She would put down a bonbon and give the board a
twirl; "_ving-cinq_," she would say; the ball flew round and
fell into a number; it might be ten, or twenty, or twenty-
five, it did not much matter; she looked to see what it was,
but right or wrong, never failed to eat the bonbon--an
illogical result, which contrasted quaintly with the intense
seriousness with which she made her stakes. Sometimes she
would place two or three sugar-plums on one number, always
naming it aloud--"_trente-et-un_," "_douze-premier_," "_douze-
apres_." It was the oddest game for a small thing not six years
old; and there was something odd, too, in her matter-of-fact,
business-like air, which amused Graham. He had seen gambling-
tables during his three weeks' visit to Germany, and he felt
sure that this child must have seen them too.
"Eh! What an insupportable heat!" cried a harsh high-pitched
voice behind him. "Monsieur Jules, I will repose myself for a
few minutes, if you will have the goodness to fetch me a glass
of _eau sucree. Je n'en peux plus!_"
Graham, recognizing the voice, turned round, and saw the
Countess G---- leaning on the arm of a young man with whom she
had been dancing.
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