I took ’em all to Quinto’s for dinner last night. The whole thing’s
a mistake. The Major’s a gallant gentleman, but that bunch of Dago
scalawags that run this place are down on British and Americans. They
like our money, but that’s all. There’s no law. The Casino gang runs
the government. The whole population live on the Casino like lice on a
shark. The Prince with his tin-pot army is in their pay. It’s mediæval,
fantastic, rotten. And you ask me, then, why do I stay here? I can’t
tell you. I just stay.”
Mr. Gimp inhaled his home-made cigarette and snorted out a cloud of
disgust.
“Say, I heard a good story of this place! A guy once committed a
crime. They ought to have guillotined him; but as they didn’t have
a guillotine, they decided to imprison him for life. They threw him
into a cell, but soon it became such a nuisance to cook his food,
that they transferred him to a small hut near the frontier, hoping he
would escape. They had his meals sent in to him from a neighbouring
restaurant. But when the bills came in, they drew a long face. He cost
some, this prisoner. They decided to pardon him, but he consulted a
lawyer, and found that his pardon was irregular. He refused to accept
it. Finally to get rid of him they had to pay him a big sum to escape.
That’s a sample of how things are run here.... Look, there’s your
friend the professor.”
4.
The sensation in Casino circles caused by Mrs. Fitzoswald was as
nothing compared to the excitement aroused by the second appearance of
the professor. The news ran like an electric thrill from one end of the
Rooms to the other. It communicated itself to the stolid blue-coated
lackeys; to the wary, black-coated officials with their tiny cards,
even to the callous croupiers themselves.
The professor stumped across the room leaning on his cane; the old
lady gave him her place as before. Every one made way for him. He
was the star player. Again he went through the same programme with
note-book and pencil. He consulted the previous numbers and quickly
came to a decision. But instead of buying chips as formerly, he handed
the croupier the exact sum to play his series of maximums. Then he
announced his number,--Five.
It took some time to place the money correctly. The croupier did so
with unction. His actions had all the solemnity of a ceremonial.
Finally every stake was correctly placed. Excitement held the crowd
spellbound. With a determination at all cost to avoid the five, the
spinner threw the ball. It whirled around smoothly, then dropped amid
the diamond-shaped studs, dodged, rebounded, zig-zagged, fell. A great
shout arose. A sullen voice announced: “_Cinq, rouge impair et manque._”
Again the professor took up his gains and stumped his way through the
admiring crowd. Once more he had gained over sixty thousand francs.
On the following day he made his appearance a little after noon; the
Rooms were at their quietest. On this occasion he seemed less sanguine
of success. He made two shots but in neither case did he strike the
number. However, his gains on his indirect stakes balanced his losses,
and he rose from the table in a few minutes neither richer nor poorer.
The Casino people breathed more freely. They had been puzzled and a
little worried. They transferred their attention to the other and
equally pressing problems.
As time went on, more and more of the false chips were being forced on
the bank. Hugh felt the atmosphere of suspicion daily increasing in
intensity. Black-coated inspectors and spies were everywhere. No one’s
affairs were private. The secret police were making desperate efforts
to discover the fabricators of the false counters, but their efforts
so far had resulted only in the conviction of a croupier for petty
pilfering. He had done it by pretending to scratch his neck, and, in
so doing, dropping a louis down his collar. They did not put him in
prison, but hung a placard around his neck with I AM A THIEF printed
on it, and marched him around Monaco before his friends and relations.
Finally they kicked him across the frontier.
Mrs. Fitzoswald, too, was giving them no small worry. The little woman
was conducting her campaign with skill and tenacity. She was to be
seen at all hours of the day in front of the Casino, relating her
misfortunes to a sympathizing audience. Her children with tear-stained
cheeks ably supported her. People felt that it was unfair to have their
feelings harrowed when they came to enjoy themselves. Complaint after
complaint reached the administration, which at last decided to take
action. They offered to pay her passage and that of her children to
England if she would go away at once.
“What, go without my husband! Never! Release him and pay his passage,
too. That’s my ultimatum.”
The authorities refused. Negotiations were broken off.
* * * * *
On the fourth day the professor again made his appearance in the
afternoon; and again repeated his performance of the second day. The
directors were in a state of consternation. For the first time they
began to think that here was that inconceivable thing, a man with an
invincible system. All Monte Carlo was talking of it. They awaited
events with the greatest anxiety.
CHAPTER TEN
THE COMPACT
1.
As the following day was Sunday the professor did not play. Instead he
went to early mass accompanied by Margot, to whom he had taken a fancy,
and in the afternoon the two went for a walk together in the direction
of Menton. They asked Hugh to accompany them but he refused.
To tell the truth he had other fish to fry. Since his success, he had
blossomed out in many ways. Some time before he had been to a good
tailor and had several suits made. He had developed a fondness for the
American Bar of the Café de Paris, and had become increasingly intimate
with Mrs. Belmire.
At first he had merely admired her immensely; he was flattered by her
interest in him and had found a kind of heady pleasure, like champagne,
in her society. In the end he had become really fascinated. Then one
day something happened that acted on him like a spur. He was walking
along the road to Beaulieu when a big carmine car swung round a bend.
He recognized Vulning at the wheel. He thought the lady with him seemed
familiar, but it was not until she looked back laughingly and waved her
hand that he saw it was Mrs. Belmire.
If it had been any other man he would not have minded. He knew she
went about with Fetterstein and one or two others. But Vulning!...
He disliked Vulning. He realized with a shock that he was jealously
infatuated with the lady.
On this particular Sunday afternoon he had arranged to motor with her
to Brodighera. He was happy in the thought that he would have her all
to himself for four radiant hours.
They had not been long on the road when she said sweetly:
“You poor boy! I believe we nearly ran you down the other day. You
looked ever so startled. Paul always drives so recklessly. He gives me
all kinds of thrills.”
“Why do you go out with him then?” Hugh snapped.
She looked at him curiously. There was a gleam of amused satisfaction
in her eye.
“Why shouldn’t I? I love thrills. Besides he’s an old friend. Good
gracious! I don’t believe you like him.”
“Why should I?”
“Oh, he’s not a bad sort. A bit blasé and all that sort of thing. But
... well, you don’t know him.”
“We have met.”
“Have you really? I asked him after we had passed if he knew you, and
he said he didn’t. He meets so many I suppose he forgot. He’s much
sought after.”
Hugh grew more savage. Again he snapped. “I don’t believe he’s the man
a woman should be seen with often if she values her reputation.”
“_Her reputation!_”
Hugh thought she was going to be angry. She stared at him a moment,
then suddenly said: “Oh you funny boy! You nice boy! I like you so much
for that. But ... I do believe you’re jealous of Paul Vulning.”
“Why should I be?”
“Because he’s so like you. You’ve got the same regular features, the
same fair hair. You’re both tall and rather slight. But you needn’t
resent all that. Paul is a rather soiled man of the world; you are a
nice clean boy who might be fresh from Oxford.”
She looked at him thoughtfully.
“I’d like to keep you as you are, but it might be better for yourself
if you were a little more sophisticated. I have half a mind to take you
in hand, to educate you in the ways of the world. May I?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“No, I didn’t think you would. You are a little--may I say it?--naïve
sometimes.... I say, don’t you admire my new blouse? I just got it this
morning. The embroidery’s so pretty, I think.”
Something in the design struck Hugh as familiar. Yes, it was the work
he had seen Margot sitting up so late to finish.
“You look so serious. Don’t you like it?”
“Yes, it’s lovely.”
“I think so too. By the way, why don’t you begin to gamble again?
You play so well and you are so lucky. You must join the Club. You
might make lots of money. Talking about horrid money reminds me ...
mine hasn’t arrived and I’m rather low again. You may lend me another
_mille_ if you like.”
On the way back they overtook an old man and a girl. It was Margot
and the professor. Margot’s arms were full of flowers. Hugh waved to
them, and the professor waved back. Margot only stared. Hugh felt
uncomfortable. He was sorry he had encountered them.
When he reached home the room was bright with blossoms. Margot was very
quiet. She did not refer to their meeting and neither did he. But for
some reason for which he could not account, he did not care to meet
her eyes.
2.
On his way to the Casino, the next day, he missed the usual crowd at
the edge of the “Cheese,” and hunting up Mr. Tope inquired after Mrs.
Fitzoswald.
“Haven’t you heard? The Casino capitulated. They had the Major released
and paid the fares of the whole family to England. They all went off
this morning.”
“And June Emslie?”
“I believe she got a job as a nurse girl or something with a family in
Menton.”
“Poor girl!”
“I say, let me tell you once more, there’s the very wife for a lad like
you. Why don’t you marry her? Just as sweet as a rose, and badly up
against it.”
Hugh laughed and was glad of the diversion caused by the entrance of
the Calderbrooks.
“Hullo! They’ve come back. I’ve missed them for some time,” he
exclaimed.
“They were lying low. No money! Now they’ve got out some more and are
starting in again. I’m told they’ve sold or mortgaged their property in
England and taken an apartment here. In a few years’ time they will be
just like all the other derelicts, haunting the Casino with no money
to play, seedy, down at heel, sodden. You know the sort. Look around;
you’ll see enough of ’em.”
Mrs. Calderbrook with a resolute look, was stalking in front; the girl
Alicia, tall and slender, followed; the father with his wistful blue
eye and drooping grey moustache trailed after them.
Hugh had heard that Alicia had been engaged to a young ex-aviator who
had bought a ranch in Alberta. She had expected to have joined him as
soon as possible, but Monte Carlo had thrown its spell over her. The
thought of a lonely ranch on the prairie became unbearable and she
broke off the engagement. She would probably never have another chance
to marry.
To Hugh’s surprise he did not find MacTaggart in his usual place under
the Three Graces, but instead, in his seat was Mr. Gimp.
“Yep,” said Mr. Gimp, sourly, “I’m old Mac’s deputy. Hate like hell to
do this but he’s sick. He was getting out of bed, wanted to crawl down
anyway, hated to lose his records. I made him go back and told him I’d
take his place. It’s all damned rot, you know. I might as well put down
any old numbers and give them to him. It would be the same in the end.
Howsoever, I’m conscientious.”
“Is he very sick?”
“Nerves mostly. The success of your old friend, the professor, gave
him a nasty jar. Kind o’ destroyed his confidence in his own system.
Say, you want to tell the old boy to be careful. He was in this morning
early, played five shots, and got the bulls-eye twice. Carried off over
a hundred thousand francs.”
“Why should he be careful?”
“Because the Casino folks ain’t goin’ to stand that sort o’ thing
indefinitely. They’re gettin’ scared; and believe me, when they get
scared they’ll get desperate. It stands to reason, they ain’t goin’ to
let themselves be ruined if they can help it. The old fellow seems to
have some way of spotting a winner, or getting so close to it he breaks
even. It’s plain now it ain’t all accident. Well, if he can make fifty
thousand a day he can just as well make two hundred thousand ... and
then let him look out.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why, if he went on, they’d just have to close their doors. Not only
the Casino would be ruined but the Principality. D’ye think they’re
goin’ to stand for that?”
“They could expel him.”
“What good would that do? He could put some one else on. No, the only
way would be to suppress both him and his system; and believe me, they
won’t stick at half measures to do it. I don’t say as they’ll stoop to
crime; but there’s men in their pay as ain’t so scrupulous. There’s the
existence of the whole community at stake. Accidents can happen. What’s
a man’s life compared with the ruin of twenty thousand people? Believe
me, the professor’s playin’ a dangerous game.”
Hugh left Mr. Gimp sitting on one of the side benches still sourly
taking down the hated numbers. He mooned round the rooms, thinking more
of Mrs. Belmire than of the play. She had called him _naïve_; that had
hurt his vanity. Was he naïve?
Mrs. Belmire had urged him to go on gambling, but he had baulked. Of
course, she thought he had plenty of money, and that his winnings at
roulette meant little to him. On the contrary they meant so much to
him that he was determined to hold on to them at all costs. Of his
fifty-five thousand five had already melted away. He had loaned her
two and had spent another two on clothes. Perhaps it was the lesson
that poverty had taught him in his youth, perhaps it was due to his
Scottish ancestry, but he had a curious streak of prudence in him. He
had deposited fifty thousand francs in the bank and was determined not
to touch it.
Since his last spectacular performance at the tables, a reaction had
set in. He found himself almost in the same state of indifference
that he had been before he had begun to play. His sudden passion for
gambling seemed to have spent itself, and he wondered how he could ever
have been so obsessed.
Fifty thousand francs! Yes, he had been miraculously lucky. It seemed
like providence. He would buy a car and a cottage, and spend his spare
time in painting. As for Mrs. Belmire, he would tell her just how
matters stood. But not just yet. Perhaps he would allow her to educate
him a little first. No more roulette though; not even for tobacco
money. No opportunities, however good, would tempt him. Confound Mrs.
Belmire! She had said that she was dining that evening with Paul
Vulning. She had made a point of telling him about it, he believed.
3.
He spent three days painting at Cap Ferrat. He started early each
morning and returned late, drunk with fresh air and sunshine. Then on
the fourth day he rested and found his way in due course to the Casino.
Mr. Gimp was still replacing MacTaggart.
“I expect Mac will be on deck again to-morrow,” Mr. Gimp said in
response to his inquiry. “He can’t afford to lie off much longer. You
know he’s working on a mere two or three hundred francs of capital. He
lives on fifteen francs a day. If he don’t make ’em, he goes hungry. I
know for a fact, lots of nights, he makes a supper of dry bread. That’s
what’s killing him,--the worry of making his day. If he could afford
to play with higher stakes, say louis instead of five franc pieces, it
would be different. He’s got all kinds of faith in his system; sure
there’s a fortune in it.”
“I had no idea he was so short.”
“Oh, there’s lots like that,--a good front and behind it starvation....
Just look at that Dago Castelli,--there’s a dashing, sporty player if
you like.”
The handsome Italian was playing a brilliant _paroli_ game. He played
between three tables, putting a louis on each of the simple chances.
If they were swept away he replaced them; if they won he left them on
with the louis of gain. He continued to leave on stake and gains for
six wins, then he took them up. This did not occur very often; but when
it did it netted him thirty-two louis. The game was an unusual one,
lively, easy to play, and interesting. Castelli always played this same
game, and frequently with great success. That day, however, runs of six
were rare and his louis were being swept away like leaves before the
wind.
Hugh persisted in his decision not to play. He saw chance after chance
to win, but let them go by. He was finished. He turned from the game
and watched the players. The woman in grey came and went, always
throwing a louis on number one. He saw her play several times at three
different tables but without success. After looking on awhile, she went
slowly away. The latest rumour he had heard concerning her was that she
was a celebrated actress who had recently been acquitted of a case of
_crime passionel_.
As he was wondering who she really was, a curious conversation
attracted his attention. A big, ruddy Englishman was talking to a small
shabby individual with a blotched face and gold-rimmed spectacles. The
little man was saying:
“In six weeks from to-day you will pay me fifteen thousand francs.
To-day I give you thirteen thousand, five hundred. That is understood,
is it not?”
“Yes, that is understood.”
“But what about exchange? If the franc goes down in value, you will
have gained. In that case you will pay me the difference. Is that
understood?”
“Yes, that is understood.”
The little man took from his note-book a prepared slip of paper and the
Englishman signed it with a fountain pen. The little man counted out
thirteen thousand five hundred francs in notes and his companion took
them, and threw a thousand on the first table. He lost, and without
trying to regain them went off to the private rooms.
Hugh decided to go home. As he was crossing the “Hall of Light,” he
saw Castelli sauntering in front of him. What a handsome chap that
Italian was. What a favourite he must be with women. He was speaking
to one now.... No, he had turned and was in conversation with the
chief inspector of the Rooms. After a moment they disappeared together
through one of the glass doors that works with a hidden catch.
On all sides Hugh heard wonderful accounts of the professor. For
three days the old man had won seventy thousand francs a day. Half
the profits of the Casino were going into his pocket. It was said the
administration was becoming desperate.
4.
Mr. Jarvis Tope had a source of secret information. His landlord was
a retired croupier and the two were excellent friends. In this way he
came to know many matters not revealed to the public, and he was very
discreet about disseminating his information.
“By the way,” he said to Hugh, “you’ve heard that a gang are passing
counterfeit louis in Casino money?”
“Yes.”
“Well, they’ve got one of them at least. In his room in Nice they found
a suit-case full of it. You’ve probably seen the chap.”
“Who.”
“His name is Castelli....”
“No!”
“Yes. They got him two days ago, but they have been watching him for
weeks. Some very sharp person on the Casino detective staff noticed
that he seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of louis. That put them
on the track. They’ve expelled him from the Principality. Well, that’s
one worry off their shoulders. Their other one is your old friend, the
professor. There they’ve got a tough nut to crack, I fear.”
“Do you think they’ll crack it?”
“Think! I know. A word in your ear. You tell the old chap to get out.
Get him away in a car, far and fast. They’ve simply got to get that
system, to get _him_. You understand. If they wish to save themselves
from ruin, neither he nor his system must continue to exist. They’re
only waiting now to make sure he’s got them. They can’t buy him off.
They can’t let him escape. I say, I wouldn’t be in that old man’s shoes
for all the money he’s made. Sounds melodramatic, I know. You think I
exaggerate. You don’t know this place. Get him away, I say. Lose no
time. Don’t laugh. _I know._”
Hugh was so disturbed that he knocked that night on the old man’s door.
“Who’s there?”
“Your neighbour.”
There was a turning of locks and the professor appeared. He had been
working out his play for the next day.
“Come in. Do you know I was just coming to see you. I want to enter
into an arrangement with you.”
“Yes.”
“I want protection. Twice I believe my life to have been attempted.
Twice I have nearly been run down by a car. The first time I thought it
was accidental, but I noticed it was the same car....”
“You must be mistaken.”
“I hope so. In any case I want you to accompany me to the Casino and
back, and to stay with me when I play. I’ll pay you anything you like.
A thousand francs a day if you agree.”
“I don’t want pay. I’ll be glad to help you.”
“Ah, I knew I could count on you. But look here, young man, I warn you
it’s dangerous.”
“All right. But for your own sake, hadn’t you better try to compromise
with them?”
“Never. They’ve already approached me. They said they didn’t believe
in my system, but were willing to buy it. They offered me ten million
francs in Casino stock. I told them, if they offered me a hundred
million, I would refuse. They advised me to reconsider my decision.
They were very courteous, said they were acting in the public interest
and so on. Oh, they talked smoothly enough, but I could see the menace
behind.... Look here!”
The professor went to the safe, twirled the combination, opened the
heavy door and took out a leather bound folio.
“Here it is, the condensed result of all my labours, the explanation of
my system. It is all in cypher. I want you to learn the six different
cyphers I use.”
“Why?”
“Because, if anything should happen to me, I want you to avenge me.
All you have to do is to publish this to the world. Their ruin will be
complete. Hush!” The Professor went quickly to the door and threw it
open. No one was there.
“I’m getting so nervous. It seems to me I’m watched all the time.
You’ll promise, won’t you? You’ll be my protector, my assistant, my
partner? You hesitate. Are you afraid?”
“Afraid! no.”
“All right. Will you?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Your hand on it. To-morrow we’ll begin.”
END OF BOOK THREE
BOOK FOUR
_The Vortex_
CHAPTER ONE
PROSPEROUS DAYS
1.
“By Goad!” said MacTaggart, sipping his second whiskey, “the auld man’s
a wizard. He’s got me fair bamboozilt.”
It was evening, and he and Hugh were sitting in the Café de Paris.
“I thocht I knew something o’ roulette, but noo I maun jist go back tae
Strathbungo and play dominoes. And you, young man, wi’ that canny wee
smile on yer gub,--I’m thinkin’ ye ken mair aboot it than ye want tae
tell.”
Hugh shook his head.
“No, I can’t grasp it. And yet I’m with the old man every day. The
scientific explanation of it’s beyond me. A mathematical mystery.
Your system and all the others are based on the laws of average, the
equilibrium. It’s a calculation of chances, of probabilities. So far
so good! The law of average does exist. It’s all rot to say that the
_coup_ that’s gone has no influence on the one that is to come. It
has. It’s true that the slots are all the same size and so each has an
equal claim to the ball, but it is because of this equal chance that
they will each receive it an equal number of times. I’ve seen a number
come up three times in succession, yet I wouldn’t hesitate to bet
thirty-five to one, in thousands, that it won’t come up a fourth time.
Mechanically, maybe it has an equal chance with the others, but by the
law of average, no.”
“That’s elementary,” said MacTaggart.
“Yes, but it’s as deep as the most of us get. We’re all in the
kindergarten class. We grope vaguely. We fumble with probabilities. As
far as we go we are right; but we don’t go far enough. We reach a point
where our system breaks down. The law of average is too big for us to
compress into a formula. In its larger workings it eludes us; we cannot
regulate it. Our observations of it are too limited.”
“I’ve got a record of over two hundred thousand consecutive _coups_,”
said MacTaggart.