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meeting with Houdin took place at a subscription ball, where he managed to fleece Houdin 'and others to a considerable amount, contriving a dexterous
escape when detected. Houdin afterwards fell in with him at Spa, where he found the gambler in the greatest poverty, and lent him a small sum--to practice his grand theories.' This sum the gambler lost, and Houdin advised him 'to take up a less dangerous occupation.' It was on this occasion, it would seem, that the gambler revealed to Houdin the particulars recorded in his book. ' 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. According to Houdin, the following was the man's declaration at the auspicious meeting: "I have," he said, "completely 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
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