always so when he is greatest,--like nature herself. And once, years
after, I played with a mother for her child--and mine. And yet once
again at Parma with"--here he paused, throwing that sharp sidelong
glance--"with the greatest gamester, for the infinite secret of Art: and
I won it; but I paid the price! . . . I should like to play now."

He reached his hand, drew up five cards, and ran his eye through them.
"Play!" he said. "The hand is good--very good. . . . Once when I
played with the Princess--but it is no matter; and Tuscany is far away!
. . . Play!" he repeated.

Pierre instantly picked up the cards, with an air of cool satisfaction.
He had either found the perfect gamester or the perfect liar. He knew
the remedy for either.

The Chief Factor did not move. Shon and Lazenby followed Pierre's
action. By their positions Lazenby became his partner. They played in
silence for a minute, the Tall Master taking all. "Napoleon was a
wonderful player, but he lost with me," he said slowly as he played a
card upon three others and took them.

Lazenby was so taken back by this remark that, presently, he trumped
his partner's ace, and was rewarded by a talon-like look from the Tall
Master's eye; but it was immediately followed by one of saturnine
amusement.

They played on silently.

"Ah, you are a wonderful player!" he presently said to Pierre, with a
look of keen scrutiny. "Come, I will play with you--for values--the