occupied. The sitters
have notebooks in which they record the numbers which win and on which
they base their future "play." Some play exclusively on colour, others
on odds and evens, others on the dozens, others on _voisinage_, others
on numbers, some on zero. It is very serious. In the secret hearts of
the sitters some liken themselves to Napoleon, who, they are persuaded,
was at once one of the greatest of gamblers and the greatest of men.
Some are would-be Cagliostros and Michael Scotts. You see the stupid,
brainy European, devoid of superstition as he thinks, and yet eaten up
with natural superstition. You see also the emotional turbulent soul
developing abnormality and mania on absurd stakes for money, the mad,
unpractical Russian staking on zero or on the slenderest chance for the
greatest of gains. The Russians and the Jews and the Americans are the
greatest of gamblers.

No, it is not quite such a pleasant atmosphere as you thought when you
first came in. It is an atmosphere in which vigilance tries to still
the pulse. You pass restlessly from one hypnotized table of gamblers
to another. The grandeur of gold and heavy glass make you feel as if
you were swimming under water in some great untroubled lake. And as
you tread softly and silently over the thick carpets it is something
like swimming. There is an intense stillness about each roulette
table. Even the winners are impassive. And the groups are gloomier
still at the stables where they are playing "Trente et Quarante."

"Every one came in to win, but nearly every one is losing--isn't it
like life?" said a friend.

"Worse even than life."

Pompous and watchful lackeys dressed as for the stage are walking
about, keeping their eyes open for sharps, for possible
scandal-raisers, or would-be suicides. The greatest care is taken to
preserve decorum. If you lose your whole fortune there you must not
shout it out and strike a heroic posture or blow your brains out.
These strong lackeys will whisk you dexterously from the scene before
the other gamblers realize what you were about to do. There is a sense
of being watched all the while.

"_Faites le jeu, messieurs!_"

"_Le jeu est fait._"

"_Rien ne va plus._"

The winners get their winnings. The bank rakes in tremendous
quantities of money-tokens. Its success is very impressive.

You see very clearly demonstrated how poor is the mental apparatus of
the average man. No wonder it is diffi