"We are then comrades in misfortune," he declared, beaming upon me the while. "I drink, monsieur, to our better acquaintance." "And I," said I, raising my _petit verre_ to my lips. "I drink to its speedy ripening into friendship." He put one hand upon his heart and extended to me the other, which I warmly pressed. "I am a bachelor," he observed. "I, too, monsieur." "Of all the things in this world, I like the gaming table," said he. "The dice are fine thought killers, monsieur." "I loved once a beautiful woman, and she betrayed me." "It is a habit of the accursed sex, from which I also have suffered." "Monsieur!" he cried, "I perceive well that we are destined to be friends. We have not only a similarity of thought and sentiment, but also of experience." "Garçon," I shouted, "a bottle of champagne and two glasses." The wine was brought and we pledged each other with effusion. "I made my fortune out of oil," said Du Gazet. "I made mine upon the Stock Exchange," said I. "Mine is so great that I could not spend it in ten years, though I lost a thousand francs a night." "Mine is even more considerable, M. Du Gazet." He nodded and gave me a beaming smile. "Have you any plans for the evening, M. Belloc?" "None," I replied. "Then allow me to be your mentor. I know a place not far from here where one may woo the goddess Fortune to be kind. It is true that last night I lost five thousand francs by hazard of the wheel, but I would like well to recoup myself, and shall do so, as you shall see--if you will be so good as to come with me." "With pleasure," I cried, and sprang to my feet. I suspected by then that my new friend was nothing more or less than the tout of some gaming house. But I was reckless, and the companionship of any rascal seemed preferable to being left alone. A moment later we were strolling arm in arm down the Rue St. Germain L'Auxerrois. Chatting amiably together, we came, at the end of some few minutes, to the Rue St. Denis, up which we turned. Shortly after passing the Rue Mauconseil, we entered a narrow unnamed side-street, which was nevertheless flanked with respectable-looking houses of antique but substantial architecture. Before the door of one of these M. Du Gazet stopped, and giving me a meaning glance, he proceeded to scratch upon the panels with his ring. The signal was immediately responded to. The door opened a few inches, and a voice from the interior darkness demanded our business. "Montereau," replied my guide. "Enter!" cried the voice, and the door swung wide. M. Du Gazet took my arm and conducted me in silence down a dark, thickly carpeted hall. We had barely half traversed it, however, when the door keeper suddenly turned on an electric lamp, and I perceived before us a wide staircase, supported on double rows of marble columns, that led to the floor above. "Good!" exclaimed my mentor. "I detest gloom. Come, my friend."