Pascal walked straight toward him.
"Well?" he asked.
Dartelle handed him a Figaro, still damp from the printing-press,
but crumpled and worn, as if it had already passed through more
than a hundred hands. "Read!" said he.
Pascal read as follows: "There was great sensation and a terrible
scandal last night at the residence of Madame d'A----, a well-
known star of the first magnitude. A score of gentlemen of high
rank and immense wealth were enjoying a quiet game of baccarat,
when it was observed that M. F---- was winning in a most
extraordinary manner. He was watched and detected in the very act
of dexterously slipping some cards into the pack he held. Crushed
by the overpowering evidence against him, he allowed himself to be
searched, and without much demur consented to refund the fruit of
his knavery, to the amount of two thousand louis. The strangest
thing connected with this scandal is, that M. F----, who is an
advocate by profession, has always enjoyed an enviable reputation
for integrity; and, unfortunately, this prank cannot be attributed
to a momentary fit of madness, for the fact that he had provided
himself with these cards in advance proves the act to have been
premeditated. One of the persons present was especially
displeased. This was the Viscount de C----, who had introduced M.
F---- to Madame d'A----. Extremely annoyed by this contretemps,
he took umbrage at an offensive remark made by M.
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