I emptied my purse on the table, and in less than an hour it was all
gone. I rose from the table and everybody thought I was going to beat a
retreat, but I took out another purse and put a hundred sequins on one
card, going second, with paroli, seven, and the va. The stroke was
successful and Canano gave me back my hundred Spanish pieces, on which I
sat down again by the banker, and recommenced regular play. Canano was
looking at me hard. My snuff-box was the one which the Elector of Cologne
had given me, with the prince's portrait on the lid. I took a pinch of
snuff and he gave me to understand that he would like one too, and the
box was subjected to a general examination. A lady whom I did not know
said the portrait represented the Elector of Cologne in his robes as
Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. The box was returned to me and I saw
that it had made me respected, so small a thing imposes on people. I then
put fifty sequins on one card, going paroli and paix de paroli, and at
daybreak I had broken the bank. Canano said politely that if I liked to
be spared the trouble of carrying all that gold he would have it weighed
and give me a cheque. A pair of scales was brought, and it was found that
I had thirty-four pounds weight in gold, amounting to two thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six sequins. Canano wrote me a cheque, and I slowly
returned to the ball-room.

Barbaro had recognized me with the keenness of a Venetian. He accosted me
and congratulated me on my luck, but I gave him no answer, and seeing
that I wished to remain incognito he left me.

A lady in a Greek dress richly adorned with diamonds came up to me, and
said in a falsetto voice that she would like to dance with me.

I made a sign of assent, and as she took off her glove I saw a
finely-shaped hand as white as alabaster, one of the fingers bearing an