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。“