like all lovers, we paid no attention to the horrible
racket that was going on at the other end of the room. At last I thought
it my duty to see what was happening, and leaving my intended I rejoined
the company to quiet Tiretta.

I saw on the table a casket, its lid open, and full of all sorts of
jewels; close by were two men who were disputing with Tiretta, who held a
book in one hand. I saw at once that they were talking about a lottery,
but why were they disputing? Tiretta told me they were a pair of knaves
who had won thirty or forty louis of him by means of the book, which he
handed to me.

"Sir," said one of the gamesters, "this book treats of a lottery in which
all the calculations are made in the fairest manner possible. It contains
twelve hundred leaves, two hundred being winning leaves, while the rest
are blanks. Anyone who wants to play has only to pay a crown, and then to
put a pin's point at random between two leaves of the closed book. The
book is then opened at the place where the pin is, and if the leaf is
blank the player loses; but if, on the other hand, the leaf bears a
number, he is given the corresponding ticket, and an article of the value
indicated on the ticket is then handed to him. Please to observe, sir,
that the lowest prize is twelve francs, and there are some numbers worth
as much as six hundred francs, and even one to the value of twelve
hundred. We have been playing for an hour, and have lost several costly
articles, and madam," pointing to my sweetheart's aunt, "has won a ring
worth six louis, but as she preferred cash, she continued playing and
lost the money she had gained."

"Yes," said the aunt, "and these gentlemen have won everybody's money
with their accursed game; which proves it is all a mere cheat."

"It proves they are rogues," said Tiretta.

"But gentlemen," answered one of them, "in that case the receivers of the
Government lottery are rogues too"; whereon Tiretta gave him a box on the
ear. I threw myself between the two combatants, and told them not to
speak a word.

"All lotteries," said I, "are advantageous to the holders, but the king
is at the head of the Government lottery, and I am the principal
receiver, in which character I shall proceed to confiscate this casket,
and give you the choice of the following alternatives: You can, if you
like, return to the persons present the money you have unlawfully won
from them, whereupon I will let you go with your box. I