Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-03-22

ing IN Inc NUMBER OF their VaSsalS, ana aDSOIu"
tely dependent on their caprice, millionaires,
whose fortunes they could ruin at a word. |
have borne my hard lot with The fortitude ola
Christian. | have sought to forget it in busi~
ness and travel and deeds ofcharity; but now
my courage fails, for | love-and the woman
who accepts ME for Il husband must accept the
chain of slavery
AFTER a moments pause, the Russian res
sumed: Prince GouIoubskoff. | have said,
possesses an estate on the borders of the Volga.
1t counts only fifty hearths, yet he will not sell
it at any price. But the Prince pays, and play
is with him an unbridIed passion, for which he
will sacrifice everything. In the ~feverish eX~
citement of this passion, he NAV be led to risk
this estate. If he does so, he may lose. Ia
this village / was born-my father Was born
there-my family are still there-gain this
village for me-Man, Englishman, Christian
under this triple title | put my fate ia your
hands-you have an unlimited credit over my
purse-stake everything-triumph at any
price-if fate should be against you, if | must
lose everything, and yet remain a slave, | will
bless you for having tried to break my chains
Iaccept the task said Sir Rally graVeIy.
This night?
NO, this night circumstances will not serve.
They will play lansquent. Besides, | have an
engagement with OBearn. But the day after,
l think, q favorable occasion will offer naturally
between Gouloubskotf and myself. He will
not recoil, | judge, by the temerity he showed
Yesterday. | will profit by it,
Thanks! Sir James, said Swerkoff; land DOW
we must separate. Your friends will seek
you. / would avoid meeting them.
Four days after this conference, dense crowd
was collected in one of the gaming halls, a
round a small table under the rotunda, at
which were seated two players. They We're
Sir James Rally and Prince Gouioubskoff-
For two days. these two had been contending
for victory-now at lansquenet. now at faro,
now at ecarte; and the losses of Rally amount
ed to 100000 roubles. The game at present
was ecarle, and had been four against four; but
the betters, becoming alarmed. thought i. prn-
dent to resume their stakes they were renew-
ed by the Prince and Rally, and the stake now
amounted to the round sun of 10000 forms.
The cards were shutied and distributed; the
trump card was hearts; they were to be renew
ed twice.
Fire sparkIed in the eyes of the Prince, but
those of Rally were impenetrable. Ii was not
a man, but a statue, the expression never
changed.
Hearts, said the Prince.
i have it,
Hearts 7 be replied.
'1ere it is
Hearts = again.
'Herep
'Heartsr
Rally leaned back in his chair, looking with
Indifference on the table at the heap of gold 10
which the hands Of the Prince were eagerly
extended.
The joy of Gouloubskoff amounted to TO-
toxicatioD; you will not quit playing, 1 hope,
Sir James, he said; AN Englishman never
abandoBs the field of battle
Never, Prince nor a Russian either. Isil
not So?
1T is a national prejudice with US; but per-
haps you would like to change the game
Will faro for two suit you?
Faro let it be-
The two adversaFies entered the lists again.
The Prince held the bank and gained 10000
roubles. His good fortune seemed fatality it,
self Yet the perfect caImness Of the English
man was not less astonishing. He pursued
his object with the lmpassibility Of his compa-
triots before the Ffench battalioRs at Water
loo, when Wellington, seeing his soldiers fall
one after the other, took his watch, snd said
They die at so many a minute; l have yet such
a number of men; il will be an hour before the
last one falls; Butcher will have time to arrive;
the victory is mine!'
R,illy dealt in his turn. This time fortune
passed over to his side. He gained. He doub-
ted his stake, and gained again: He had just
gathered up $4,000 roubIes, when he announ-
..ad tbnf hp had trinlpd hiS stake
The Prince was too good a played to recoil.
Rally still gained. Gouloubskoff still played
on, till he had exhausted all the gold and notes
at his disposal. He then proposed to play on
credit, chalking the stakes upon the table,
Rally accepted and gained three times in suc~
cession.
by St, George he cried, I have gained
900, 900 roubles.'
4 congratulate you said the Prince, with a
nervous contraction of the countenance. He
began to suffer.
You will not quit playing, | hope, Prince
a Russian never abandons the field of BATTLE
Never, Sir James, as / told you. But, shall
we change the game? The air is sitting here.
Let us 60 into the garden. You have a reputa-
ton as a marksman; suppose we try a shot
Rally, who saw the feveFish agitation OF his
companion, readily accepted. beside, custom
required that be should be at the disposal of
his adversary
In moment the hall was empty.
What shall be the stake, Sir James,
Two hundred thousand Fonbles.'
agreed; but I have no more gold, and /
must not exhaust my credit ut the bank of
Vienna, which is quit Indispensable to me-
Then | will wager 100000 rubles against
one Of your estates
DO you wish to become q Muscovite pro-
prietor?
1T is a mere within, like any other
And one which | am not disposed to thwart;
| have something of that value near Moscow.
It is on the declivity of a hill, from which you
can see admirably the yet smoking ruins of the
holy city. J have als8 at two miles from
Volegdo-"