irst twenty, and five ten-gulden pieces
upon certain groups of numbers-groups of from twelve to eighteen, and
from eighteen to twenty-four. The total staked amounted to 160 gulden.

The wheel revolved. "Zero!" cried the croupier.

We had lost it all!

"The fool!" cried the old lady as she turned upon De Griers. "You
infernal Frenchman, to think that you should advise! Away with you!
Though you fuss and fuss, you don't even know what you're talking
about."

Deeply offended, De Griers shrugged his shoulders, favoured the
Grandmother with a look of contempt, and departed. For some time past
he had been feeling ashamed of being seen in such company, and this had
proved the last straw.

An hour later we had lost everything in hand.

"Home!" cried the Grandmother.

Not until we had turned into the Avenue did she utter a word; but from
that point onwards, until we arrived at the hotel, she kept venting
exclamations of "What a fool I am! What a silly old fool I am, to be
sure!"

Arrived at the hotel, she called for tea, and then gave orders for her
luggage to be packed.

"We are off again," she announced.

"But whither, Madame?" inquired Martha.

"What business is that of YOURS? Let the cricket stick to its hearth.
[The Russian form of "Mind your own business."] Potapitch, have
everything packed, for we are returning to Moscow at once. I have
fooled away fifteen thousand roubles."

"Fifteen thousand roubles, good mistress? My God!" And Potapitch spat
upon his hands--probably to show that he was ready to serve her in any
way he could.

"Now then, you fool! At once you begin with your weeping and wailing!
Be quiet, and pack. Also, run downstairs, and get my hotel bill."

"The next train leaves at 9:30, Madame," I interposed, with a view to
checking her agitation.

"And what is the time now?"

"Half-past eight."

"How vexing! But, never mind. Alexis Ivanovitch, I have not a kopeck
left; I have but these two bank notes. Please run to the office and get
them changed. Otherwise I shall have nothing to travel with."

Departing on her errand, I returned half an hour later to find the
whole party gathered in her rooms. It appeared that the news of her
impending departure for Moscow had thrown the conspirators into
consternation even greater than her losses had done. For, said they,
even if her departure should save her fortune, what will become of the
General later? And who is to repay De Griers? Clearly Mlle. B