For myself, I lost all that I had on me, and with great speed. To begin with, I staked two hundred gülden on “even,” and won. Then I staked the same amount again, and won: and so on some two or three times. At one moment I must have had in my hands⁠—gathered there within a space of five minutes⁠—about 4,000 gülden. That, of course, was the proper moment for me to have departed, but there arose in me a strange sensation as of a challenge to Fate⁠—as of a wish to deal her a blow on the cheek, and to put out my tongue at her. Accordingly I set down the largest stake allowed by the rules⁠—namely, 4,000 gülden⁠—and lost. Fired by this mishap, I pulled out all the money left to me, staked it all on the same venture, and⁠—again lost! Then I rose from the table, feeling as though I were stupefied. What had happened to me I did not know; but, before luncheon I told Polina of my losses⁠—until which time I walked about the Park.