A Sequel to Don Juan — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

114 A SEQUEL TO CXIV. But the experienced Greek full often meets A Greek more cunning than himself, and then Begins the tug of war. The latter cheats So skilfully as to defy the ken Ot him whom by superior craft he beats. Gamblers are the most obstinate of men : And though they know that they are swindled, will Till they detect the method, play on still.* * The tenacity of gamblers to their dreadful propensity, even when experiencing unvaried and consecutive reverses of fortune, may be illustrated with numerous anecdotes. There are a few exceptions to this rule— especially amongst the French who frequently make a point of staking a certain sum nightly, and never exceeding it in case of loss, while they will also retire, in case of gain, the moment they have ob- tained a fixed amount. The author of this poem never gambled for a shilling ; but having been a great deal upon the continent, he has seen much of what is denominated “the play world.‘‘ He remembers one incident which it will be worth while to relate. Somewhere about the month of February or March, 1832, two Jews arrived in Calais from Paris; and, hearing that the English residents’ in the former place were accustomed to meet every evening at the Cafe Legrand to play cards, thither they repaired at the usual hour. 1t happened that A d, the celebrated English gambler, was in Calais at that moment; and he and a Captain B pitted against the two Jews. A more honourable man than Captain B——n did not exist; but A d was of course well acquainted with the usual artifices, tricks, and maneuvres practised with the cards. Heavy sums’ were staked ; and the Jews swept every thing away before them. Fresh packs of cards were provided each game, ac- cording to the eustom of the country, by the person who kept the Cafe. For three consecutive evenings was the play renewed; and the result was the loss of several thousand pounds from the Captain and A dtothe Jews. The latter then proceeded to Boulogne, where they were equally. successful amongst the-English inhabitants of that town. Ina word, the two Jews succeeded in amassing an immense fortune by these means. One of them was thrown out of a window, a few.years since, at Lyons, by a French officer who detected him in certain mal-pratices with the cards ; and he was killed upon the spot. The other is at this moment—or at all events was lately—a wealthy stock-broker in Paris. For a long time they retained the secret of the proceeding by which they had been enabled to succeed in every game they played with the cards. That secret was however eventually revealed— purchased from one of its possessors: and accident has brought it to the knowledge of the author of this n were soon Comichbooks (E©) |