and send him away so that he can't fly because he's got no feathers left.
Some very good games can get going with a partner who's in the know.
Other people's money stays with you, and their clothes and the coins off their belts –
there'll always be fools with their hands full who turn up at these gatherings.
There are plenty of lawful dodges that a gambler knows how to use.
It's not everyone who's wise to the things you can do with a card –
and with a well-placed double-deal you can beat the best of them.
Sometimes you'll pretend to be careless and let the top card show:
the other man stakes his life on it, and he's certain to get hooked –
because you're showing one card, and you'll play the one under it..
Playing monte,* you can never afford to leave off your preparations.
You have to sharpen your fingers, too, for this kind of work.
and find yourself a low seat that gives you the light at your back.
If you're playing bank, take the light side and give your opponent the shadow.
Adapt yourself to who's against you in all games of cards --
it's very important at all times to keep your eye well in.
Your opponent keeps his eyes open but no one sees if they're blind.
Give a fool rope, and in no time he'll let himself get caught –
a sucker soon starts thinking he knows all about the game.
There are some very innocent people who go out playing cards.
Once they get agitated it'll happen time and again
they'll lose turning up in ones or threes -- let them win some, and they'll take the bait.
If you're not in the know, you won't win even if you pray to Santa Rita.*
At cards, you can tell a donkey as soon as he sits down,
and playing with me it was certain death -- they couldn't win at hide and seek.
At nines and at other games I've got quite some advantage,
and whenever I'm the dealer there's no way out – because
I can deal from the middle of the pack or slip the top card underneath.
At truco* I'd put the wind up even the craftiest players.
When I manage to get the advantage I can hold the cards in stacks,
time after time -- the ace of spades or threes, or a natural for sure.
I know how to take care of my money and I do it well as anyone.
You can't afford to lose your head if you're going to play for cash ...
If a game of monte got going, the owner of the place joined in.
A fixed deal, or a whole pack of cards -- I can handle it without a hitch.
There's not one card I don't remember from the time they're first turned up –
as soon as they're on the table I can tell which'll lose and which win.
You can find yourself in trouble for these sort of tricks, as well,
but I don't get blamed for it because I do it artistically,
and even if they run through the discards the secret won't be found out.
If I was asked to a game of dice I'd never be short of
a loaded one to play with -- if they were smart, the same each side –
even pass them one the same face all round all without their suspecting.
I could load a taba* expertly because I know how to handle them,
I wasn't a fool at billiards -- and as a last word on this theme
I'll tell you, I wasn't even above gambling with knucklebones.
I won't deny that gambling is a vice with a wicked end --
anyone who lives as a gambler is out to catch a fool,
and everyone knows it's robbery to play with a man who's blind.
And I'm saying this so openly because I've given up gambling now.
But I can tell you for certain, speaking as one who was in the trade --
it's harder to learn to be crooked than it is to learn honest work.
NOTES to II.22
II.22.1] rolling stone] literally "like a ball".
get home, crane...] cranes stand on one leg, and were said to fly inland at the approach of a storm (a Spanish proverb).
II.22.3] a crooked game] the technicalities are translated approximately.
II.22.6] coins off their belt] or "buttons" of silver or gold – traditional dress.
II.22.9] monte] (two syllables) a game of chance with a bank, players betting on cards turning up in a certain order.
II.22.12] ones or threes] alternatives in monte.
II.22.13] Santa Rita] a patroness of hopeless causes.
II.22.14] nines] an old form of baccarat.
II.22.15] truco] still the most popular Argentine card game, involving skill, bluff, and a language of its own.
II.22.19] loaded etc] these false dice all have special names.
II.22.20] taba] cow's knucklebone used as dice for betting.
There was an Italian,* a peddler, who went around with a man with a harp,
he also fell into our trap without any trouble at all –
I got hold of him at thirty-ones and let him see my hidden score.*
He started off acting innocent thinking he'd use this advantage;
he thought it was going all his way but he got himself bogged down --
Saint Lucy* took his sight away and left him with empty pockets.*
You should have seen him, all upset crying for his bits and pieces.
He win by cheat said the gringo, and his tears went rolling down,
while I gathered up in a poncho the whole of his stock-in-trade.
There he stayed, with his pack a lot lighter, sobbing away in despair.
He'd swallowed the hook – maybe because it was Sunday that day,
and that class of gringo doesn't have a saint in heaven on his side.
But this kind of easy money didn't do me much good.
The Devil never dozes, and on my trail there came
a flat-nosed fool,* always scheming, who was head of the district Police.
He came to see me, in order to claim the fine that I'd incurred,
Because gambling was prohibited ... and to the guard-room he'd make me go ...
In the end, out of all I'd won I had to give him half.
I started to take against him for these high‑handed ways.
It's true that I'd won what I had by sharp practice, that I'll admit --
but what he won from me was only on the strength of his authority.
People said he'd been on the run for some crime, for a long time,
but that an obliging friend of his had put him right with the Judge --*
and a short time after, they made him officer of the troop of police.
He always kept himself busy doing his district rounds --
he never caught any criminals, but he brought back a pack-horse load
of lambs and chickens and turkeys that he'd collected as he went.
Taking advantage as far as that shouldn't have been allowed.
He did the same thing month after month, and the local people used to say,
This flat-nose with his bribes has brought back the Tithes again.*
He cracked himself up as a guitar-player and even at inventing songs.
One night I found him singing away sitting on the bar-counter,
and I said, "What a cele-bray-tion... I was hoping to hear someone play."
Flat-nose sent a look at me as if held eat me alive.
He didn't leave off singing and pretended he hadn't heard –
but he'd understood by then that I'd got no time for him.
One evening, I was paying a visit when Flat-nose came along,
and I said loudly, so as to annoy him, "This lady knows, that's flat... *
you can't make mate if the water's cold" -- and the half-breed got the joke.
He had things all his way at the Court-house, and as held been stung by this,
he answered right back at me -- "Just as soon as I get the chance
you're going to find out who I am and I'll make you drink it hot!"
And on account of a woman the affair got more tangled still.
Flat‑nose was keen on her -- and she was a real fine girl,
built with a body like an ox and with a very tender heart.
One day I found her kneading bread -- she was looking wonderful --
and I said to her "I'd be very pleased to give you a hand with your work,
and so, if you'd like it, lady ... I'll bring some bones to help heat your fire." *
Flat‑nose was also on the scene sitting there just for decoration.
She could see he wasn't pleased at this, so, to avoid a fight
she answered me, "If that's what you want put them there right by the oven."
That's how the skein got tangled and so did his feud with me.
He declared himself my enemy, and with this compliment I'd paid him
he was just waiting for the moment to get me into trouble.
And I could see, the devil, he was watching me spitefully,
looking out for the best way to trip me up with a noose --
and good men can only live as long as the wicked ones allow them.
There's no one so free he's not caught in the end, nor so wild he won't be tamed –
so after that incident, I kept quiet in my corner, like San Ramon *
who gets thrown aside after they've prayed to him as soon as the baby's born.
NOTES to II.23
II.23.1] Italian] actually "Neapolitan" – fair game for mockery as are all "gringos" in the poem.
thirty-ones] here (not as at II.1.4) a billiards game, in which each player was dealt a secret number to be included in his score.
II.23.2] Saint Lucy] patron saint of eyesight.
empty pockets] a double meaning: his own pockets (or travel bags) and the pockets on the billiards table.
II.23.5] flat-nosed] ("Nato"): both a physical description (probably of a half-indian) and derogatory, but can also be affectionate.
II.23.8] put him right with the Judge] the same as happened to Cruz (see I.12.3-5).
II.23.10] tithes] the tax paid to the Church, in operation during colonial times, abolished 1822.
II.23.11] cele-bray-tion] a "hidden word" insult: in the original, moqueando (snivelling) hidden in como que ando (just passing by)
II.23.13] knows... flat] the original "hidden word" is nato in Dona Toribia (the hostess's name).
mate... cold] see II.14.22.
II.23.16] bones...] cattle bones and dung were used as fuel; the offer is obviously suggestive.
II.23.19] oven] this would be a rounded clay oven, separate from the house; also possibly a double meaning.
II.3. 19] noose] the more skilful method of lassooing an animal's front legs.
II.23.20] San Ramon] patron of childbirth.
I had quite a job escaping him a number of different times.
He was a real toady and he turned the Judge against me
till finally he caught me one day, during the Elections.
On that occasion, as I recall, there were several lists going round,
and the various opinions couldn't get to agree ...
People said that in order to win it, the Judge was doing some pretty strange things.
When we were all met together, Flat-nose came and made a speech;
and with a lot of fancy talk he said, "Things would be in a bad way
if everyone thought he'd vote for a different Candidate."
And right there he tried to take away the list that I was holding.
But I wouldn't let him have it, and he shouted, "Anarchist –
you've got to vote for whichever list the Committee orders you!"
I thought it was an insult being treated like that;
and as once you've taken a high line it's not easy to climb down,
I told him, "I don't care who orders -- I'll vote for whoever I like.
"If it's at a gambling table or an election stand,
I'm equal with everybody -- I respect those who respect me,
but no one's going to interfere with my voting paper or my cards."
Right away, the police troop fell on me with their swords drawn.
And though it was all a dirty trick I decided to give in,
and I didn't resist them, because that day would have meant the end of me.
Flat‑nose had caught me broadside-on and he made the most of his chance.
Ever since I had that experience I keep out of where I don't belong –
I went off for a ride in the pillory, and all for some candidates.
It wasn't from weakness that I gave in to such a scandalous injustice.
What that incident did for me was make the scales fall from my eyes –
I saw we can't move any more than a dog with a stick tied to its neck.
And after those elections that racket of theirs carried on.
It turned out a tangled mess of a sort you wouldn't believe –
because Justice is a lady...and where she rides is up behind whoever's most cunning.
After a very few more days -- maybe so as not to waste time
and not to let anyone get away -- they called us all to a meeting
in order to raise a Contingent and send them to the frontier.
The gauchos got suspicious, people there were terrified --
the military force went out and brought back a few poor devils
who had got caught in the round-up, tied together like partridges.
"This a miserable lot," said Flat-nose loftily.
"I rounded them up without warning, they couldn't get away --
and I had orders to bring in anything that was able to walk."
When the Commandant came along, "'God help us!" everyone said.
He got there and fixed his eyes on us -- I was doing my best to look stupid –
he had a sentence ready for each one and stuck him right down on the list.
"Stand up straight!" he said to a black man, "and stop trying to hide
when you're the most troublesome devil in this whole neighbourhood.
This is a service I'm doing you -- that's why I'm sending you off."
and to the next....
"You don't take care of your family, you don't give them enough to live on.
You go visiting other women, and what you need, my lad,
is to spend some time at the frontier to teach you to do your duty."
and to the next...
"You're another hard case-- when it's time for you to vote
we have to send and fetch you, you think you're above the law,
you're an unsubordinate, you are, and I'm going to put you straight." *
and to the next...
"How long is it since you've been going about round here?
How many times have you shown up when the Court summoned you?
I haven't seen you a single time -- you must be up to no good."
and to the next...
"Here's another trouble‑maker who spends his time in the local store
making speeches night and day turning people into Anarchists.
You're going in the contingent -- that's what you get for those tricks."
and to the next...
"You've been keeping pretty well out of sight since the last lot went off,
and the authorities have never got you to vote –
when they send to fetch you, you move off over the next boundary."
and to the next...
"You're always lazing around you've no money and no job.