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the gaming table-vol. 1-第15章

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get himself legitimated。  Curiously enough; it is said that the

greater part of this sum had been won in England。'47'





'47' Amelot de la Houss。  _Mem。 Hist_。 iii。





HENRY IV。Henry IV。 early evinced his passion for gaming。  When

very young and stinted in fortune; he contrived the means of

satisfying this growing propensity。  When in want of money he

used to send a promissory note; written and signed by himself; to

his friends; requesting them to return the note or cash itan

expedient which could not but succeed; as every man was only too

glad to have the prince's note of hand。'48'





'48' Mem。 de Nevers。 ii。





There can be no doubt that the example of Henry IV。 was; in the

matter of gaming; as in other vices; most pernicious。  ‘Henry

IV。;' says Perefixe; ‘was not a skilful player; but greedy

of gain; timid in high stakes; and ill…tempered when he

lost。'  He adds rather naively; ‘This great king was not without

spots any more than the sun。''49'





'49' Hist。 de Henri le Grand。





Under him gambling became the rage。  Many distinguished families

were utterly ruined by it。  The Duc de Biron lost in a single

year more than five hundred thousand crowns (about L250;000)。

‘My son Constant;' says D'Aubigne; ‘lost twenty times more

than he was worth; so that; finding himself without resources; he

abjured his religion。'



It was at the court of Henry IV。 that was invented the method of

speedy ruin by means of written vouchers for loss and gainwhich

simplified the thing in all subsequent times。  It was then also

that certain Italian masters of the gaming art displayed their

talents; their suppleness; and dexterity。  One of them; named

Pimentello; having; in the presence of the Duc de Sully; appealed

to the honour which he enjoyed in having often played with Henry

IV。; the duke exclaimed;‘By heavens!  So you are the Italian

blood…sucker who is every day winning the king's money!  You have

fallen into the wrong box; for I neither like nor wish to have

anything to do with such fellows。'  Pimentello got warm。  ‘Go

about your business;' said Sully; giving him a shove; ‘your

infernal gibberish will not alter my resolve。  Go!''50'





'50' Mem。 de Sully。





The French nation; for a long time agitated by civil war; settled

down at last in peace and abundancethe fruits of which

prosperity are often poisoned。  They were so by the gambling

propensity of the people at large; now first manifested。  The

warrior; the lawyer; the artisan; in a word; almost all

professions and trades; were carried away by the fury of gaming。

Magistrates sold for a price the permission to gamblein the

face of the enacted laws against the practice。



We can scarcely form an idea of the extent of the gaming at this

period。  Bassompierre declares; in his Memoirs; that he won

more than five hundred thousand livres (L25;000) in the course

of a year。  ‘I won them;' he says; ‘although I was led away by a

thousand follies of youth; and my friend Pimentello won more than

two hundred thousand crowns (L100;000)。  Evidently this

Pimentello might well be called a _blood…sucker_ by Sully。'51'

He is even said to have got all the dice…sellers in Paris to

substitute loaded dice instead of fair ones; in order to aid his

operations。





'51' In the original; however; the word is piffre; (vulgo)

‘greedy…guts。'





Nothing more forcibly shows the danger of consorting with such

bad characters than the calumny circulated respecting the

connection between Henry IV。 and this infamous Italian:it was

said that Henry was well aware of Pimentello's manoeuvres; and

that he encouraged them with the view of impoverishing his

courtiers; hoping thereby to render them more submissive!  Nero

himself would have blushed at such a connivance。  Doubtless the

calumny was as false as it was stupid。



The winnings of the courtier Bassompierre were enormous。  He

won at the Duc d'Epernon's sufficient to pay his debts; to dress

magnificently; to purchase all sorts of extravagant finery; a

sword ornamented with diamonds‘and after all these expenses;'

he says; ‘I had still five or six thousand crowns (two to three

thousand pounds) left; _TO KILL TIME WITH_; pour tuer le temps。'



On another occasion; and at a more advanced age; he won one

hundred thousand crowns (L50;000) at a single sitting; from M。

De Guise; Joinville; and the Marechal d'Ancre。



In reading his Memoirs we are apt to get indignant at the

fellow's successes; but at last we are tempted to laugh at his

misery。  He died so poor that he did not leave enough to pay the

twentieth part of his debts!  Such; doubtless; is the end of most

gamblers。



But to return to Henry IV。; the great gambling exemplar of the

nation。  The account given of him at the gaming table is most

afflicting; when we remember his royal greatness; his sublime

qualities。  His only object was to _WIN_; and those who played

with him were thus always placed in a dreadful dilemmaeither to

lose their money or offend the king by beating him!  The Duke of

Savoy once played with him; and in order to suit his humour;

dissimulated his gamethus sacrificing or giving up forty

thousand pistoles (about L28;000)。



When the king lost he was most exacting for his ‘revanche;' or

revenge; as it is termed at play。  After winning considerably

from the king; on one occasion; Bassompierre; under the

pretext of his official engagements; furtively decamped: the king

immediately sent after him; he was stopped; brought back; and

allowed to depart only after giving the ‘revanche' to his

Majesty。  This ‘good Henri;' who was incapable of the least

dissimulation either in good or in evil; often betrayed a degree

of cupidity which made his minister; Sully; ashamed of him;in

order to pay his gaming debts; the king one day deducted seventy…

two thousand livres from the proceeds of a confiscation on which

he had no claim whatever。



On another occasion he was wonderfully struck with some gold…

pieces which Bassompierre brought to Fontainebleau; called

_Portugalloises_。  He could not rest without having them。  Play

was necessary to win them; but the king was also anxious to be in

time for a hunt。  In order to conciliate the two passions; he

ordered a gaming party at the Palace; left a representative of

his game during his absence; and returned sooner than usual; to

try and win the so much coveted _Portugalloises_。



Even loveif that name can be applied to the grovelling passion

of Henry IV。; intensely violent as it wascould not; with its

sensuous enticements; drag the king from the gaming table or

stifle his despicable covetousness。  On one occasion; whilst at

play; it was whispered to him that a certain princess whom he

loved was likely to fall into other arms:‘Take care of my

money;' said he to Bassompierre; ‘and keep up the game

whilst I am absent on particular business。'



During this reign gamesters were in 
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