We were soon in a proper train. Sayavedra seated himself in a chair near the fire-place, and remained there by my orders to be in readiness to wait upon us. Being rather lucky in the onset, I soon got a hundred crowns in my pocket, without the least chicanery. This looks well, thought I, and if unfortunately for me he should return with his purse replenished, I shall not have occupied his seat for nothing. My good luck seemed to vex my adversaries exceedingly, who, fearing lest I should retire to bed, as I continually kept threatening to do, in order to irritate them the more, proposed to double the stakes. I made no objection, and a moment after, seeing that now was the time, I called to Sayavedra, “Wake up you lazy dog,” said I, “have you nothing to do but to sleep there? give me a glass of wine directly.” He rose up with the most innocent air possible, pretended to be but half awake, and in pouring out a glass of wine, enabled me by his signals to pocket fifteen of my opponents’ pistoles in a twinkling. My fund was now considerably increased; but to keep up the plan we had agreed upon, I allowed them to win some of this back again, though I might easily have added to my gains. To say the truth, with my own knowledge of the tricks of the game, I might easily have emptied the purses of these gentlemen, who were by no means good players. It must, however, be confessed that I won their money much quicker with Sayavedra’s assistance, especially when it was not my turn to shuffle the cards. At last, I found myself master of all the money that had been spread upon the table, and said, “Gentlemen, it is very late; you know that I have a right to retire: nevertheless, that you may not think that I wish to carry off your money, and take an undue advantage, let us play again to-morrow, and I will not set off as I intended, though I have already hired horses for that purpose.” Nothing being more capable of consoling losers than the hope of having their revenge, they pressed me no longer to continue the game that night, and we accordingly separated, each taking the way to his own room, they fearing that I should break my word, and I fully determined to keep it.