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"This night, at the hour thou knowest, bring the mantle to the Ponte Vecchio; four hundred zechins await thee!" I stood as one thunder-struck: thus had I trifled with fortune, and entirely missed my aim.
From the embrace of beautiful arms he rushed to the gaming-table, where the ducats he flung down soon became a pile of gold; the zechins filled his purse to overflowing. The quickly-won treasure melted like snow in the sun, and returned again like stray doves to their open cote.
Heavenly Father, what a shining light he'll be! And now! The Lord have mercy on us! You work, work, and what does it bring you? Not an egg; not a rush! Go to your uncle in the Netherlands. He'll forget the curse, if you submit! How many of the zechins, your father saved, are still left?"
"And the last verse: "'And shall we never receive our due? Will our sore trials never end? Leader to victory, be true, Come quickly, death, beloved friend. "I often sang it in those days; but now: What does the world cost? A thousand zechins is not too much for me to pay for it!" "Have you gained booty, Hans?" "Better must come; but I'm faring tolerably well. Nothing but feasting!
Gold flowed through his hands like water. As he played without the slightest caution he lost almost invariably. He lost immense sums, for he staked like a desperate gamester. Dearest O , with an aching heart I write it, in four days he had lost above twelve thousand zechins. Do not reproach me. I blame myself sufficiently. But how could I prevent it? Could I do more than warn him?
With the last stroke of the clock, came the figure out of darkness to my side: beyond a doubt it was the man of the night before. "Hast thou the cloak?" I was asked. "Yes, sir," I replied, "but it cost me a hundred zechins cash." "I know it," rejoined he; "look, here are four hundred."
Oh! thou Rialto, where gold is stored, as wheat and rye are elsewhere; ye proud nobles, ye fair dames with luxuriant tresses, whose raven hue pleases ye not, and which ye dye as bright golden as the glittering zechins ye squander with such small, yet lavish hands! Oh! Venice, Queen of the sea, mother of riches, throne of power, hall of fame, temple of art, who could escape thy spell!
He was invited to the banquets given by the wealthier ones, and to join the wild pranks, in which they sometimes indulged, but spite of persuasions and entreaties, always in vain. Ulrich needed no comrades, and his zechins were sacred to him; he was keeping them for Italy.
This Civitella is certainly one of the most obliging personages in the world. The prince had scarcely left me the other day before I received a note from the marquis enforcing his former offers with renewed earnestness. I instantly forwarded, in the prince's name, a bond for six thousand zechins; in less than half an hour it was returned, with double the sum required, in notes and gold.
His arm seemed made of steel; he valued his life no more than one of the plumes in his helmet, and risked it in battle as recklessly as he did his zechins at the gaming-table. Here, as well as there, he remained the winner.
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