Truco street legend
 
The people who live on the street known as Calle del Truco say they have seen a shadow of a man walking hurriedly down the street in the darkest, quietest hours of the night. The man is dressed as men did in colonial times, with a long coat and a wide-rimmed hat. The hat is pulled down to his eyebrows, and two fiery eyes look out from a pale, contorted face.

This is the shadow of Don Ernesto, who discreetly stops at a certain door and knocks thrice. A bone-chilling creaking is heard as the door opens, and the man enters. This is the Gambling House, frequented by only the richest of the rich. The stakes here are high: first bags of gold coins, then plots of land, then entire estates. The night has turned sour for Don Ernesto. He has lost three or four of his best properties. Fortune has turned her back on him, and he is as nervous as he has ever been. And as he mentally registers the night's losses, he realizes that he has lost everything.

"Not everything, my friend. There's still something of value left."
­­ "The devil only knows what that could be! What?"
"We will stake it against everything you've lost tonight, on the first hand," the man said.
Don Ernesto, beside himself, shouted: "What in God's name are you talking about? Say it already!"
"Calm down. Calm down," said the man.
"You'll be the one I calm down!" shouted once more the luckless gentleman.

Don Ernesto's adversary leaned over the table to whisper something in his ear.
"No, for all that's holy! Not her!" Don Ernesto cried.
"You decide. You could win back all that you own."

An internal battle raged inside the gambler, who said at last:
"Alright then! The highest card be it!"

The other man unhurriedly placed two cards on the table, a jack of coins and a six of swords . . .
"The jack!" shouted Don Ernesto, trembling.

And the fateful cards were dealt . . . seven of clubs, three of coins, knight of cups and last, the cursed card, the six.
"You've lost once again."

The gentleman could say nothing, and he only sat there, fallen. He had gambled away his beautiful wife. And being a man of his word, he had no choice but to keep his end of the bargain. That night Don Ernesto won not a single hand--his opponent had been the devil himself.