My uncle and I were, meanwhile, swimming upon the high tide of fortune, prospering with our cards, and with the still greater matrimonial game which we were playing; and we were quite unaware of the mine under our feet.
Before a month was passed, the Jew began to pester Magny.

He presented himself at X--, and asked for further interest-hush-money; otherwise he must sell the emerald.

Magny got money for him; the Princess again befriended her dastardly lover.

The success of the first demand only rendered the second more exorbitant.

I know not how much money was extorted and paid on this unluckly emerald: but it was the cause of the ruin of us all.
One night we were keeping our table as usual at the Countess of Liliengarten's, and Magny being in cash somehow, kept drawing out rouleau after rouleau, and playing with his common ill success.