CONTENTS

Introduction

Acknowledgements

Prologue

1     A Frenchman in the Making

2     With an Independent Air

3     A Patent Fraud

4     The Certainty of a Fortune

5     Breaking the Bank

6     The Infallible System

7     Monte Carlo Wells

8     The Biggest Swindler

9     The Darling of the Hour

10   An Accomplished Scoundrel

11   Hell Upon Earth

12   A Royal Personage

13   An Amusing Case

14   A Business Genius

15   The French Captain

16   A Vast Roulette

17   How the Bank was Broken

18   A High-Class Crook

Appendices

Notes

Sources

illustration

France and surrounding territories, showing places mentioned in the text.