GAMBLING SUPERSTITIONS. 353 



corded in his book. C A year afterwards Houdin 

 unexpectedly fell in with him again ; but this time the 

 fellow was transformed into what is called a " demi- 

 millionaire" having succeeded to a large fortune on 

 the death of his brother, who died intestate. Accord- 

 ing to Houdin, the following was the man's declaration 

 at the auspicious meeting : " I have," he said, " com- 

 pletely renounced gaming ; I am rich enough ; and 

 care no longer for fortune. And yet," he added proudly, 

 " if I now cared for the thing, how I could break those 

 bloated banks in their pride, and what a glorious 

 vengeance I could take of bad luck and its inflexible 

 agents ! But my heart is too full of my happiness to 

 allow the smallest place for the desire of vengeance." ' 

 Three years later he died ; and Houdin informs us that 

 he left the whole of his fortune to various charitable 

 institutions, his career after his acquisition of wealth 

 going far to demonstrate the justice of Becky Sharp's 

 theory, that it is easy to be honest on five thousand a 

 year. 



It is remarkable that the principles enunciated above 

 are not merely erroneous, but self-contradictory. Yet 

 it is to be noticed that though they are presented as 

 the outcome of a life of gambling experiences, they 

 are in reality entertained by all gamblers, however 

 limited their experience, as well as by many who are 

 only prevented by the lack of opportunity from enter- 

 ing the dangerous path which has led so many to 

 ruin. These contradictory superstitions may be called 

 severally, the gambler's belief in his own good luck, 



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