The  game  commenced.  The  game  of  hazard,  as  it  is
generally  played,  is  a  game  of  chance,  it  needs  only  luck
and  boldness  ;  a  drunken  man  can  almost  win  by  ac-
cident. But  as  it  is  played  in  Pesth  it  is  something
quite  different ;  what  is  called  luck,  chance,  accident,  is
here  allied  to  skill,  prudence,  consideration,  and  bold-
ness. The  tarok-player  must  not  only  study  his  cards,
but  also  the  faces  of  his  adversaries.  He  must  be  La-
vater  and  Tartuffe  in  one;  he  must  be  a  general  who
develops  at  every  moment  a  fresh  plan  of  campaign,  and
a  Bosco  who  can,  from  the  first  card  that  is  played,
divine  the  whole  situation ;  he  must,  however,  be  gener-
ous, and  sacrifice  himself  for  the  sake  of  the  general
good.  Therefore  it  was  that  the  spectators  pitied  Ivan
when  he  sat  down  to  the  card-table  to  play  with  these
three  masters  of  the  game.
174  BLACK    DIAMONDS

It  was  seven  o'clock  when  the  players  rose  from  the
card-table.  As  Ivan  pushed  back  his  chair,  the  marquis
said  to  him  :

"Well,  comrade,  it  is  a  good  thing  for  the  world  at
large  that  you  only  drink  once  a  year  and  play  cards
once  in  three  years,  for  if  you  did  both  every  day  there
would  be  no  more  wine  in  Salista's  cellar  nor  no  gold
left  in  Rothschild's  bank."

Ivan  had,  in  truth,  stripped  the  three  gentlemen.
"  Nevertheless,  we  must  have  a  parting  cup,"  con-
tinued Salista.  "Where  is  the  absinthe,?"  As  he  spoke
he  filled  two  large  glasses  with  the  green,  sparkling
spirit,  of  which  moderate  people,  regretting  this  pru-
dence, it  may  be,  never  drink  more  than  a  liqueur  glass.
