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Updated: June 28, 2025
He was a Genoese named Spinola. "The bank is prosperous," I remarked to Canano. "Yes," he replied, "but it is not always so. Pierrot was very lucky the other night." "You did not recognize me in the least?" "No, I was so firmly persuaded that the beggar was you. You know who he is?" "I haven't an idea. I never saw him before that day." In this last particular I did not lie.
Countess A B had sent me a note asking me to sup with her, her husband, and the Marquis Triulzi, and other friends. This engagement prevented my paying a visit to Canano, who had won a thousand sequins of me since my great victory as Pierrot. I knew that he boasted that he was sure of me, but in my own mind I had determined to gain the mastery. At supper the countess waged war on me.
I then put fifty sequins on one card, going paroli and paix de paroli, and at daybreak I had broken the bank. Canano said politely that if I liked to be spared the trouble of carrying all that gold he would have it weighed and give me a cheque. A pair of scales was brought, and it was found that I had thirty-four pounds weight in gold, amounting to two thousand eight hundred and fifty-six sequins.
"It is said that they are Venetians, and that they went to Bergamo." "It may be so, but I know nothing about them. I left the ball before they did." In the evening I supped with the countess, her husband, and Triulzi. They were of the same opinion as Canano. Triulzi said that I had let the cat out of the bag by giving the beggars handfuls of sequins. "That is a mistake," I answered.
I confessed the deed and amused the company by the story of what had happened at Mantua with Oreilan, and how I had found Count Celi at Cesena metamorphosed into Count Alfani. Somebody mentioned the ball which was to be held the next day, and when I said I was not going they laughed. "I bet I know you," said Canano, "if you come to the bank." "I am not going to play any more," said I.
Canano wrote me a cheque, and I slowly returned to the ball-room. Barbaro had recognized me with the keenness of a Venetian. He accosted me and congratulated me on my luck, but I gave him no answer, and seeing that I wished to remain incognito he left me. A lady in a Greek dress richly adorned with diamonds came up to me, and said in a falsetto voice that she would like to dance with me.
The stroke was successful and Canano gave me back my hundred Spanish pieces, on which I sat down again by the banker, and recommenced regular play. Canano was looking at me hard. My snuff-box was the one which the Elector of Cologne had given me, with the prince's portrait on the lid.
"All the better for me," answered Canano; "for though your punting is unlucky, you don't leave off till you have won my money. But that's only my joke; try again, and I protest I would see you win half my fortune gladly." Count Canano had a ring on his finger with a stone not unlike one of mine; it had cost him two thousand sequins, while mine was worth three thousand.
The beggars came in and stood by the table, and Canano, catching the marquis's eye, asked him for a pinch of snuff. My delight may be imagined when I saw him modestly presenting a common horn snuffbox to the banker. I had not thought of this detail, which made everybody laugh immensely. Mdlle. Q stretched out her plate to ask an alms of Canano, who said,
"How is fortune treating you?" "Canano wins two hundred sequins from me every day." "But you won two thousand from him in one night." "You will break his bank on Sunday. We will bring you luck." "Would you like to look on?" "We should be delighted, but my brother says you don't want to go with us." "Quite so, the reason is that I should be recognized.
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