第32章

I think, therefore, there can be no harm in your going, under the conduct of older persons--myself, for example, and your brother.""Code three," suggested Vizard--"the chaperonian code.""And a very good one, too," said Zoe. "But, aunt, must we look on, or may we play just a little, little?""My dear, there can be no great harm in playing a little, in _good company_--if you play with your own money." She must have one dig at Severne.

"I shan't play very deep, then," said Fanny; "for I have got no money hardly."Vizard came to the front, like a man. "No more should I," said he, "but for Herries & Co. As it is, I am a Croesus, and I shall stand one hundred pounds, which you three ladies must divide; and between you, no doubt, you will break the bank."Acclamations greeted this piece of misogyny. When they had subsided, Severne was called on to explain the game, and show the young ladies how to win a fortune with thirty-three pounds six shillings and eight pence.

The table was partly cleared, two packs of cards sent for, and the professor lectured.

"This," said he, "is the cream of the game. Six packs are properly shuffled, and properly cut; the players put their money on black or red, which is the main event, and is settled thus: The dealer deals the cards in two rows. He deals the _first_ row for black, and stops the moment the cards pass thirty. That deal determines how near _noir_ can get to thirty-one."Severne then dealt for _noir,_ and the cards came as follows:

Queen of hearts--four of clubs--ten of spades--nine of diamonds: total, thirty-three."He then dealt for red:

Knave of clubs--ace of diamonds--two of spades--king of spades--nine of hearts: total, thirty-two.

"Red wins, because the cards dealt for red come nearer thirty-one.

Besides that," said he, "you can bet on the color, or against it. The actual color of the first card the player turns up on the black line must be black or red. Whichever happens to be it is called 'the color.' Say it is red; then, if the black line of cards wins, color loses. Now, I will deal again for both events.

"I deal for _noir."_

"Nine of diamonds. Red, then, is the actual color turned up on the black line. Do you bet for it, or against it?""I bet for it," cried Zoe. "It's my favorite color.""And what do you say on the main event?"

"Oh, red on that too."

"Very good. I go on dealing for _noir._ Queen of diamonds, three of spades, knave of hearts--nine of spades: thirty-two. That looks ugly for your two events, black coming so near as thirty-two. Now for red. Four of hearts, knave of spades, seven of diamonds, queen of clubs--thirty-one, by Jove! _Rouge gagne, et couleur._ There is nothing like courage. You have won both events.""Oh, what a nice game!" cried Zoe.

He then continued to deal, and they all bet on the main event and the color, staking fabulous sums, till at last both numbers came up thirty-one.

Thereupon Severne informed them that half the stakes belonged to him.

That was the trifling advantage accorded to the bank.

"Which trifling advantage," said Vizard, "has enriched the man-eating company, and their prince, and built the Kursaal, and will clean you all out, if you play long enough.""That," said Severne, "I deny. It is more than balanced by the right the players have of doubling, till they gain, and by the maturity of the chances: I will explain this to the ladies. You see experience proves that neither red nor black can come up more than nine times running.

When, therefore, either color has come up four times, you can put a moderate stake on the other color, and double on it till it _must_ come, by the laws of nature. Say red has turned four times. You put a napoleon on black; red gains. You lose a napoleon. You don't remove it, but double on it. The chances are now five to one you gain: but if you lose, you double on the same, and, when you have got to sixteen napoleons, the color must change; uniformity has reached its physical limit. That is called the maturity of the chances. Begin as unluckily as possible with five francs, and lose. If you have to double eight times before you win, it only comes to twelve hundred and eighty francs. Given, therefore, a man to whom fifty napoleons are no more than five francs to us, he can never lose if he doubles, like a Trojan, till the chances are mature.

This is called 'the Martingale:' but, observe, it only secures against loss. Heavy gains are made by doubling judiciously on the _winning_color, or by simply betting on short runs of it. When red comes up, back red, and double twice on it. Thus you profit by the remarkable and observed fact that colors do not, as a rule, alternate, but reach ultimate equality by avoiding alternation, and making short runs, with occasional long runs; the latter are rare, and must be watched with a view to the balancing run of the other color. This is my system.""And you really think you have invented it?" asked Vizard.

"I am not so conceited. My system was communicated to me, in the Kursaal itself--by an old gentleman."_"An_ old gentleman, or _the_--?"

"Oh, Harrington," cried Zoe, "fie!"

"My wit is appreciated at its value. Proceed, Ned."Severne told him, a little defiantly, it was an old gentleman, with a noble head, a silvery beard, and the most benevolent countenance he ever saw.

"Curious place for his reverence to be in," hazarded Vizard.

"He saw me betting, first on the black, then on the red, till I was cleaned out, and then he beckoned me.""Not a man of premature advice anyway."

"He told me he had observed my play. I had been relying on the alternations of the colors, which alternation chance persistently avoids, and arrives at equality by runs. He then gave me a better system.""And, having expounded his system, he illustrated it? Tell the truth now;he sat down and lost the coat off his back? It followed his family acres.""You are quite wrong again. He never plays. He has heart-disease, and his physician has forbidden him all excitement.""His nation?"

"Humph! French."