days, till he was at last reduced to a single louis! He now obtained
from a friend the loan of L30, and once more resumed his station at the
gaming table, which he once more quitted with L10,000 in his pocket,
and resolved to leave it for ever. The arguments of one of the
bankers, however, who followed him to his inn, soon prevailed over his
resolution, and on his return to the gaming table he was stripped of his
last farthing. He went to his lodgings, sold his clothes, and by that
means again appeared at his old haunt, for the half-crown stakes, by
which he honourably repaid his loan of L30. His end was unknown to the
relater of the anecdote, but 'ten to one,' it was ruin.

At the same place, in the year 1793, the heir-apparent of an Irish
Marquis lost at various times nearly L20,000 at a billiard table, partly
owing to his antagonist being an excellent calculator, as well as a
superior player.

A French emigrant at Aix-la-Chapelle, who carried a basket of tarts,
liqueurs, &c., for regaling the gamesters, put down twenty-five louis at
_Rouge et Noir_. He lost. He then put down fifteen, and lost again; at
the third turn he staked ten; but while the cards were being shuffled,
seeming to recollect himself, he felt all his pockets, and at length
found two large French crowns, and a small one, which he also ventured.
The deal was determined at the ninth card; and the poor wretch, who had
lost his all, dashed down his basket, started from his seat, overturning
two chairs as he forced the circle, tore off his hair, and with horrid
blasphemies, burst the folding doors, and rushing out like a madman, was
seen no more.

Another emigrant arrived here penniless, but meeting a friend, obtained
the loan of a few crowns, nearly his all. With these he went to the
rooms, put down his stake, and won. He then successively doubled his
stakes till he closed the evening with a hundred louis in his pocket.
He went to his friend, and with mutual congratulations they resolved to
venture no more, and calculated how long their gains would support them
from absolute want, and thus seemed to strengthen their wise resolution.

The next night, however, the lucky gambler returned to the room--but
only to be a spectator, as he firmly said. Alas! his resolution failed
him, and he quitted the tables indebted to a charitable bystander for a
livre or two, to pay for his petty refreshments.

It is said that the annual profit to the bankers was 120,00