In the main room of the Casino, Felix Leiter saw Bond and came to meet him.
"This is Vesper Lynd," Bond told him.
"Perhaps I can show Miss Lynd how to play roulette, James," said Leiter. "Then we can come and watch you later."
"I'd like that," said Vesper.
"I'll leave you with my friend, Felix," Bond said to Vesper. He smiled and walked away.
Bond collected his twenty-four million francs from the cashier. Then he walked across the room to the baccarat table. He sat down in chair Number Six and lit a cigarette.
The banker's chair opposite him was empty. Bond looked around the table. He knew most of the players. In chair Number Seven Nine was Lord Danvers, a weak-looking man with a rich American wife. She sat in chair Number Three. At Number One, on the right of the bank was a famous Greek gambler. Bond knew that the Greek would play coldly and well.
At that moment, Le Chiffre arrived. He had a large white face, wide shoulders and reddish-brown hair. He smiled coldly at the players around the table. Then he sat down opposite Bond.
The game started. Le Chiffre was the banker. He took a card from the shoe and pushed it towards chair Number One. Then he took a card for himself. Then another for the Greek, and one more for himself. The croupier lifted the Greek's cards and dropped them next to the Greek's hands.
The Greek picked up the cards. He looked carefully at them. Then he put them face-down on the table and looked at Le Chiffre.
"No," said the Greek. He had not asked for another card.
Le Chiffre picked up his cards and turned them over. They were a four and a five. A nine.
The croupier turned over the Greek's cards. He had a seven and a queen. Le Chiffre had won.
"Seven," the croupier said. He removed the cards.
Bond lit a cigarette and watched the Greek make another bet. The bank won again.
"A bank of two million francs," said the croupier.
For a moment, nobody spoke. Two million was a very large bet.
Then Bond said, "Banco." He was ready to play.