He had no sooner learned from his comrades how fortune had favored me than he challenged me to play with him.

It was just what I wanted.

I don't know how it happened, but I lost every game.

Each time we doubled the stakes; a cold sweat bathed my brow as I saw florin after florin quietly put in the pocket of my adversary, until I had only one farthing left.

This time fortune favored me; but Bufferio insisted that the dice had not been fairly thrown, and he swept the table of all the money staked.