The Sharper Detected and Exposed

-The human ostrich-The society of philosophers-Chaffard the bravo

n his exit it was different; Andréas had friends who also became the friends of Raymond,

gave him the soubriquet of "The Marquis," from his fashionable appearance. Andréas was n

ers d'Industrie, and that the houses where he had been so well received, were nothing more than

every now and then, certain tricks to execute; and in every

marvellous, and it was not uncommon, to

of partnership; that is to say, every Gre

es had departed, the Greeks placed what they

on each other, thieves not unf

ich the dupes had lost a hundred louis (￡80), when th

ere ought to be more, but no one acknow

a personal search (for in such company

request Tête d'Or to make a secret investigati

l his zeal and intelligence in requisition, and soon detected the two d

r for some other trifling errand. Whilst giving him the key, he also handed over to him a rouleau of the louis he had gained. If the wi

a few louis under the table with small bits of wax, co

swallowed the money, and afterwa

d, as not being worthy to belong to an association,

aud could never be discovered; so no notice was taken of the circumstance, as the false money was so goo

ger field for the display of his powers; and consequently proposed to Raymond, to quit "The Lynx Society" (for so was the association named), to form, c

ilosophers, and the different m

put himself in communication with the sharpers of the provinces, and to negotiate with

cards, as his comrades, he was in no way

cular, which, when occasion requ

d being killed by this miscreant, would quietly allow themselves to be swindled out of their money. In such cases his

ly interposed, espoused his friend's quarrel, and offered to fight in his stead; for Andréas and Raymond we

, the defender and sup

Intelligent and adroit, he willingly undertook to work at balls, parties, and other mixed assemblies. By degrees, he managed t

inction in his line, which lay in secret gambling hous

anks to the depth of his plots, and his extreme cl

ul presence of mind, of which he was extremely proud; and in

nd was not yet very expert, he was playing at one of the

were on the point of delivering him over into the hands of justice, when one of the players judiciously observed, that, as the assembly in which the circ

urselves, by throwing him out of the window; and, should he reach terra firma in safet

plan, and unanimously decided, that they should pr

with clasped hands, implored the pity of his judges, pointing out to them that the first floor, on which

ls, however,

nsisted, not only that no clemency should be shown him, but that th

lk purse, into which Andréas had put his own money a

Andréas, in a heart-broken voice, placing the

to open both the sh

e group were selected, to l

n of leaping out himself, made a bound forward through the open window,

d by starting off at full speed, to the astonishment of the spectators

s of sharing the contents of the purse which contained

ole of the money was mixed up in it, together with that of the robber

hey emptied it on the table, when what was their

se money; and, even in the critical position in which he had been placed, he

Andréas always concluded with these words: