BECOMES DESPERATE. "Five. Morbleu! you will ruin me." 209 "What will the stake be now, Baron? Fortune is against you," said Leonard, smiling. "Four hundred," said the Baron, apparently agitated. "Four hundred let it be. Will you throw first, baron ?" "Oh, no; honour to the brave. I resign the lead to the conqueror. Proceed." Sansterre put the dice into the box, giving them a whirl which seemed to give them life, and threw. "Twelve. Ah, ha! she relents; day dawns; the night is passed. stake." "Just what you please, baron." "Six hundred," said the latter. Name the "Six hundred," muttered Leonard, his lips quivering as he grasped the box. He threw. "Eight. "Tis easily beaten, if fortune smiles," said the Baron, and threw. "Twelve," sweeping the stake in silence. "Twelve hundred," exclaimed Leonard, trembling with agitation. "Let it be twelve hundred.” "Throw first, if you please, Baron." "Certainly." "Twelve." "Six." P 210 A 66 PHILOSOPHER" AND A 66 STRANGER." "It seems that luck has changed sides," said a stranger to Leonard. "Be not too desperate, sir." "It seems so," rejoined Leonard. "The last hundred, for to-night, goes now." "One hundred ?" "One hundred." Leonard threw. "Six. "Tis a trifle," said the gambler. He twirled the dice, threw, and exclaimed "Ten." "I bid you good-night, Baron, au revoir," stammered the youth, who had lost all his money. He left the room, followed by the "stranger" who had addressed him during the game. He overtook Leonard. "You have been unfortunate to-night," said he. "Rather. One must lose sometimes." "For myself, I never play; but one may learn the human heart in such a place." ""T is pleasant excitement; besides, one learns by losing to keep one's temper." (6 Very true. All things are made useful by a wise mind. You are a philosopher, I should think, from that remark." "I thank you for the compliment. May I know to whom I am indebted for it?" "Colonel Amand." 66 My name is Devigne. I shall be happy of your acquaintance. I shall be very dull to-night; will you step in with me? Here we are." "You honour me. I am most happy to make your acquaintance; but it must, unfortunately, be short." "How so?" "I start to-morrow en route for Rome," said the Colonel Amand. "Very fortunate! I must do the same. We shall travel together. Walk in." Colonel Amand was Father Laplace, the Jesuit. He looked the colonel as well as the notorious Parsons, of Elizabethan memory, who often figured as an officer. He had tracked Leonard to the gambling-house; and knowing his father's order at the bank, not to allow him more supplies till he left Paris, the Jesuit had turned the "fortunate" losses of his prey to good account, by at once suggesting the journey. Leonard and his new acquaintance spent a pleasant night together. His troublesome thoughts were dispelled with the fumes of wine, and the merry, but perfectly innocent jokes and anecdotes of his prolific Jesuit. What had he now to retain him in Paris? Nothing. He was disgusted with everything in it: for the reader need scarcely be reminded that, to such a mind, disappointment in desire sheds rancorous gloom over all that can remind it of its humiliation. On the following day, Leonard set out, accompanied by the Jesuit-Colonel. 212 THE GAME BREAKS COVER. For the present, we must leave Adele to her "determinations," and M. Duplessis to his "secret," and M. Gramont to his "revenge:" we shall settle accounts with all in due time. The Jesuits exult. Will they hunt him to the Leonard has broken cover. The game is up. "death?" END OF PART II. K. Hen. How bloodily the sun begins to peer P. Hen. The southern wind Doth play the trumpet to his purposes; K. Hen. Then with the losers let it sympathise; King Henry IV. Act v. Scene i. CHAPTER I. CORRESPONDENCE. FATHER MAUGRAS* TO THE ENGLISH PROVINCIAL. "VERY REVEREND FATHER, "The judgments of the Most High have overtaken the impious wretch. Valremy is dead. Killed in a duel. *The French Provincial; that is, the head of the Jesuits in France. |