Beyond was another, also kept by liveried men.
A room led off this, and Mary could see people leaving their wraps with
attendants who stood behind counters. She parted with her cloak, and was
given a metal disc bearing a number. Near by, a French couple, who
looked like bride and groom, were examining their discs, and telling
each other that it would be tempting Providence not to stake money on
such numbers as _onze_ and _dix-sept_. At this, Mary glanced again at
her bit of metal. Its number was 124. She remembered hearing from Peter
that in the game of roulette it was a favourite "tip" to bet on the
number representing your age. Peter spurned the idea as silly and
childish; but Mary thought it might do to begin with, as she knew
nothing better. Her age being twenty-four, she decided to adopt the
French bride's suggestion, and bet on the last two numbers cut into her
cloak-ticket.
Beyond the second lobby, she passed into a vast pillared hall, where
men and women, not all in evening dress, were strolling up and down,
smoking and chatting, or sitting on leather-covered benches, to stare
aimlessly at the promenaders, as if they were tired, or waiting for
something to happen.
This hall puzzled Mary, for she had imagined that beyond the two lobbies
she would pass directly into the gambling-rooms. Here were no tables
such as Peter had described; and the fact that she must go still farther
seemed to increase the mystery or secrecy of the place. Mary hesitated,
not knowing which way to turn, for there were several doors under the
high galleries that ran the whole length of the hall.
Pages:
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104