_ in the
Palais Royal, and sat moodily over my wine till past eleven o'clock. The
stillness of the room startled me at length, and I looked up and found
the tables deserted; a sleepy waiter lounged lazily on a bench, and the
un-trimmed candles and disordered look of everything indicated that no
other guests were then expected.

'Where have they gone to?' said I, curious to know what so suddenly had
taken the crowd away.

'To Frescati's, monsieur,' said the waiter; 'the salon is filling fast
by this time.'

A strange feeling of dislike to being alone had taken hold on me, and
having inquired the way to the Rue Richelieu from the servant, I issued
forth.

What a contrast to the dark and gloomy streets of Paris, with their
irregular pavement, was the brilliantly lighted vestibule, with its
marble pillars and spacious stair rising gracefully beyond it, which met
my eyes as I entered Frescati's! Mingling with the crowd of persons who
pressed their way along, I reached a large antechamber where several
servants in rich liveries received the hats and canes of the visitors
who thronged eagerly forward, their merry voices and gay laughter
resounding through the arched roof.

As the wide doors were thrown open noiselessly, I was quite unprepared
for the splendour of the scene. Here were not only officers of rank in
all the gala of their brilliant uniforms, and civilians in full dress,
shining in stars and decorations, but ladies also, with that perfection
of toilette only known to Parisian women, their graceful figures
scattered through the groups, or promenading slowly up and down,
conversing in a low tone; while servants passed to and fro with
champagne and fruit-ices on massive silver salvers, their noiseless
gesture and quiet demeanour in perfect keeping with the hushed and
tranquil look of all around. As I drew closer to the table I could mark
that the stillness was even more remarkable; not a voice was heard but
of the croupier of the table, as with ceaseless monotony he repeated:
'Faites le jeu, messieurs! Le jeu est fait. Noir perd, et couleur gagne.

Rouge perd, et la couleur----' The rattle of the rake and the chink of
the gold followed, a low muttered 'Sacre!' being the only sound that
mingled with them.

But I could mark, that, although the etiquette of ruin demanded this
unbroken silence, passion worked in every feature there. On one side was
an old man, his filmy eyes shaded by his hand from the strong glar