South of France | Page 8

me that you spent last night with her, and that
you had been her lover and her sister's at the same time."
"It is true, but she is very indiscreet to say anything about it."
"We must forgive her, though. She told me that she only consented to
sleep with you on the assurance that I was really your niece. I am sure
she only made this confession out of vanity, and in the hope of gaining
my favour, which would be naturally bestowed on a woman you love."
"I wish you had the right to be jealous of her; and I swear that if she
does not comport herself with the utmost obedience to you in every
respect, I will send her packing, in despite of our relations. As for you,
you may not be able to love me, and I have no right to complain; but I
will not have you degrade yourself by becoming my submissive
victim."
I was not sorry for my niece to know that I made use of Annette, but
my vanity was wounded at the way she took it. It was plain that she
was not at all in love with me, and that she was glad that there was a
safeguard in the person of her maid, and that thus we could be together
without danger, for she could not ignore the power of her charms.
We dined together, and augured well of the skill of the new cook. M.
Paretti had promised to get me a good man, and he presented himself
just as we were finishing dinner, and I made a present of him to my
niece. We went for a drive together, and I left my niece at Rosalie's,
and I then repaired to Isola-Bella's, where I found a numerous and
brilliant company had assembled consisting of all the best people in

Genoa.
Just then all the great ladies were mad over 'biribi', a regular cheating
game. It was strictly forbidden at Genoa, but this only made it more
popular, and besides, the prohibition had no force in private houses,
which are outside of the jurisdiction of the Government; in short, I
found the game in full swing at the Signora Isola-Bella's. The
professional gamesters who kept the bank went from house to house,
and the amateurs were advised of their presence at such a house and at
such a time.
Although I detested the game, I began to play--to do as the others did.
In the room there was a portrait of the mistress of the house in
harlequin costume, and there happened to be the same picture on one of
the divisions of the biribi-table: I chose this one out of politeness, and
did not play on any other. I risked a sequin each time. The board had
thirty-six compartments, and if one lost, one paid thirty-two tines the
amount of the stake; this, of course, was an enormous advantage for the
bank.
Each player drew three numbers in succession, and there were three
professionals; one kept the bag, another the bank, and the third the
board, and the last took care to gather in the winnings as soon as the
result was known, and the bank amounted to two thousand sequins or
thereabouts. The table, the cloth, and four silver candlesticks belonged
to the players.
I sat at the left of Madame Isola-Bella, who began to play, and as there
were fifteen or sixteen of us I had lost about fifty sequins when my turn
came, for my harlequin had not appeared once. Everybody pitied me, or
pretended to do so, for selfishness is the predominant passion of
gamesters.
My turn came at last. I drew my harlequin and received thirty-two
sequins. I left them on the same figure, and got a thousand sequins. I
left fifty still on the board, and the harlequin came out for the third time.
The bank was broken, and the table, the cloth, the candlesticks, and the

board all belonged to me. Everyone congratulated me, and the wretched
bankrupt gamesters were hissed, hooted, and turned out of doors.
After the first transports were over, I saw that the ladies were in distress;
for as there could be no more gaming they did not know what to do. I
consoled them by declaring that I would be banker, but with equal
stakes, and that I would pay winning cards thirty-six times the stake
instead of thirty-two. This was pronounced charming of me, and I
amused everybody till supper-time, without any great losses or gains on
either side. By dint of entreaty I made the lady of the house accept the
whole concern as a present, and a very handsome one it was.
The supper was pleasant enough, and my success at play was