Iwasanceadairkwomanmyself，beforemyhairwasgray。Haudyerpeace，Francie，andwatchthecairds。“
IwatchedthecardsasIwastold。Thereweresevenleftonthetable。Myauntremovedtwofromoneendoftherowandtwofromtheother，anddesiredmetocallthetwooutermostofthethreecardsnowleftonthetable。IcalledtheAceofClubsandtheTenofDiamonds。MyauntChanceliftedhereyestotheceilingwithalookofdevoutgratitudewhichsorelytriedmymother’spatience。
TheAceofClubsandtheTenofDiamonds，takentogether，signified——first，goodnewsevidentlythenewsofthegroom’splace；secondly，ajourneythatlaybeforemepointingplainlytomyjourneyto-morrow！；thirdlyandlastly，asumofmoneyprobablythegroom’swages！waitingtofinditswayintomypockets。Havingtoldmyfortuneintheseencouragingterms，myauntdeclinedtocarrytheexperimentanyfurther。“Eh，lad！it’sacleantemptingo’Proavidencetoaskmairo’thecairdsthanthecairdshavetauldusnoo。Gaeyerwaysto-morrowtothegreathoose。Adairkwomanwillmeetyeatthegate；andshe’llhaveahandingettingyethegroom’splace，wi’a’thegratificationsandpairquisitesappertainingtothesame。And，mebbe，whenyerpoaket’sfullo’money，ye’llno’beforgettingyerauntChance，maintainingherainunblemishedwidowhood——wi’Proavidenceassisting——onthrattypundsayear！“
IpromisedtoremembermyauntChancewhohadthedefect，bytheway，ofbeingaterriblygreedypersonaftermoneyonthenexthappyoccasionwhenmypooremptypocketsweretobefilledatlast。Thisdone，Ilookedatmymother。Shehadagreedtotakehersisterforumpirebetweenus，andhersisterhadgivenitinmyfavor。Sheraisednomoreobjections。Silently，shegotonherfeet，andkissedme，andsighedbitterly——andsolefttheroom。MyauntChanceshookherhead。“Idoubt，Francie，yerpuirmitherhasbutaheathennotionofthevairtueofthecairds！“
BydaylightthenextmorningIsetforthonmyjourney。IlookedbackatthecottageasIopenedthegardengate。Atonewindowwasmymother，withherhandkerchieftohereyes。AttheotherstoodmyauntChance，holdinguptheQueenofSpadesbywayofencouragingmeatstarting。Iwavedmyhandstobothofthemintokenoffarewell，andsteppedoutbrisklyintotheroad。ItwasthenthelastdayofFebruary。Bepleasedtoremember，inconnectionwiththis，thatthefirstofMarchwastheday，andtwoo’clockinthemorningthehourofmybirth。