JEROME CARDAN 29 



day following all that was left me went the same way. 

 This happened in the house of the man with whom I 

 was gambling, and in the course of play I noticed that 

 the cards were marked, whereupon I struck him in the 

 face with my dagger, wounding him slightly. Two of 

 his servants were present at the time ; some spears 

 hung all ready from the beams of the roof, and besides 

 this the house door was fastened. But when I had 

 taken from him all the money he had about him his 

 own as well as that which he had won from me by 

 cheating, and my cloak and the rings which I had 

 lost to him the day before I was satisfied that I had 

 got back all my possessions. The chattels I sent home 

 by my servant at once, but a portion of the money I 

 tossed back to the fellow when I saw that I had drawn 

 blood of him. Then I attacked the servants who were 

 standing by; and, as they knew not how to use their 

 weapons and besought my mercy, I granted this on the 

 condition that they should unlock the door. Their 

 master, taking account of the uproar and confusion, 

 and mistrusting his safety in case the affair should not 

 be settled forthwith (I suspect he was alarmed about 

 the marked cards), commanded the servants to open 

 the door, whereupon I went my way. 



" That very same evening, while I was doing my best 

 to escape the notice of the officers of justice on account 

 of the wound I had given to this Senator, I lost my 

 footing and fell into a canal, having arms under my 

 cloak the while. In my fall I did not lose my nerve, 

 but flinging out my right arm, I grasped the thwart of a 

 passing boat and was rescued by those on board. When 

 I had been hauled into the boat I discovered wonderful 

 to relate that the man with whom I had lately played 

 cards was likewise on board, with his face bandaged by 



