In this fashion, they played on, and it seemed as if they would tear each other's hair, and yet they had the best feelings towards each other. The rector won, and he had the best prospect of winning, for he who loses the first game, as is well known, always wins afterward. Kurz sat disconsolate at his bad luck; but that also often finds compensation. "Ten grandissimo!" said he. All were surprised, even he himself, and he looked his cards through once more. "Ten grandissimo!" said he again, laid the cards on the table, and walked up and down the room: "They play like that in Venice, and other great watering places." In the midst of his greatest triumph, and the greatest distress of the others, Fritz Triddelsitz came to the door, looking quite disturbed and pale: "Herr Inspector, Herr Habermann, oh, do come out here!" "Good heavens!" exclaimed Habermann, "what has happened?" and was springing up, but Kurz held him back. "No," said he, "the game must be played first. It happened so to me, once before, at the time of the great fire, I had just put a grand on the table, and they all ran away." "Herr Inspector," begged Fritz, "you must come." "What is it?" cried Habermann, dropping his cards, and jumping up. "Is anything on fire?" "No," stammered Fritz, "I--me--something has happened to me." "What has happened to you?" said Bräsig, across the table. "My chestnut mare has a colt," said Fritz, in an anxious tone. "Well, that has often happened," said Bräsig, "but you make a face like a funeral; it is rather a joyful occasion, under the circumstances." "Yes," said Fritz, "but--but--it is so queer. You must come with me, Herr Inspector." "Why, is the colt dead?" asked Habermann. "No," said Fritz, "it is well enough; but it looks so queer. Krischan Däsel says he should think it was a young camel." "Well," said Habermann, "we can finish the game afterwards, we will go out with you." And in spite of Kurz's remonstrances, they all went with Fritz to the stable. "I never saw such a colt," said Fritz, on the way, "it has ears as long as that," measuring from the wrist to the elbow. When they came to the stable, there stood Krischan Däsel by the enclosure, where the mare was looking fondly at her little one, and whinnying over it, and the little one was making its first attempts at springing about; he shook his head, and said to Bräsig, who came and stood by him, "Now tell me, Herr Inspector, did you ever see the like of that?" "Yes," said Bräsig, looking at Habermann, and said with emphasis, "I will tell you, Karl, what sort of an animal it is. Fullblood's colt is a mule." "That is it," said Habermann.