Thegamblerstoleoffwithalightfoot，resolvingtoplayatthreedifferenttimes，threehoursapart，andeachtimeforonlytenminutes。Thorough-goingplayers，eversince1786，thetimeatwhichpublicgaming-houseswereestablished，——thetrueplayerswhomthegovernmentdreaded，andwhoateup，touseagamblingterm，themoneyofthebank，——neverplayedinanyotherway。Butbeforeattainingthismeasureofexperiencetheylostfortunes。Thewholescienceofgambling-housesandtheirgainsrestsuponthreethings:theimpassibilityofthebank；theevenresultscalled“drawngames，“whenhalfthemoneygoestothebank；andthenotoriousbadfaithauthorizedbythegovernment，inrefusingtoholdorpaytheplayer’sstakesexceptoptionally。Inaword，thegambling-house，whichrefusesthegameofarichandcoolplayer，devoursthefortuneofthefoolishandobstinateone，whoiscarriedawaybytherapidmovementofthemachineryofthegame。Thecroupiersat“trenteetquarante“movenearlyasfastastheball。
　　Philippehadendedbyacquiringthesang-froidofacommandinggeneral，whichenableshimtokeephiseyeclearandhismindpromptinthemidstoftumult。HehadreachedthatstatesmanshipofgamblingwhichinParis，letussayinpassing，isthelivelihoodofthousandswhoarestrongenoughtolookeverynightintoanabysswithoutgettingavertigo。Withhisfourhundredfrancs，Philipperesolvedtomakehisfortunethatday。Heputaside，inhisboots，twohundredfrancs，andkepttheothertwohundredinhispocket。Atthreeo’clockhewenttothegambling-housewhichisnowturnedintothetheatreofthePalais-Royal，wherethebankacceptedthelargestsums。Hecameouthalfanhourlaterwithseventhousandfrancsinhispocket。ThenhewenttoseeFlorentine，paidthefivehundredfrancswhichheowedtoher，andproposedasupperattheRocherdeCancaleafterthetheatre。Returningtohisgame，alongtheruedeSentier，hestoppedatGiroudeau’snewspaper-officetonotifyhimofthegala。Bysixo’clockPhilippehadwontwenty-fivethousandfrancs，andstoppedplayingattheendoftenminutesashehadpromisedhimselftodo。
　　Thatnight，byteno’clock，hehadwonseventy-fivethousandfrancs。
　　Afterthesupper，whichwasmagnificent，Philippe，bythattimedrunkandconfident，wentbacktohisplayatmidnight。Indefianceoftherulehehadimposeduponhimself，heplayedforanhouranddoubledhisfortune。Thebankers，fromwhom，byhissystemofplaying，hehadextractedonehundredandfiftythousandfrancs，lookedathimwithcuriosity。
　　“Willhegoawaynow，orwillhestay？“theysaidtoeachotherbyaglance。“Ifhestaysheislost。“
　　Philippethoughthehadstruckaveinofluck，andstayed。Towardsthreeinthemorning，thehundredandfiftythousandfrancshadgonebacktothebank。Thecolonel，whohadimbibedaconsiderablequantityofgrogwhileplaying，lefttheplaceinadrunkenstate，whichthecoldoftheouteraironlyincreased。Awaiterfromthegambling-housefollowedhim，pickedhimup，andtookhimtooneofthosehorriblehousesatthedoorofwhich，onahanginglamp，arethewords:
　　“Lodgingsforthenight。“Thewaiterpaidfortheruinedgambler，whowasputtobed，whereheremainedtillChristmasnight。Themanagersofgambling-houseshavesomeconsiderationfortheircustomers，especiallyforhighplayers。Philippeawokeaboutseveno’clockintheevening，hismouthparched，hisfaceswollen，andhehimselfinthegripofanervousfever。Thestrengthofhisconstitutionenabledhimtogethomeonfoot，wheremeanwhilehehad，withoutwillingit，broughtmourning，desolation，poverty，anddeath。
　　Theeveningbefore，whendinnerwasready，MadameDescoingsandAgatheexpectedPhilippe。Theywaiteddinnertillseveno’clock。Agathealwayswenttobedatten；butas，onthisoccasion，shewishedtobepresentatthemidnightmass，shewenttoliedownassoonasdinnerwasover。MadameDescoingsandJosephremainedalonebythefireinthelittlesalon，whichservedforall，andtheoldwomanaskedthepaintertoadduptheamountofhergreatstake，hermonstrousstake，onthefamoustrey，whichshewastopaythateveningattheLotteryoffice。Shewishedtoputinforthedoublesandsinglesaswell，soastoseizeallchances。Afterfeastingonthepoetryofherhopes，andpouringthetwohornsofplentyatthefeetofheradoptedson，andrelatingtohimherdreamswhichdemonstratedthecertaintyofsuccess，shefeltnootheruneasinessthanthedifficultyofbearingsuchjoy，andwaitingfrommid-nightuntilteno’clockofthemorrow，whenthewinningnumbersweredeclared。Joseph，whosawnothingofthefourhundredfrancsnecessarytopayupthestakes，askedaboutthem。
　　Theoldwomansmiled，andledhimintotheformersalon，whichwasnowherbed-chamber。
　　“Youshallsee，“shesaid。
　　MadameDescoingshastilyunmadethebed，andsearchedforherscissorstoripthemattress；sheputonherspectacles，lookedattheticking，sawthehole，andletfallthemattress。Hearingasighfromthedepthsoftheoldwoman’sbreast，asthoughshewerestrangledbyarushofbloodtotheheart，Josephinstinctivelyheldouthisarmstocatchthepoorcreature，andplacedherfaintinginachair，callingtohismothertocometothem。Agatherose，slippedonherdressing-
　　gown，andranin。Bythelightofacandle，sheappliedtheordinaryremedies，——eau-de-colognetothetemples，coldwatertotheforehead，aburntfeatherunderthenose，——andpresentlyherauntrevived。
　　“Theywerethereismorning；HEhastakenthem，themonster！“shesaid。
　　“Takenwhat？“askedJoseph。
　　“Ihadtwentylouisinmymattress；mysavingsfortwoyears；noonebutPhilippecouldhavetakenthem。“
　　“Butwhen？“criedthepoormother，overwhelmed，“hehasnotbeeninsincebreakfast。“
　　“IwishImightbemistaken，“saidtheoldwoman。“ButthismorninginJoseph’sstudio，whenIspokebeforePhilippeofmystakes，Ihadapresentiment。Ididwrongnottogodownandtakemylittleallandpayformystakesatonce。Imeantto，andIdon’tknowwhatpreventedme。Oh，yes！——myGod！Iwentouttobuyhimsomecigars。“
　　“But，“saidJoseph，“youleftthedoorlocked。Besides，itissoinfamous。Ican’tbelieveit。Philippecouldn’thavewatchedyou，cutopenthemattress，doneitdeliberately，——no，no！“
　　“Ifeltthemthismorning，whenImademybedafterbreakfast，“
　　repeatedMadameDescoings。
　　Agathe，horrified，wentdownstairsandaskedifPhilippehadcomeinduringtheday。Theconciergerelatedthetaleofhisreturnandthelocksmith。Themother，heart-stricken，wentbackachangedwoman。
　　Whiteasthelinenofherchemise，shewalkedaswemightfancyaspectrewalks，slowly，noiselessly，movedbysomesuperhumanpower，andyetmechanically。Sheheldacandleinherhand，whoselightfellfulluponherfaceandshowedhereyes，fixedwithhorror。
　　Unconsciously，herhandsbyadesperatemovementhaddishevelledthehairaboutherbrow；andthismadehersobeautifulwithanguishthatJosephstoodrootedinaweattheapparitionofthatremorse，thevisionofthatstatueofterroranddespair。
　　“Myaunt，“shesaid，“takemysilverforksandspoons。Ihaveenoughtomakeupthesum；ItookyourmoneyforPhilippe’ssake；IthoughtI
　　couldputitbackbeforeyoumissedit。Oh！Ihavesufferedmuch。“
　　Shesatdown。Herdry，fixedeyeswanderedalittle。
　　“Itwashewhodidit，“whisperedtheoldwomantoJoseph。
　　“No，no，“criedAgathe；“takemysilverplate，sellit；itisuselesstome；wecaneatwithyours。“
　　Shewenttoherroom，tooktheboxwhichcontainedtheplate，feltitslightweight，openedit，andsawapawnbroker’sticket。Thepoormotherutteredadreadfulcry。JosephandtheDescoingsrantoher，sawtheemptybox，andhernoblefalsehoodwasofnoavail。Allthreeweresilent，andavoidedlookingateachother；butthenextmoment，byanalmostfranticgesture，Agathelaidherfingeronherlipsasiftoentreatasecrecynoonedesiredtobreak。Theyreturnedtothesalon，andsatbesidethefire。
　　“Ah！mychildren，“criedMadameDescoings，“Iamstabbedtotheheart:
　　mytreywillturnup，Iamcertainofit。Iamnotthinkingofmyself，butofyoutwo。Philippeisamonster，“shecontinued，addressingherniece；“hedoesnotloveyouafterallthatyouhavedoneforhim。Ifyoudonotprotectyourselfagainsthimhewillbringyoutobeggary。
　　PromisemetoselloutyourFundsandbuyalife-annuity。Josephhasagoodprofessionandhecanlive。Ifyouwilldothis，dearAgathe，youwillneverbeanexpensetoJoseph。MonsieurDesrocheshasjuststartedhissonasanotary；hewouldtakeyourtwelvethousandfrancsandpayyouanannuity。“
　　Josephseizedhismother’scandlestick，rusheduptohisstudio，andcamedownwiththreehundredfrancs。
　　“Here，MadameDescoings！“hecried，givingherhislittlestore，“itisnobusinessofourswhatyoudowithyourmoney；weoweyouwhatyouhavelost，andhereitis，almostinfull。“
　　“Takeyourpoorlittleall？——thefruitofthoseprivationsthathavemademesounhappy！areyoumad，Joseph？“criedtheoldwoman，visiblytornbetweenherdoggedfaithinthecomingtrey，andthesacrilegeofacceptingsuchasacrifice。
　　“Oh！takeitifyoulike，“saidAgathe，whowasmovedtotearsbythisactionofhertrueson。
　　MadameDescoingstookJosephbythehead，andkissedhimontheforehead:——
　　“Mychild，“shesaid，“don’ttemptme。Imightonlyloseit。Thelottery，yousee，isallfolly。“
　　Nomoreheroicwordswereeverutteredinthehiddendramasofdomesticlife。Itwas，indeed，affectiontriumphantoverinveteratevice。Atthisinstant，theclocksstruckmidnight。
　　“Itistoolatenow，“saidMadameDescoings。
　　“Oh！“criedJoseph，“hereareyourcabalisticnumbers。“
　　Theartistsprangatthepaper，andrushedheadlongdownthestaircasetopaythestakes。Whenhewasnolongerpresent，AgatheandMadameDescoingsburstintotears。
　　“Hehasgone，thedearlove，“criedtheoldgambler；“butitshallallbehis；hepayshisownmoney。“