The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-02-28
Delavigne, with an air of drunken gravity

an air OF drunken gravity /
perfectly Irresistible, advanced TO the
side of the trembling Boniface, and,
seizing him by the ear with firm hand,
led him to the door, and having placed
him outside, lockedlit, and put the key
In his pocket. Poor Adolphe murmured
something about his wife and children,
as he was being elected, but it availed
him nothing.
+ The little episode which Ihave just
described had the effect of momentarily
arresting our frenzy, and when Dela-
vigne returned to the table, and de-
manded our attention, there was pro-
found silence. II 81 Itr. 81 HHE =
Gentlemen" said he, ssare you
aware of the superstition which attaches
itself to dinner-party of thirteenp"
' No one spoke, and he continued:
x" It is this, that before the year is out,
one of the number will die a violent
death.'' ..t ,5-,.. .5...:. l-as.
The silence seemed to grow more in
tense, and after a short pause he spoke
again: 'sI propose that we adjourn
from this apartment to the nearest bill
lizard saloon, and there pair. off in
couples for the purpose of playing. At
the end of the first series of games there
will be six losers. Let them pair oft
md play again, and SO continue in the
lame manner until only one is left, who
hall play the final games with the odd
nan and the loser,- whoever he may
chance to be, shall challenge some
stranger to fight him duel this very
night. By so doing we give Destiny a
chance to settle the affair at once; and
if she fails to do so, why, it's her fault,
not ours. What say you, gentlemen, to
the proposition?" ;'-
Agreed! agreed" !" resounded on ev-
cry side, and we sprang at once for our
hats.
"Open the door, Maurice" shouted
a dozen voices; you have the key"
"Gentlemen," responded he, g have
| you no regard for the feelings of our
hostp What! would you rush down
stairs helter- -skelter, at the imminent
risk of disturbing the virtuous slumbers
of Madame Bauleau and her charming
infants? For shame! Observe me,
and profit by my example. "
Even as he spoke, he rushed to one of
the windows, tore down the curtains,
threw up the sash, and leaped out fear
lessly into the gloom. We all followed
him, and in the twinkling of an eye
found ourselves in the garden. % z
1t was clear fall OF la feet, but the
soil being moist and soft, luckily no one
was hurt, We struggled on, still fol-
| lowing the leadership of Maurice, over
a wilderness of vines and flower beds,
until we reached the low wall upon ou1
right, and upon scrambling over ii
we found ourselves in narrow alley
which led out into the thoroughfare
1 upon which Bauleau's restaurant
fronted.
"Selecu your partners!" exclaimed
Maurice, in his clear ringing tones; anc
each one locked arms with whoever
CHANGED to be nearest to him. ,T e7
Delavigne himself being my most i'm
mediate neighbor, / took his, and 81
reached the open street.
| Once more bethought me of his grea
skill as a billiard player, which l hat
once or twice been a witness of; and re
gretted that / had not selected some on,
else; but it was too late to repent, ane
so l said nothing. On consulting
our watches we found it was II 30
being full hour later than any of u
had supposed. t5 ih.u- G1 :.
A walk of ten minutes had brough
us to the Toison dor, at that time on,
of the most excellent saloons in Paris
1t was in the second story Of the build
ing, the floor above being occupied as ;
fencing gallery. 9l2
Once inside no. time was lost in idl
preparation; but, selecting six contigu
Gus tables, we began to play at once
Delayigne,~w knew that, / was NJ
match for him, insisted upon giving MI
I odds; but as I resolutely refused to &C
cept of any, he was per force obliged t.
play me eyen., -, .,ot,res..s. ...5.,l
was in that state of nervous excite
ment which, so far from diminishing
my skill, actually assisted it, and ! ex
ceeded myself, while Maurice, although
to all appearance playing with grea
care, counted very slowly. The con
sequence was that, much to my surprise
won the game. .s7
For his second trial he paired off wit
Laroque, who was even a worse playe
than myself; and yet, strange to say
Delavigne was again beaten. He ex
perienced a similar fate at the hands Q
each of his antagonists, and finally wa
left alone to play the last game of tn
series with the todd man" which unen
enviable position had been selected fror
choice by the younger stranger whom
: Lemoyne had introduced as the Coun
de Vautrin.
The chances had narrowed down t
two men. 1t was to be either the strar
ger or my friend; and strong forebot