Chapter 27 Chapter Three Seventeen Times

"Seventeen times?" "Seventeen times!" "Yes! . . . red seventeen times!" "How is this possible!" "It may not be possible, but it is the truth!" "Do all gamblers lose badly enough?" "The banker won more than nine hundred thousand francs on a single bet!" "Seventeen times... seventeen times...!" "Roulette or thirty-forty o'clock?" "Thirty-forty o'clock." "I haven't seen this kind of situation in fifteen years!" "Fifteen years, three months and fourteen days!" replied an old gambler of noble birth who had lost all his money, "Yes, sir, very strangely, it was the midsummer of 1867." , June 16th... I know about that!"

It was the eighth day after Carpena's escape from the Spanish prison, and on the night of October 3, there was a conversation in the foyer of the Foreigners' Club in Monte Carlo down to the wide aisle, or more precisely, It's an amazing dialogue! These gamblers from all nationalities, all walks of life, men and women, old and young, cheered red, just like cheering a horse that won a big prize at a racetrack!Crowds from the old and new continents flock to this small Monaco park every day. For them, the "seventeen times red" gamble is no less important than a political event that may break the balance of power in Europe. event.

It is believed that this continuation of red will inevitably cause many people to lose badly, while the banker won a considerable amount of money in this somewhat unusual gamble.Some people say that the banker won nearly a million, so this incredible bet has aroused strong opposition from almost all gamblers. Among these gamblers, there were two foreigners who lost a large sum of money in this "bad luck". One was pale and slightly disturbed, but calm; Straight, like insanity or despondency, the two of them had just descended the colonnade steps, and soon disappeared in the shadow of the bird-throwing terrace.

"Terrible misfortune, we have lost more than four hundred thousand francs!" cried the old gambler. "You can say forty-three thousand!" retorted the young gambler in the tone of a cashier who calculates ledgers. "And now I have only . . . only twenty thousand francs left!" said the first gambler again. "Only 197,000 francs left!" replied the second gambler, still calmly. "Yes! . . . only . . . I had about two hundred francs left when you forced me to go with you!" "One, seven hundred and seventy-five thousand francs!" "But in less than two months, just..."

"It's one month and sixteen days!" "Sarkani!..." shouted the old gambler.His companion's cool composure and mocking tone made him angry. "How about it, Duolong Tower!" This is a conversation between Silas Dronta and Sakani.In the short three months since leaving Laguz, they have been bankrupt or on the verge of bankruptcy.After the whistleblower bounty was squandered, Saccani pursued as far as Laguiz and entangled his accomplices.Then, the two and Sharapova left the city, so Silas Doronta was led by Sarkani on the road of gambling and eating, drinking and having fun, and his property was quickly squandered. It should be said that Sarkani It didn't take much effort to turn a former banker and financial adventurer who had turned around economic crises by luck several times into a gambler.A regular at a gambling club who ends up being a gambler in a casino.

Besides, how could Youlas Doronta resist Sarkani's will?Hasn't he been under the unprecedented control of Tania's intervention?He had also been angry and resisted, but he was overwhelmed by Sarkani's powerful power. The poor man seemed to be thrown heavily on the ground, unable to get up anymore, so Sarkani no longer even worried about himself. His accomplices had thoughts of breaking free from his control.With a rough attitude and plausible reasoning, Sakani quickly subdued him. Everyone will never forget the circumstances under which the two accomplices left.When they left Rajuz, their first consideration was to send Sharapova to a safe place and let Namir guard it.And now, Sharapova has been sent to Tessa on the deserted coast of Morocco and hidden away, where it is difficult, if not impossible, for the average person to find her.There, Sarkani's female companion was ruthless and responsible for pursuing the young girl to agree to the marriage.And Sharapova hated Sarkani so much, she only thought about Pierre, until now, she has always refused to give in, but can she persevere forever?

During this period, although Sarkani had lost his money to nothing, he encouraged bankers to gamble wildly, in the casinos of France, Italy, Germany and the major gambling centers, on the stock exchanges, racetracks and in the major capitals. Silas Dronta and Saccani were present in clubs, in thalassotherapy resorts, and on the seashore, so that he soon had only a few hundred thousand francs left.Because in the casino, bankers risk their own money and Saccani gambles with the banker's money, the speed of bankruptcy is also doubled. On the other hand, the so-called "bad luck" of gamblers— —with the word they conceal the stupidity with which they are ashamed to speak—it happens to them, against them, that in spite of all their efforts to reverse their defeat, it is in vain.As a result, they lost most of the millions of francs from Count Sandorf at cards, and were forced to sell the Stratton mansion at Raguza.

In the end, the gamblers who had lost so badly complained about the casino, and cursed the "Krupier" of the casino in the Peloponnesian dialect as "a master of teasing people."They were not reconciled, and placed their hopes on roulette and blackjack, hoping to get something back.As a result, they lost, and they lost badly.This can only be "attributed" to their obsession. That's why they came to Monte Carlo.For three weeks they had been in Monte Carlo, never far from the gaming tables, doubling down on losing bets in an attempt to win money in an efficient but risky way; Observe the rotation of the roulette shaft; when Pieruel turned the roulette shaft for the last time and was too tired to lift his hands, they still racked their brains and calculated carefully, even mathematical combinations without complex and complex combinations They all used the pie field, and tried their best to bet on the numbers that had never appeared; they listened to the opinions of old gamblers who had experienced many battles in the casino, from past losers to current masters; All sorts of stupid attempts were made, all kinds of demented little tricks were used.Anyone who sees them like this will regard them as ignorant children, or dementia who have lost their reason forever.If they just gambled by luck, they wouldn't go insane and dehumanize by racking their brains to imagine some ridiculous combination of numbers.Naturally, this situation will befall those gamblers who are addicted to gambling.

In short, this night was unique for them in the history of Monte Carlo, and they stubbornly participated in the fourteen o'clock game.With nearly seventeen failed red cards, they were left with less than two hundred thousand francs.The short-term crunch begins. While they're nearly broke, they haven't lost their minds.While they were chatting on the patio, they saw a gambler, delirious, shouting through the garden: "It keeps turning like that! . . . it keeps turning like that!" The poor guy imagined that he had just placed his bet and was waiting for the numbers to be revealed.But the roulette shaft keeps turning, turning, and it seems that it will stop after hundreds of years! ……He's crazy.

"Have you finally calmed down, Duolongta?" Sakani asked his companion who was still furious just now. "Don't be like this lunatic, completely out of your wits. We didn't make it, yes, but luck will come, because it should, and we don't have to make any effort! . . . Don't try to improve the situation! It's dangerous! , and it's futile! We can't turn bad luck into good luck, and if it's good luck, no force can change it!... Just wait and see, once good luck comes, we can ride the casino without fear , kill it without leaving any chickens or dogs behind."

Can Silas Dronta listen to these exhortations, which are as absurd as the casino's excuses for such a game of chance?No!He had had enough, and there was only one thought on his mind: to get rid of Sarkani's grip, to go as far away as possible, to let the past go forever.But such resolve could not have lasted long in the flagging man.What's more, he has long been under the surveillance of his accomplices.After Sarkani married Sharapova, he abandoned Silas Dronta, got rid of him, and forgot about him.Saccani wouldn't even remember that this guy ever existed, and they had a partnership.At that time, he will still hold the banker in his hands. "Duolongta," Sakani said again, "because we are so unlucky today, good luck will not come!... Tomorrow, good luck will definitely come!" "What if I lose what little money I have?" Silas Dronta protested in vain against these rotten advice. "We still have Shava Duolongta!" Sakani replied eagerly. "This is our trump card. No one can beat him!" "Yes, yes. Tomorrow! . . . tomorrow! . . . " The banker was in a situation where he could lose his old bag at any time. The two went back to the hotel.The hotel is just half way down the hill between Monte Carlo and Condamine. The Port of Monaco comprises the body of water between Cape Faucinana and Fort Antonia, forming a small harbor with a wide opening, blown by northeast and southeast winds.The port is circular between the hanging rock and the high ground.On the cliff lies the capital of the Principality of Monaco.On the high ground, there are hotels, villas and public buildings of Monte Carlo.The port is just at the foot of the majestic Mount Arger.Mount Argel is as high as 1,100 meters, from which you can overlook the picturesque Ligurian coast.The city of Monaco, with a population of 1,200, is placed on the desktop of the Monaco Hanging Rock like an ornament.That is the rock triangle near the sea, hidden in the lush and evergreen jungle.Palms, pomegranates, maples, peppers, oranges, lemons, eucalyptus, and thorn bushes of geranium, aloe, myrtle, frankincense, and castor are all over the hills, mingling wonderfully in the Together. Opposite the port is Monte Carlo, across the water from the small capital.Strange houses and buildings stand on the domes of the hills.Narrow streets meander and twist onto the Cornish Highway.In its many chessboard-shaped gardens, a hundred flowers are in full bloom, competing with each other; various styles of farmhouses and villas surround it.There are several villas, perched on rocks jutting out to sea, overlooking the clear waters of this small Mediterranean bay. Between the two cities of Monaco and Monte Carlo, in the depths of the harbor, from the beach to the pass of the winding gorge that separates the mountains, a new third city develops: Condamine. On the upper right, a majestic and magnificent mountain suddenly rises.It is on the side of the sea and looks like a dog's head, so it is called Goutou Mountain.On the top of this 542-meter-high mountain, there still stands a veritable impregnable fortress-the pride of the French.This side of the hill is the border of the Principality of Monaco. Starting from Condamine, the car can go directly to Monte Carlo along the beautiful hillside.Villas and hotels sit on the upper half of the hillside.Saccani and Silas Dronta lived in one of the hotels.Looking out of the window, from Condamine to the Dog's Head Mountain above the city of Monte Carlo, the scenery of this area is unobstructed.The dog's face is like a sphinx in the Libyan desert, as if exploring the Mediterranean Sea. Sakani and Silas Dronta returned to the room.They analyzed the situation, held their own opinions, and refused to give in to each other.Will the change of fortune break the bonds that have bound them together by stake for fifteen years? When Sarkani returned to his room, he found a letter from Tessian.He couldn't wait to tear open the envelope. In just a few lines, Namir informed him of two pieces of news that were crucial to him. First, Carpena was dead, drowned in the port of Ceuta, and after some rather bizarre events.Second, Doctor Antekit appeared at this place on the coast of Morocco.But after making contact with Carpena, he disappeared. After reading the letter, Sarkani opened the window of the room.He leaned against the window sill, not interested in admiring the scenery, and began to meditate. "Carpena is dead?... He died at the right time!... Now, the secret is buried in the sea with him!... Now I can rest assured that I have nothing to fear!" Then he studied the second paragraph carefully. "As for the presence of Dr. Antekit in Ceuta, this is a very serious matter! . . . Who is this man! It doesn't really matter to me. However, I have been feeling lately that he has more or less interfered. With me?... In Catania, he was associated with the Batori family!... In Catania, he set a trap for Zirona!... In Ceuta, his intervention made Carpena lost his life!... He was very close to Tetouan, but he never seemed to have been there, and he didn't know the whereabouts of Sawa. If he had been to Tetouan and knew the whereabouts of Sawa, he would What terrible consequences! Is it necessary to take precautions, not only for the future, but also for the present! The Sanusi order will soon control the whole of Cyrenaica. They only need to cross a narrow harbor to rush To Antekyte! . . . do they need to be encouraged to attack the island . . . I'd better go . . . " All of this is suspicious to Saccani, there is no doubt about it.Now, he is taking steps towards his plot.The goal seems to be achieved, but the smallest stumbling block will trip him to the ground, and he may never recover from it.Not only was Dr. Antekit's intervention worrying him now, but the present condition of Silas Dronta was also worrying him. "Yes," he said to himself, "he and I are at a loss! . . . Tomorrow, we'll be throwing everything at our fingertips! . . . The banker loses everything, or we lose everything! . . . I can talk to the bank I, I would make a comeback. But Silas is different. He is a dangerous man, he will say at any time, give away the secret. If that is the case, my future is all over. Anyway, he is now by us Control. At that time, he will turn around and hold me firmly in the palm of his hand." The situation is indeed as analyzed by Saccani.He cannot have good illusions about the character of his accomplice.He had taught Silas Dronta once: but once Silas Dronta had lost everything, he would not follow the plan at all. Sarkani is figuring out how to deal with the current situation.So he was completely lost in thought.He had no idea what was happening at the entrance to the port of Monaco, hundreds of feet below him. Halfway from the anchor chain in the open sea, a ship without mast and chimney, like a long spindle, is gliding on the sea surface. Its hull slightly protrudes from the water, about three to five meters high.The ship gradually approached Cape Fausinana under the birding platform of Monte Carlo, and then looked for calmer waters to avoid rough waves. At this time, a thin steel plate on the boat left the boat, and there were three people on board.After a while, the boat sailed to a small beach.The two got off the boat, and the other man drove the boat back to the big boat. Immediately, the mysterious boat disappeared without any light or sound, leaving no trace behind. The two people who disembarked walked around the small beach, along the edge of the rock, and ran straight to the train station.They climbed up the spruik that encircled the gardens of Monte Carlo. Sarkani saw nothing.At this time, his thoughts took him far away, farther and farther away from Monaco and Tetouan... At the same time, his companions were also taken away by his thoughts. "Silas, you want to control me?" Saccani repeated, "Your word may become a stumbling block to my success!... No, never!... If we can't win back the money we lost tomorrow , I'll make him come with me! . . . Yes! Come with me to Tetouan. There, on the coast of Morocco, if he dies, no one will worry about him!" Everyone knows that Sakani is a guy who does a lot of evil.Especially in uncivilized and barbaric areas far away from towns, where criminals cannot be found, and it is difficult to find them, it is the easiest place to start. With a certain idea, Sakani closed the window, lay on the bed and fell asleep immediately, without feeling any guilt. But the banker Silas Dronta was different.He had a very terrible night.So many properties in the past were almost reduced to ashes in an instant.The two hundred thousand francs left over from gambling were no longer his property!This is the last bet!His accomplices would do that, and he himself was willing to make such a bet.His mind was dizzy and cranky, and he could no longer calm down and think and judge correctly.He can't even assess his current situation soberly like Sarkani.Little did he realize that his position had changed, that the man who had dominated him for so long now belonged to him.He only sees that he is facing bankruptcy at the moment, and he only thinks about the next day; This is what happened to the two companions that night: one didn't care and fell asleep peacefully, and the other tossed and turned, having trouble falling asleep. The next day, around ten o'clock, Saccani came to Silas Dronta's room, where the banker was sitting at the desk, busy writing and calculating in his little notebook.The whole notebook is densely written. "Well, Silas," Saccani asked indifferently, as if he dismissed the pain and misery in the world. "Well, in your dream, do you like red or black?" "Dream? I didn't sleep at all! All night!" Silas replied. "Forget it, Silas, forget it! . . . But you must calm down today, how important it was to you to get a few hours of good rest last night! Look at me, I slept through the morning. I can only touch it when I am full of energy." Luck! Luck, like a woman, likes those who can control her." "And yet she betrayed us!" said Silas Dronta. "No! It's just a temporary rebellion! After that time, she promises to come back to us." Silas Dronta said nothing, but kept his eyes fixed on his little book full of useless calculations.As for what Sakani said to him, only he himself knows. "What the hell did you do, Silas?" Saccani asked. "Well, how do you double your bet if you lose? . . . Dragon Pagoda!...Luck cannot be subdued by calculation. Today, we have to rely on luck to determine our destiny." "Very well then!" Silas Dronta closed his little book. "Hey! No problem, Duolongta! . . . I only know one way to manipulate fate," Sakani added. "However, to know this method, you need a person who has received special education... Well, we are not good at this! So we have to rely on luck! Yesterday, luck belonged to the bankers! Today, luck will abandon them !...If that’s the case, Duolongta, take this bet and win back all the money we lost!” "Win them all back?" Duolongta's eyes were full of hope. "Yes, win everything back! Duolongta, don't be discouraged! On the contrary, be bold and calm!" "But what if we lose tonight?" Silas Doronta approached Saccani, staring at him. "Then we're leaving Monaco!" "Where to?" cried Silas Dronta. "Ah! Hateful, that day I knew you, Sakani, please help me!... Otherwise, how could I have fallen into this situation today!" "It's too late to complain now, isn't it? Dear Silas!" Saccani said brazenly, "It's too much to use a friend like this!" "Be careful!" cried the banker. "I know!... I'm careful!" Sakani muttered. This threat from Silas Doronta made Saccani more determined to implement the plan to kill the banker. He went on to say: "Don't get angry, my dear Duolongta, what's the use of getting angry!... If you get angry, you can't get angry today!...Come on, don't be more desperate than me!... If you are really unfortunate, Don't we have millions of francs left if bad luck continues to be against us? Besides, you have a share!" "Yes! . . . yes! . . . I must get my money back!" said Silas Dronta.His gambling nature suddenly appeared again. "Yes, yesterday the banker was so lucky that it was almost a little too much, tonight..." "Tonight we shall win and be rich," cried Saccani, "I promise that from now on we will never lose the money we have won! Whatever happens, tomorrow we will leave Monte Carlo! . . . We're going to go . . . ” "Where are you going?" "Go to Tetouan, we have one last game, the victory belongs to us!"