introduced me to two handsome women, one of whom was his mistress, and to
five or six marquises; for at Milan no noble who is not a marquis is
thought anything of, just as in the same way they are all counts at
Vicenza. The dinner was magnificent and the conversation highly
intellectual. In a mirthful moment Canano said he had known me for
seventeen years, his acquaintance dating from the time I had juggled a
professional gamester, calling himself Count Celi, out of a pretty
ballet-girl whom I had taken to Mantua. I confessed the deed and amused
the company by the story of what had happened at Mantua with Oreilan, and
how I had found Count Celi at Cesena metamorphosed into Count Alfani.
Somebody mentioned the ball which was to be held the next day, and when I
said I was not going they laughed.

"I bet I know you," said Canano, "if you come to the bank."

"I am not going to play any more," said I.

"All the better for me," answered Canano; "for though your punting is
unlucky, you don't leave off till you have won my money. But that's only
my joke; try again, and I protest I would see you win half my fortune
gladly."

Count Canano had a ring on his finger with a stone not unlike one of
mine; it had cost him two thousand sequins, while mine was worth three
thousand. He proposed that we should stake them against each other after
having them unmounted and valued.

"When?" said I.

"Before going to the opera."