The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-06-10

Far better for him would il have been
IT he had lost ontinualy-success intox-
icated him. He believed in his star.
brought his personal vanity into his play,
and finally made gambling the chief oc-
cupation of his life. He had excess of
gambling fever which seized him at inter
walls, like a chronic disease, aud in those
moments he forgot everything else.
Then it was madness with him-a fury
he would have paid men to play with him.
But in Russia such IN extreme means of
obtaining qualification is unnecessary.
II.
One day (they had been seated at the
gambling table for two hours) Tcheret-
zotf never ceased to win. He had piled
up all round him, sum of more than lOO,-
GOO roubles-without counting 200, 900
more which he had won from his com
rades on their simple word of honor.
g propose to stake all my winnings
of this evening on one game" he cried
How much ?" responded the voice
of a man who had just come in.
That man was Auyustinoti.
Say 100000 roubles, in round mum
her>, replied Tcheretzptf.
I'll take Your offer"
Although everybody present was more
or less accustomed to large stakes, this
game had an extraordinary interest for
them. The stakes were enormous: the
adversareS were the two most skillful
players ot the empire; and besides, Au-
guStlnotf had ceased to play according
to general belief, and had only broken
has rule 50 far in order To teach his great
art to the very man whose challenge he
had just accepted. The master and the
pupil We're going ut last to nave it out
For some time the chances seemed
about equal. Finally, however. AuguSrin-
oft began to win. Tcheratzotf pu,hrl
over to .Au-uStinotl' the l00,O 900 roublcs
lying beside him, and turning to tho
Spectator, said to one of them:
Pa>sar"tf you now owe AuGuStinott'
the 3o,ooo roublcS | won from you, and
YOU, Novoith. You will pay him the 3o,-
ouu''
He continued this way to make up his
ar'."umt with his debtors, :" aS to transfer
to \u@u>tin"tl' the credit he had allow
rl them.
This arrangement having been accept
eel 10y ALI parties concerned, he resumed
his play.
Now you will give me the chance to
revenge myself" he said
How much - replied Augustiu"tl.
The same-:}Oo, 900"
:" But"
l. II to" much for you :"
i 'lo not think ii i enough. You lost
,.f fur ~. al
winnings. Iou ought to have pluck
enongh 20 add somcthin. more"
+" All right, add 100000 roublcs."
Good enouyh-that makes at least
something of "A stake
AuunSti""A i...t
I'VE can't let the game go on this
wav,' he said. Il play 800, 900 ronbIes."
This time he won. His luck remained
with him through the next game, for an
equal stake.
Let us continue" exclaimed Trhcret-
zotl, in Il voice which he vainiy tried to
render calm \ trembling, as of fever,
agitated his hands as we'll a. his voice.
AS You please collly responded
Au.ustinoff
Augustinoh retained ALI his selt-control,
and never trusted to mere chance.
Shall We keep the stake 1T the same
figure - he asked 5oo,ooo rouhles ~
Yes, have Them
And You are going to lose them; |
feel myself in luck. Let us have a few
glasses of ClicIuot t" warm us, and keep
us merry"
Tcheretzutf needed the stlmulant he
had become nervouSly irritable. 1t was
"A bad state for player to get into. He
drank more champagne than he needed
to brace him, but moi enough to restore
his good temper He became more
gloomy and cross than ever.
Aunustinotf encountered him always
with an impaSsve phlegm and an imper-
turlable smile He won game after game,
and tantalizrd his adversary by his cruel
wit. Although Tcheretzotf possessed
five or six millions of roubles in lands and
Scrt>, it could easily be seen that if the
game was to continue in the SAINT way,
he would soon bc without a kOpecH III the
world.
At one moment it seemed rs it his luck
had returned He had won twice III sue
cession, aud recovered several hundred
thousand roublrs. Everybody advised
him to play no further, and content him
self for that night with his luck. But
such advice was the most certain method
of making him continue.
Retire from the game" he cried, " at
the very moment that my luck is return
inc Shall not leave this table urtil day
light"
Il pledge myself to do the same" re-
piled Augustinotf.
The game continued with renewed aul
nation. Such struggles have a terrible
resemblance to ducls-to-lhedeath. Each
adversary watches the other, seeking to
divine in his eyes the secret of his next
play.
! Each tries to hide his own Thought
he yields, advances, retreats again ;-eyes
flame, hands trembe \ single mistake
would be rreparabe livery play is cal
culatcl; all consequences are reckoned !;
and cards are rapidly flung down in or
der to disconcerL the adversary. Finally,
one of the two becomes confused he feels
his luck departing from him he st1ggers !;
he succumbs. 1t is all oter with him >
the game is lost.
Thus in the memorable night, sue
cumbed Tcheretzotf. Long before the dawn
began to gIimmer-and the nights in St.
Petersburg are long he had lost all
that he possessed his house upon the
grand Moskaia, his fine estate in the cen
| han ltstl