You can't get rid of one fetish but you have instantly
the impulse to kneel to another . . .
"Anyhow, there was my man sitting, and the number 17 almost
straight before him, a little in front of his right arm; and
this recollection came to me; and I leaned over his shoulder and
laid a five-franc piece on the number.
"It won. I piled my winnings on the original stake, _plus_ all
my loose cash; and Number 17 won again.
"That's all. You know my old theory that every scientific man
should have a sense of mystery--it's more useful to him than to
most of his fellows. Anyway I'd tried my luck on Bob La
Touche's long bygone dream.
"Several pairs of eyes began to regard me with interest: and the
croupier, as he pushed my spoil across, spared me a glance
inscrutable but scrutinising. I make no doubt that had I helped
to make up the next game, quite a number of the punters would
have backed my infant fortune. But I didn't. Farrell had
slewed about in his chair for to look up at the newcomer: and at
sight of his dropped jaw, as he recognised me, I smiled,
gathered up my wealth and walked out.
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