Hazard, by jingo--such superb lines and such an
action! That horse was going to astonish the people.
"No," said Nana, "I'm going to put ten louis on Lusignan and five on
Boum."
La Faloise burst forth at once:
"But, my dear girl, Boum's all rot! Don't choose him! Gasc himself is
chucking up backing his own horse. And your Lusignan--never! Why, it's
all humbug! By Lamb and Princess--just think! By Lamb and Princess--no,
by Jove! All too short in the legs!"
He was choking. Philippe pointed out that, notwithstanding this,
Lusignan had won the Prix des Cars and the Grande Poule des Produits.
But the other ran on again. What did that prove? Nothing at all. On the
contrary, one ought to distrust him. And besides, Gresham rode Lusignan;
well then, let them jolly well dry up! Gresham had bad luck; he would
never get to the post.
And from one end of the field to the other the discussion raging in
Nana's landau seemed to spread and increase. Voices were raised in a
scream; the passion for gambling filled the air, set faces glowing
and arms waving excitedly, while the bookmakers, perched on their
conveyances, shouted odds and jotted down amounts right furiously. Yet
these were only the small fry of the betting world; the big bets were
made in the weighing enclosure.
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