogether. "It seems to me, sir, that according to our agreement, we
were to play until one of us had won five hundred thousand francs," he
said haughtily.

"That's true--but we ought to play every day."

"Possibly: but I'm very busy just now. I wrote to you explaining this,
did I not? If you are at all uneasy, tear up the book in which the
results of our games are noted, and that shall be the end of it. You
will gain considerably by the operation."

Kami-Bey felt that the baron would not tolerate his arrogance, and so
with more moderation he exclaimed: "It isn't strange that I've become
suspicious. I'm so victimized on every side. Because I'm a foreigner
and immensely rich, everybody fancies he has a right to plunder me. Men,
women, hotel-keepers and merchants, all unite in defrauding me. If I
buy pictures, they sell me vile daubs at fabulous prices. They ask
ridiculous amounts for horses, and then give me worthless, worn-out
animals. Everybody borrows money from me--and I'm never repaid. I shall
be ruined if this sort of thing goes on much longer."

He had taken a seat, and the baron saw that he was not likely to get
rid of his guest very soon; so approaching Pascal he whispered: "You had
better go off, or you may miss Valorsay. And be careful, mind; for he is
exceedingly shrewd. Courage and good luck!"

Courage! It was not necessary to recommend that to Pascal. He who had
triumphed over his despair in the terrible hours, when he had reason to
suppose that Marguerite believed him guilty and had abandoned him, could
scarcely lack courage. While he was condemned to inaction, his mind had
no doubt been assailed by countless doubts and fears; but now that he
knew whom he was to attack--now that the decisive moment had come, he
was endowed with indomitable energy; he had turned to bronze, and he
felt sure that nothing could disconcert or even trouble him in future.
The weapons he had to use were not at all to his taste, but he had not
been allowed a choice in the matter; and since his enemies had decided
on a warfare of duplicity, he was resolved to surpass them in cunning,
and vanquish them by deception.

So, while hastening to the Marquis de Valorsay's residence, he took
stock of his chances, and recapitulated his resources, striving to
foresee and re