More of a crowd was here; the voice of the spieler more insistent1, yet low-pitched and businesslike. He was a study—a square-shouldered, well set-up, wiry man of olive complexion2, finely chiseled3 features save for nose somewhat cruelly beaked4, of short black moustache, dead black long wavy5 hair, and, placed boldly wide, contrastive hard gray eyes that lent atmosphere of coldness to his face. His hat was pulled down over his forehead, he held an unlighted cigar between his teeth while he mechanically spoke6 and shifted the three cards (a diamond flashing from a finger) upon the baize-covered little table.
Money had been wagered7. He had just raked in a few notes, adding them to his pile. His monotone droned on.
“Next, ladies and gentlemen. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. That is my business. The play is yours. You may think I have two chances to your 119one; that is not so. You make the choice. Always the queen, always the queen. You have only to watch the queen, one card. I have to watch three cards. You have your two eyes, I have my two hands. You spot the card only when you think you can. I meet all comers. It is an even gamble.”
Jim remarked us as we joined.
“How you comin’ now?” he greeted of me.
“We won a dollar,” My Lady responded.
“Not I. She did the choosing,” I corrected.
“But you would have chosen the same card, you said,” she prompted. “You saw how easy it was.”
“Easy if you know how,” Jim asserted. “Think to stake a leetle here? I’ve been keepin’ cases and luck’s breaking ag’in the bank to-night, by gosh. Made several turns, myself, already.”
“We’ll wait a minute till we get his system,” she answered.
“Are you watching, ladies and gentlemen?” bade the dealer9, in that even tone. “You see the eight of clubs, the eight of spades, the queen of hearts. The queen is your card. My hand against your eyes, then. You are set? There you are. Pick the queen, some one of you. Put your money on the queen of hearts. You can turn the card yourself. What? Nobody? Don’t be pikers. Let us have a little sport. Stake a dollar. Why, you’d toss a dollar down your throat—you’d lay a dollar on a cockroach10 race—you’d bet that much on a yellow dog if you owned him, just to show 120your spirit. And here I’m offering you a straight proposition.”
With a muttered “I’ll go you another turn, Mister,” Jim stepped closer and planked down a dollar. The dealer cast a look up at him as with pleased surprise.
“You, sir? Very good. You have spirit. Money talks. Here is my dollar. Now, to prove to these other people what a good guesser you are, which is the queen?”
“Here,” Jim said confidently; and sure enough he faced up the queen of hearts.
“The money’s yours. You never earned a dollar quicker, I’ll wager8, friend,” the dealer acknowledged, imperturbable—for he evidently was one who never evinced the least emotion, whether he won or lost. “Very good. Now——”
From behind him a man—a newcomer to the spot, who looked like any respectable Eastern merchant, being well dressed and grave of face—touched him upon the shoulder. He turned ear; while he inclined farther they whispered together, and I witnessed an arm steal swiftly forward at my side, and a thumb and finger slightly bend up the extreme corner of the queen. The hand and arm vanished; when the dealer fronted us again the queen was apparently11 just as before. Only we who had seen would have marked the bent12 corner.
The act had been so clever and so audacious that I fairly held my breath. But the gambler resumed his flow of talk, while he fingered the cards as if totally unaware13 that they had been tampered14 with.
“Now, again, ladies and gentlemen. You see how it is done. You back your eyes, and you win. I find that I shall have to close early to-night. Make your hay while the sun shines. Who’ll be in on this turn? Watch the queen of hearts. I place her here. I coax15 the three cards a little——” he gave a swift flourish. “There they are.”
His audience hesitated, as if fearful of a trick, for the bent corner of the queen, raising this end a little, was plain to us who knew. It was absurdly plain.
“I’ll go you another, Mister,” Jim responded. “I’ll pick out the queen ag’in for a dollar.”
“Oh, pshaw, sir. These are small stakes. You’ll never get rich at that rate and neither shall I.”
“Yes, sir. But let’s have action. Who’ll join this gentleman in his guess? Who’ll back his luck? He’s a winner, I admit that.”
The gray eyes dwelt upon face and face of our half circle; and still I, too, hesitated, although my dollar was burning a hole in my pocket.
My Lady whispered to me.
“All’s fair in love and war. Here—put this on, with yours, for me.” She slipped a dollar of her own into my hand.
Another man stepped forward. He was, I judged, a teamster. His clothes, of flannel18 shirt, belted trousers and six-shooter and dusty boots, so indicated. And his beard was shaggy and unkempt, almost covering his face underneath19 his drooping20 slouch hat.
“I’ll stake you a dollar,” he said.
“Two from me,” I heard myself saying, and I saw my hand depositing them.
“You’re all on this gentleman’s card, remember?”
“You, sir, then, turn the queen if you can,” the gambler challenged of Jim.
With quick movement Jim flopped22 the bent-corner card, and the queen herself seemed to wink jovially23 at us.
The gambler exclaimed.
“By God, gentlemen, but you’ve skinned me again. I’m clumsy to-night. I’d better quit.” And he scarcely varied24 his level tone despite the chuckles25 of the crowd. “You must let me try once more. But I warn you, I want action. I’m willing to meet any sum you stack up against me, if it’s large enough to spell action. Shall we go another round or two before I close up?” He gathered the three cards. “You see the queen—my unlucky queen of hearts. Here she is.” He stowed the card between thumb and finger. “Here are the other two.” He held them up in his left hand—the eight of clubs, the eight of spades. He transferred them—with his rapid motion he strewed26 the three. “Choose the queen. I put the game to you fair and square. There are the cards. Maybe you can read their backs. That’s your privilege.” He fixed27 his eyes upon the teamster. “You, sir; where’s your money, half of which was mine?” He glanced at Jim. “And you, sir? You’ll follow your luck?” Lastly he surveyed me with a flash of steely bravado28. “And you, young gentleman. You came in before. I dare you.”
The bent corner was more pronounced than ever, as if aggravated29 by the manipulations. It could not possibly be mistaken by the knowing. And a sudden shame possessed30 me—a glut31 of this crafty32 advantage to which I was stooping; an advantage gained not through my own wit, either, but through the dishonorable trick of another.
“There’s your half from me, if you want it,” said Jim, slapping down two dollars. “This is my night to howl.”
The teamster backed him.
“I’m on the same card,” said he.
And not to be outdone—urged, I thought, by a pluck at my sleeve—I boldly followed with my own two dollars, reasoning that I was warranted in partially33 recouping, for Benton owed me much.
The gambler laughed shortly. His gaze, cool and impertinent, enveloped34 our front. He leaned back, defiant35.
“Give me a chance, gentlemen. I shall not proceed with the play for that picayune sum before me. This is my last deal and I’ve been loser. It’s make or break. Who else will back that gentleman’s luck? I’ve placed the cards the best I know how. But six or eight dollars is no money to me. It doesn’t pay for floor space. Is nobody else in? What? Come, come; let’s have some sport. I dare you. This time is my revenge or your good fortune. Play up, gentlemen. Don’t be crabbers.” He smiled sarcastically36; his words stung. “This isn’t pussy-in-a-corner. It’s a game of wits. You wouldn’t bet unless you felt cock-sure of winning. I’ll give you one minute, gentlemen, before calling all bets off unless you make the pot worth while.”
The threat had effect. Nobody wished to let the marked card get away. That was not human nature. Bets rained in upon the table—bank notes, silver half dollars, the rarer dollar coins, and the common greenbacks. He met each wager, while he sat negligent37 and half smiled and chewed his unlighted cigar.
“This is the last round, gentlemen,” he reminded. “Are you all in? Don’t leave with regrets. You,” he said, direct to me. “Are you in such short circumstances that you have no spunk38? Why did you come here, sir, if not to win? Why, the stakes you play would not buy refreshment39 for the lady!”
That was too much. I threw scruples40 aside. He had badgered me—he was there to win if he could; I now was hot with the same design. I extracted my twenty-dollar note, and deaf to a quickly breathed “Wait the turn” from My Lady I planked it down before him. She should know me for a man of decision.
“There, sir,” said I. “I am betting twenty-two dollars in all, which is my limit to-night, on the same right-end card as I stand.”
“The game is closed, gentlemen. Remember, you are wagering42 on the first turn. There are no splits in monte. Not at this table. Our friend says the right-end card. You, sir,” and he addressed Jim. “They are backing you. Which do you say is the queen? Lay your finger on her.”
Jim so did, with a finger stubby, and dirty under the nail.
“That is the card, is it? You are agreed?” he queried43 us, sweeping44 his cold gray eyes from face to face. “We’ll have no crabbing45.”
We nodded, intently eying the card, fearful yet, some of us, that it might be denied us.
“You, sir, then.” And he addressed me. “You are the heaviest better. Suppose you turn the card for yourself and those other gentlemen.”
I obediently reached for it. My hand trembled. There were sixty or seventy dollars upon the table, and my own contribution was my last cent. As I fumbled46 I felt the strain of bodies pressing against mine, and heard the hiss47 of feverish48 breaths, and a foolish laugh or two. Nevertheless the silence seemed overpowering.
I turned the card—the card with the bent corner, of which I was as certain as of my own name; I faced it up, confidently, my capital already doubled; and amidst a burst of astonished cries I stared dumbfounded.
It was the eight of clubs! My fingers left it as though it were a snake. It was the eight of clubs! Where I had seen, in fancy, the queen of hearts, there lay like a changeling the eight of clubs, with corner bent as only token of the transformation49.
The crowd elbowed about me. With rapid movement the gambler raked in the bets—a slender hand flashed by me—turned the next card. The queen that was, after all.
“We can’t both win, gentlemen,” he said, tone passionless. “But I am willing to give you one more chance, from a new deck.”
What the response was I did not know, nor care. My ears drummed confusedly, and seeing nothing I pushed through into the open, painfully conscious that I was flat penniless and that instead of having 127played the knave51 I had played the fool, for the queen of hearts.
The loss of some twenty dollars might have been a trivial matter to me once—I had at times cast that sum away as vainly as Washington had cast a dollar across the Potomac; but here I had lost my all, whether large or small; and not only had I been bilked out of it—I had bilked myself out of it by sinking, in pretended smartness, below the level of a more artful dodger52.
I heard My Lady speaking beside me.
“I’m so sorry.” She laid hand upon my sleeve. “You should have been content with small sums, or followed my lead. Next time——”
“You don’t mean——?”
“I was first robbed at the hotel. Now here.”
He ruefully scratched his head.
“A wrong steer55 for once, I reckon. I warn’t slick enough. Too much money on the table. But it looked like the card; I never took my eyes off’n it. We’ll try ag’in, and switch to another layout. By thunder, I want revenge on this joint56 and I mean to get it. So do you, don’t you, pardner?” he appealed to me.
As with mute, sickly denial I turned away it seemed to me that I sensed a shifting of forms at the monte table—caught the words “You watch here a moment”; and close following, a slim white hand fell heavily upon My Lady’s shoulder. It whirled her about, to face the gambler. His smooth olive countenance57 was dark with a venom58 of rage incarnate59 that poisoned the air; his syllables60 crackled.
“You devil! I heard you, at the table. You meddle61 with my come-ons, will you?” And he slapped her with open palm, so that the impact smacked62. “Now get out o’ here or I’ll kill you.”
She flamed red, all in a single rush of blood.
“Oh!” she breathed. Her hand darted63 for the pocket in her skirt, but I sprang between the two. Forgetful of my revolver, remembering only what I had witnessed—a woman struck by a man—with a blow I sent him reeling backward.
He recovered; every vestige64 of color had left his face, except for the spot where I had landed; his hat had sprung aside from the shock—his gray eyes, contrasted with his black hair, fastened upon my eyes almost deliberately65 and his upper lip lifted over set white teeth. With lightning movement he thrust the fingers of his right hand into his waistcoat pocket.
I heard a rush of feet, a clamor of voices; and all the while, which seemed interminable, I was tugging66, awkward with deadly peril67, at my revolver. His fingers had whipped free of the pocket, I glimpsed as with second sight (for my eyes were held strongly by his) the twin little black muzzles68 of a derringer concealed69 in his palm; a spasm70 of fear pinched me; they spurted71, with ringing report, but just at the instant a flanneled72 arm knocked his arm up, the ball had sped ceiling-ward and the teamster of the gaming table stood against him, revolver barrel boring into his very stomach.
“Stand pat, Mister. I call you.”
In a trice all entry of any unpleasant emotion vanished from my antagonist’s handsome face, leaving it olive tinted73, cameo, inert74. He steadied a little, and smiled, surveying the teamster’s visage, close to his.
“You have me covered, sir. My hand is in the discard.” He composedly tucked the derringer into his waistcoat pocket again. “That gentleman struck me; he was about to draw on me, and by rights I might have killed him. My apologies for this little disturbance75.”
He bestowed76 a challenging look upon me, a hard unforgiving look upon the lady; with a bow he turned for his hat, and stepping swiftly went back to his table.
Now in the reaction I fought desperately77 against a trembling of the knees; there were congratulations, a hubbub78 of voices assailing79 me—and the arm of the teamster through mine and his bluff80 invitation:
“Come and have a drink.”
“But you’ll return. You must. I want to speak with you.”130
It was My Lady, pleading earnestly. I still could scarcely utter a word; my brain was in a smother81. My new friend moved me away from her. He answered for me.
“Not until we’ve had a little confab, lady. We’ve got matters of importance jest at present.”
I saw her bite her lips, as she helplessly flushed; her blue eyes implored82 me, but I had no will of my own and I certainly owed a measure of courtesy to this man who had saved my life.
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1
insistent
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| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
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2
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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chiseled
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| adj.凿刻的，轮廓分明的v.凿，雕，镌( chisel的过去式 ) | |
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4
beaked
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| adj.有喙的，鸟嘴状的 | |
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wavy
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| adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的 | |
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6
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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7
wagered
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| v.在（某物）上赌钱，打赌( wager的过去式和过去分词 )；保证，担保 | |
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8
wager
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| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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9
dealer
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| n.商人，贩子 | |
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10
cockroach
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| n.蟑螂 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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12
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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13
unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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14
tampered
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| v.窜改( tamper的过去式 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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15
coax
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| v.哄诱，劝诱，用诱哄得到，诱取 | |
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16
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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17
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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18
flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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20
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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21
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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22
flopped
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| v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的过去式和过去分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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23
jovially
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| adv.愉快地，高兴地 | |
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24
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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chuckles
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的名词复数 ) | |
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26
strewed
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| v.撒在…上( strew的过去式和过去分词 )；散落于；点缀；撒满 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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bravado
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| n.虚张声势，故作勇敢，逞能 | |
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29
aggravated
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| 使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使更严重； 激怒； 使恼火 | |
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30
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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glut
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| n.存货过多，供过于求；v.狼吞虎咽 | |
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32
crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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37
negligent
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| adj.疏忽的；玩忽的；粗心大意的 | |
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38
spunk
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| n.勇气，胆量 | |
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39
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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40
scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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41
tartly
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| adv.辛辣地，刻薄地 | |
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42
wagering
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| v.在（某物）上赌钱，打赌( wager的现在分词 )；保证，担保 | |
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43
queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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44
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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45
crabbing
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| v.捕蟹( crab的现在分词 ) | |
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46
fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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47
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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48
feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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49
transformation
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| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
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50
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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51
knave
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| n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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52
dodger
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| n.躲避者；躲闪者；广告单 | |
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53
blurted
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| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
bungle
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| v.搞糟；n.拙劣的工作 | |
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55
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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56
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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57
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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58
venom
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| n.毒液，恶毒，痛恨 | |
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59
incarnate
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| adj.化身的，人体化的，肉色的 | |
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60
syllables
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| n.音节( syllable的名词复数 ) | |
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61
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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62
smacked
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| 拍，打，掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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64
vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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66
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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muzzles
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| 枪口( muzzle的名词复数 )； （防止动物咬人的）口套； （四足动物的）鼻口部； （狗）等凸出的鼻子和口 | |
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69
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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70
spasm
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| n.痉挛，抽搐；一阵发作 | |
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71
spurted
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| （液体，火焰等）喷出，（使）涌出( spurt的过去式和过去分词 )； （短暂地）加速前进，冲刺 | |
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72
flanneled
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| 穿法兰绒衣服的 | |
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73
tinted
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| adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
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74
inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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75
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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76
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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77
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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hubbub
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| n.嘈杂；骚乱 | |
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79
assailing
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| v.攻击( assail的现在分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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80
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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81
smother
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| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
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82
implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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