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The Gaming Table by Andrew Steinmetz, Volume II

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Chevaliers D'industrie, Or Polite Sharpers

Chauvignac--such was the name of the friend thus addressed--was a
card-sharper, and he instantly seized the opportunity to make
something out of the happy disposition of this modern prodigal
son, this scion of gentility. With the utmost frankness he
explained to the young man his wonderful method of keeping his
pockets full of money, and showed that nothing could be easier
than for Olivier to go and do likewise in his terrible
condition;--in short, on one hand there were within his grasp,
riches, pleasure, all manner of enjoyment; on the other, pitiless
creditors, ruin, misery, and contempt. The tempter, moreover,
offered to initiate his listener in his infallible method of
getting rich. In his frame of mind Olivier yielded to the
temptation, with the full determination, if not to get money by
cheating at cards, at any rate to learn the method which might
serve as a means of self-defence should he not think proper to
use it for attack--such was the final argument suggested by the
human Mephistopheles to his pupil.

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