enough to give him that little gratification. He chose piquet; we began our game at nine in the evening, and the next morning when the sun streamed through the windows I had gained more gold off his grace than his father had ever gathered during his Governor-Generalship of India. After the last hand, which was for an enormous stake, and which, like the rest, he lost, the duke got up and said: “Mr. O’Bearn, I am afraid the whole of my fortune will not be sufficient to pay you. I’ll send you my steward, he’ll settle with you and hand you the titles to my estates.” “Very well, sir,” I answered, “these are the words of an honourable man. But do not for a moment imagine that I am going to let you ruin yourself in that way. It shall not be said of me that I reduced the bearer of one of our most historic names in the House of Lords to beggary. On the other hand, as I do not wish to have wasted my night, a thing I am not in the habit of doing, I’ll ask you to send for a priest and for a solicitor. Before the priest you shall take an oath never to touch another card in your life; the solicitor shall draw up a settlement giving me a thousand pounds sterling annually for life.” I need scarcely tell you,’ added the old gambler, ‘that my conditions were accepted and strictly carried out. The Duke of H---- has never touched a card since, and for nearly half a century I have been enjoying my income.’ Then the veteran gamester told us another story, not less characteristic. ‘Shortly before the Revolution, I came to Paris, and as usual took up my quarters at the Hôtel d’Angleterre. The play was very high there in those days. On the evening of my arrival, I went to the drawing-room. The tables were set out, and I sat down to one of them. Two gentlemen were playing piquet. The Duc de Gramont, who was then the king of fashion, the type of everything that was elegant and extravagant, took a seat opposite me. He looked very fixedly at me, and then, intentionally or not, he said: “We hear a great deal of Englishmen who risk enormous sums either at cards or betting. Here we never catch sight of them.” I did not answer, and a few moments later the game took an unexpected turn. “I’d bet on monsieur’s hands,” said the duc, pointing to one of the players. “Very well,” I replied, “I’ll take the other side for eight thousand pounds sterling.” “How much, monsieur, did you say?” asked the duc. I repeated the sum in French money, and the duc felt that he could not draw back. “I take the bet,” he said. In another moment I was the winner: the duc rose and came towards me, saying, “Milord----” “My name is Mr. O’Bearn,” I said; “I have no title. What is your pleasure?” “I may not be able to discharge this considerable sum at a moment’s notice.” “Pray do not mention it, your grace, take your own time. But please to remember that when I play, I always have the money handy in my valise.” A little while afterwards, he paid me,’ Mr. O’Bearn went on, ‘and from that moment