a laodicean-第58节

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leaving　the　hotel　and　sending　on　their　luggage　they　had　taken
another　turn　through　the　rooms；　to　follow　by　a　later　train。
With　more　than　curiosity　he　scanned　first　the　reading…rooms；
only　however　to　see　not　a　face　that　he　knew。　　He　then　crossed
the　vestibule　to　the　gaming…tables。



IV。

Here　he　was　confronted　by　a　heated　phantasmagoria　of　splendour
and　a　high　pressure　of　suspense　that　seemed　to　make　the　air
quiver。　　A　low　whisper　of　conversation　prevailed；　which　might
probably　have　been　not　wrongly　defined　as　the　lowest　note　of
social　harmony。

The　people　gathered　at　this　negative　pole　of　industry　had　come
from　all　civilized　countries；　their　tongues　were　familiar　with
many　forms　of　utterance；　that　of　each　racial　group　or　type
being　unintelligible　in　its　subtler　variations；　if　not
entirely；　to　the　rest。　　But　the　language　of　meum　and　tuum　they
collectively　comprehended　without　translation。　　In　a　half…
charmed　spell…bound　state　they　had　congregated　in　knots；
standing；　or　sitting　in　hollow　circles　round　the　notorious
oval　tables　marked　with　figures　and　lines。　　The　eyes　of　all
these　sets　of　people　were　watching　the　Roulette。　　Somerset
went　from　table　to　table；　looking　among　the　loungers　rather
than　among　the　regular　players；　for　faces；　or　at　least　for　one
face；　which　did　not　meet　his　gaze。

The　suggestive　charm　which　the　centuries…old　impersonality
Gaming；　rather　than　games　and　gamesters；　had　for　Somerset；　led
him　to　loiter　on　even　when　his　hope　of　meeting　any　of　the
Power　and　De　Stancy　party　had　vanished。　　As　a　non…participant
in　its　profits　and　losses；　fevers　and　frenzies；　it　had　that
stage　effect　upon　his　imagination　which　is　usually　exercised
over　those　who　behold　Chance　presented　to　them　with
spectacular　piquancy　without　advancing　far　enough　in　its
acquaintance　to　suffer　from　its　ghastly　reprisals　and　impish
tricks。　　He　beheld　a　hundred　diametrically　opposed　wishes
issuing　from　the　murky　intelligences　around　a　table；　and
spreading　down　across　each　other　upon　the　figured　diagram　in
their　midst；　each　to　its　own　number。　　It　was　a　network　of
hopes；　which　at　the　announcement；　'Sept；　Rouge；　Impair；　et
Manque；'　disappeared　like　magic　gossamer；　to　be　replaced　in　a
moment　by　new。　　That　all　the　people　there；　including　himself；
could　be　interested　in　what　to　the　eye　of　perfect　reason　was　a
somewhat　monotonous　thingthe　property　of　numbers　to　recur　at
certain　longer　or　shorter　intervals　in　a　machine　containing
themin　other　words；　the　blind　groping　after　fractions　of　a
result　the　whole　of　which　was　well　knownwas　one　testimony
among　many　of　the　powerlessness　of　logic　when　confronted　with
imagination。

At　this　juncture　our　lounger　discerned　at　one　of　the　tables
about　the　last　person　in　the　world　he　could　have　wished　to
encounter　there。　　It　was　Dare；　whom　he　had　supposed　to　be　a
thousand　miles　off；　hanging　about　the　purlieus　of　Markton。

Dare　was　seated　beside　a　table　in　an　attitude　of　application
which　seemed　to　imply　that　he　had　come　early　and　engaged　in
this　pursuit　in　a　systematic　manner。　　Somerset　had　never
witnessed　Dare　and　De　Stancy　together；　neither　had　he　heard　of
any　engagement　of　Dare　by　the　travelling　party　as　artist；
courier；　or　otherwise；　and　yet　it　crossed　his　mind　that　Dare
might　have　had　something　to　do　with　them；　or　at　least　have
seen　them。　　This　possibility　was　enough　to　overmaster
Somerset's　reluctance　to　speak　to　the　young　man；　and　he　did　so
as　soon　as　an　opportunity　occurred。

Dare's　face　was　as　rigid　and　dry　as　if　it　had　been　encrusted
with　plaster；　and　he　was　like　one　turned　into　a　computing
machine　which　no　longer　had　the　power　of　feeling。　　He
recognized　Somerset　as　indifferently　as　if　he　had　met　him　in
the　ward　of　Stancy　Castle；　and　replying　to　his　remarks　by　a
word　or　two；　concentrated　on　the　game　anew。

'Are　you　here　alone？'　said　Somerset　presently。

'Quite　alone。'　　There　was　a　silence；　till　Dare　added；　'But　I
have　seen　some　friends　of　yours。'　　He　again　became　absorbed　in
the　events　of　the　table。　　Somerset　retreated　a　few　steps；　and
pondered　the　question　whether　Dare　could　know　where　they　had
gone。　　He　disliked　to　be　beholden　to　Dare　for　information；　but
he　would　give　a　great　deal　to　know。　　While　pausing　he　watched
Dare's　play。　　He　staked　only　five…franc　pieces；　but　it　was
done　with　an　assiduity　worthy　of　larger　coin。　　At　every　half…
minute　or　so　he　placed　his　money　on　a　certain　spot；　and　as
regularly　had　the　mortification　of　seeing　it　swept　away　by　the
croupier's　rake。　　After　a　while　he　varied　his　procedure。　　He
risked　his　money；　which　from　the　look　of　his　face　seemed
rather　to　have　dwindled　than　increased；　less　recklessly
against　long　odds　than　before。　　Leaving　off　backing　numbers　en
plein；　he　laid　his　venture　a　cheval；　then　tried　it　upon　the
dozens；　then　upon　two　numbers；　then　upon　a　square；　and；
apparently　getting　nearer　and　nearer　defeat；　at　last　upon　the
simple　chances　of　even　or　odd；　over　or　under；　red　or　black。
Yet　with　a　few　fluctuations　in　his　favour　fortune　bore
steadily　against　him；　till　he　could　breast　her　blows　no
longer。　　He　rose　from　the　table　and　came　towards　Somerset；　and
they　both　moved　on　together　into　the　entrance…hall。

Dare　was　at　that　moment　the　victim　of　an　overpowering　mania
for　more　money。　　His　presence　in　the　South　of　Europe　had　its
origin；　as　may　be　guessed；　in　Captain　De　Stancy's　journey　in
the　same　direction；　whom　he　had　followed；　and　troubled　with
persistent　request　for　more　funds；　carefully　keeping　out　of
sight　of　Paula　and　the　rest。　　His　dream　of　involving　Paula　in
the　De　Stancy　pedigree　knew　no　abatement。　　But　Somerset　had
lighted　upon　him　at　an　instant　when　that　idea；　though　not
displaced；　was　overwhelmed　by　a　rage　for　play。　　In　hope　of
being　able　to　continue　it　by　Somerset's　aid　he　was　prepared　to
do　almost　anything　to　please　the　architect。

'You　asked　me；'　said　Dare；　stroking　his　impassive　brow；　'if　I
had　seen　anything　of　the　Powers。　　I　have　seen　them；　and　if　I
can　be　of　any　use　to　you　in　giving　information　about　them　I
shall　only　be　too　glad。'

'What　information　can　you　give？'

'I　can　tell　you　where　they　are　gone　to。'

'Where？'

'To　the　Grand　Hotel；　Genoa。　　They　went　on　there　this
afternoon。'

'Whom　do　you　refer　to　by　they？'

'Mrs。　Goodman；　Mr。　Power；　Miss　Power；　Miss　De　Stancy；　and　the
worthy　captain。　　He　leaves　them　tomorrow：　　he　comes　back　here
for　a　day　on　his　way　to　England。'

Somerset　was　silent。　　Dare　continued：　　'Now　I　have　done　you　a
favour；　will　you　do　me　one　in　return？'

Somerset　looked　towards　the　gaming…rooms；　and　said　dubiously；
'Well？'

'Lend　me　two　hundred　francs。'

'Yes；'　said　Somerset；　'but　on　one　condition：　　that　I　don't
give　them　to　you　till　you　are　inside　the　hotel　you　are　staying
at。'

'That　can't　be；　it's　at　Nice。'

'Well　I　am　going　back　to　Nice；　and　I'll　lend　you　the　money　the
instant　we　get　there。'

'But　I　want　it　here；　now；　instantly！'　cried　Dare；　and　for　the
first　time　there　was　a　wiry　unreasonableness　in　his　voice　that
fortified　his　companion　more　firmly　than　ever　in　his
determination　to　lend　the　young　man　no　money　whilst　he
remained　inside　that　building。

'You　want　it　to　throw　it　away。　　I　don't　approve　of　it；　so　come
with　me。'

'But；'　said　Dare；　'I　arrived　here　with　a　hundred　napoleons　and
more；　expressly　to　work　out　my　theory　of　chances　and
recurrences；　which　is　sound；　I　have　studied　it　hundreds　of
times　by　the　help　of　this。'　　He　partially　drew　from　his　pocket
the　little　volume　that　we　have　before　seen　in　his　hands。　　'If
I　only　persevere　in　my　system；　the　certainty　that　I　must　win
is　almost　mathematical。　　I　have　staked　and　lost　two　hundred
and　thirty…three　times。　　Allowing　out　of　that　one　chance　in
every　thirty…six；　which　is　the　average　of　zero　being　marked；
and　two　hundred　and　four　times　for　the　backers　of　the　other
numbers；　I　have　the　mathematical　expectation　of　six　times　at
least；　which　would　nearly　recoup　me。　　And　shall　I；　then；
sacrifice　that　vast　foundation　of　waste　chances　that　I　have
laid　down；　and　paid　for；　merely　for　want　of　a　little　ready
money？'

'You　might　persevere　for　a　twelvemonth；　and　still　not　get　the
better　of　your　reverses。　　Time　tells　in　favour　of　the　bank。
Just　imagine　for　the　sake　of　argument　that　all　the　people　who
have　ever　placed　a　stake　upon　a　certain　number　to　be　one
person　playing　continuously。　　Has　that　imaginary　person　won？
The　existence　of　the　bank　is　a　sufficient　answer。'

'But　a　particular　player　has　the　option　of　leaving　off　at　any
point　favourable　to　himself；　which　the　bank　has　not；　and
there's　my　opportunity。'

'Which　from　your　mood　you　will　be　sure　not　to　take　advantage
of。'

'I　shall　go　on　playing；'　said　Dare　doggedly。

'Not　with　my　money。'

'Very　well；　we　won't　part　as　enemies；'　replied　Dare；　with　the
flawless　politeness　of　a　man　whose　speech　has　no　longer　any
kinship　with　his　feelings。　　'Shall　we　share　a　bottle　of　wine？
You　will　not？　　Well；　I　hope　your　luck　with　your　lady　will　be
more　magnificent　than　mine　has　been　here；　butmind　Captain　De
Stancy！　he's　a　fearful　wildfowl　for　you。'

'He's　a　harmless　inoffensive　soldier；　as　far　as　I　know。　　If　he
is　notlet　him　be　what　he　may　for　me。'

'And　do　his　worst　to　cut　you　out；　I