The things we do!

Her appearance used to create not a
little excitement in the Saloon of Roulette, the game which she
patronised, it being more "fertile of emotions" than the slower
trente-et-quarante. She dreamed of numbers, had favourite incantations by
which to conjure them: noted the figures made by peels of peaches and so
forth, the numbers of houses, on hackney-coaches--was superstitious comme
toutes les rimes poetiques. She commonly brought a beautiful agate
bonbonniere full of gold pieces, when she played. It was wonderful to see
her grimaces: to watch her behaviour: her appeals to heaven, her delight
and despair. Madame la Baronne de la Cruchecassee played on one side of
her, Madame la Comtesse de Schlanigenbad on the other. When she had lost
all her money her Majesty would condescend to borrow--not from those
ladies:--knowing the royal peculiarity, they never had any money; they
always lost; they swiftly pocketed their winnings and never left a mass on
the table, or quitted it, as courtiers will, when they saw luck was going
against their sovereign.


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