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15。 Cardboard Hero
The Nassau Casino is the only legal casino on British soil anywhere in the world。 How this is justified under the laws of the monwealth no one can quite figure。 It is leased each year to a Canadian gambling syndicate and their operating profits in the smart winter season are estimated to average around 100；000。 The only games played are roulette； with two zeros instead of one； which increases the take to the house from the European 3。6 to a handsome 5。4； blackjack； or 21； on which the house makes between 6 and 7 per cent； and one table of chemin de fer ； whose cagnotte yields a modest 5 per cent。 The operation is run as a club in a handsome private house on West Bay Street and there is a pleasant dance and supper room with a three…piece bo that plays old favorites in strict time； and a lounge bar。 It is a well…run； elegant place that deserves its profit。
The Governor's A。D。C。 had presented Bond and Leiter with membership cards； and after they had had coffee and a stinger at the bar they separated and went to the tables。
Largo was playing chemin de fer 。 He had a fat pile of hundred…dollar plaques in front of him and half a dozen of the big yellow thousand…dollar biscuits。 Domino Vitali sat behind him chain…smoking and watching the play。 Bond observed the game from a distance。 Largo was playing expansively； bancoing whenever he could and letting his own banks run。 He was winning steadily； but with excellent manners； and by the way people joked with him and applauded his coups he was obviously a favorite in the Casino。 Domino； in black with a square…cut neckline and with one large diamond on a thin chain at her throat； was looking morose and bored。 The woman on Largo's right； having bancoed him three times and lost； got up and left the table。 Bond went quickly across the room and slid into the empty place。 It was a bank of eight hundred dollars…the round sum being due to Largo making up the cagnotte after each play。
It is good for the banker when he has got past the third banco。 It often means the bank is going to run。 Bond knew this perfectly well。 He was also painfully aware that his total capital was only one thousand dollars。 But the fact that everyone was so nervous of Largo's luck made him bold。 And； after all； the table has no memory。 Luck； he told himself； is strictly for the birds。 He said； 〃Banco。〃
〃Ah； my good friend Mr。 Bond。〃 Largo held out a hand。 〃Now we have the big money ing to the table。 Perhaps I should pass the bank。 The English know how to play at railway trains。 But still〃… he smiled charmingly…〃if I have to lose I would certainly like to lose to Mr。 Bond。〃
The big brown hand gave the shoe a soft slap。 Largo eased out the pink tongue of playing card and moved it across the baize to Bond。 He took one for himself and then pressed out one more for each of them。 Bond picked up his first card and flicked it face up into the middle of the table。 It was a nine； the nine of diamonds。 Bond glanced sideways at Largo。 He said； 〃That is always a good start…so good that I will also face my second card。〃 He casually flicked it out to join the nine。 It turned over in mid…air and fell besides the nine。 It was a glorious ten； the ten of spades。 Unless Largo's two cards also added up to nine or nineteen； Bond had won。
Largo laughed； but the laugh had a hard edge to it。 〃You certainly make me try；〃 he said gaily。 He threw his cards to follow Bond's。 They were the eight of hearts and the king of clubs。 Largo had lost by a pip…two naturals； but one just better than the other； the crudest way to lose。 Largo laughed hugely。 〃Somebody had to be second；〃 he said to the table at large。 〃What did I say？ The English can pull what they like out of the shoe。〃
The croupier pushed the chips across to Bond。 Bond made a small pile of them。 He gestured at the heap in front of Largo： 〃So； it seems； can the Italians。 I told you this afternoon we should go into partnership。〃
Largo laughed delightedly。 〃Well； let's just try once again。 Put in what you have won and I will banco it in partnership with Mr。 Snow on your right。 Yes； Mr。 Snow？〃
Mr。 Snow； a tough…looking European who； Bond remembered； was one of the shareholders； agreed。 Bond put in the eight hundred and they each put in four against him。 Bond won again； this time with a six against a five for the table…once more by one point。
Largo shook his head mournfully。 〃Now indeed we have seen the writing on the wall。 Mr。 Snow； you will have to continue alone。 This Mr。 Bond has green fingers against me； I surrender。〃
Now Largo was smiling only with his mouth。 Mr。 Snow suivied and pushed forward sixteen hundred dollars to cover Bond's stake。 Bond thought： I have made sixteen hundred dollars in two coups； over five hundred pounds。 And it would be fun to pass the bank and for the bank to go down on the next hand。 He withdrew his stake and said； 〃 La main passe 。〃 There was a buzz of ment。 Largo said dramatically； 〃Don't do it to me！ Don't tell me the bank's going to go down on the next hand！ If it does I shoot myself。 Okay； okay； I will buy Mr。 Bond's bank and we will see。〃 He threw some plaques out on to the table…sixteen hundred dollars' worth。
And Bond heard his own voice say banco！ He was bancoing his own bank…telling Largo that he had done it to him once； then twice； and now he was going to do it； inevitably； again！
Largo turned round to face Bond。 Smiling with his mouth； he narrowed his eyes and looked carefully； with a new curiosity； at Bond's face。 He said quietly； 〃But you are hunting me； my dear fellow。 You are pursuing me。 What is this？ Vendetta？〃
Bond thought： I will see if an association of words does something to him。 He said； 〃When I came to the table I saw a spectre。〃 He said the word casually； with no hint at double meaning。
The smile came off Largo's face as if he had been slapped。 It was at once switched on again； but now the whole face was tense； strained； and the eyes had gone watchful and very hard。 His tongue came out and touched his lips。 〃Really？ What do you mean？〃
Bond said lightly； 〃The spectre of defeat。 I thought your luck was on the turn。 Perhaps I was wrong。〃 He gestured at the shoe。 〃Let's see。〃
The table had gone quiet。 The players and spectators felt that a tension had e between these two men。 Suddenly there was the smell of enmity where before there had been only jokes。 A glove had been thrown down； by the Englishman。 Was it about the girl？ Probably。 The crowd licked its lips。
Largo laughed sharply。 He stitched gaiety and bravado back on his face。 〃Aha！〃 His voice was boisterous again。 〃My friend wishes to put the evil eye upon my cards。 We have a way to deal with that where I e from。〃 He lifted a hand； and with only the first and little fingers outstretched in a fork； he prodded once； like a snake striking toward Bond's face。 To the crowd it was a playful piece of theater； but Bond； within the strong aura of the man's animal magnetism； felt the ill temper； the malevolence behind the old Mafia gesture。
Bond laughed good…naturedly。 〃That certainly put the hex on me。 But what did it do to the cards？ e o