The Opposite House: A Novel — page 126: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Lhe Opposite Flouse. 121 The passion of gambling seized his very soul. His eyes dilated at the sight of the sum of money constantly growing under his hands; he gathered the clinking coins with greedy fingers; his insa- tiate eyes, glittering with excitement, rested on the luck-giving rouge. Just at that moment a hand, heavy and cold, was laid on his shoulder. “Stop !”’ a voice hissed into his ear, and a pair of fiendish eyes glared down at him. “The luck is changing.” Wikke started, and gazed with an almost idiotic expression into the face, ghostlike in its pallor, of this monitor, then almost mechanically drew back his money and arose. “Come with me!’ whispered the stranger, smil- ing pleasantly. ‘‘ You are a favorite of fortune. I congratulate you, but you are gambling for the first time—far too eagerly, and that will lead to no good end.”” So he took Wikke away to a room where champagne was sparkling, and a well-furnished table offered an inviting supper. Then Wikke, with a giddy brain, went up to his miserable attic room. He had found a new career, a future which unrolled itself in the most radiant hues, and a friend, who called himself Doctor Brand. So he had remained in Wiesbaden, daily took his place at the green table, and sank from step to step, Comiclboookk<s 5}