The inner chambers of the Casino were divided into two groups, the outer being somewhat less ornately decorated and housing those who for reasons of economy prefer to be less exclusive, and the inner more elaborate in decoration and having of an evening, it was said, a more gorgeously dressed throng. Just why one should choose less expensive rooms when gambling, unless low in funds, I could not guess. Those in both sets of rooms seemed to have enough money to gamble. I could not see, after some experience, that there was very much difference. The players seemed to wander rather indiscriminately through both sets of rooms. Certainly we did. An extra charge of five louis was made for the season’s privilege of entering the inner group or “_Cirque privé_” as it was called. I shall never forget my first sight of the famous gaming-tables in the outer rooms--for we were not venturing into the inner at present. Aside from the glamour of the crowd--which was as impressive as an opera first night--and the decorative quality of the room which was unduly rich and brilliant, I was most vividly impressed by the vast quantities of money scattered so freely over the tables, small piles of gold louis, stacks of eight, ten, fifteen and even twenty-five franc pieces, layers of pale crisp bank-notes whose value was anywhere from one hundred to one thousand francs. It was like looking through the cashier’s window of an immense bank. The mechanism and manipulation of the roulette wheel I did not understand at first nor the exact duties of the many croupiers seated at each table. Their cry of “Rien ne _va plus_!” and the subsequent scraping together of the shining coin with the little rakes or the throwing back of silver, gold and notes to the lucky winner gripped my attention like a vise. “Great God!” I thought, “supposing I was to win a thousand pounds with my fifteen. I should stay in Europe an entire year.” Like all beginners I watched the process with large eyes and then seeing Barfleur get back five gold louis for one placed on a certain number I ventured one of my own. Result: three louis. I tried again on another number and won two more. I saw myself (in fancy) the happy possessor of a thousand pounds. My next adventure cost me two louis, whereupon I began to wonder whether I was such a fortunate player after all. “Come with me,” Barfleur said, coming around to where I stood adventuring my small sums with indescribable excitement and taking my arm genially. “I want to send some money to my mother for luck. I’ve just won fifteen pounds.” “Talk about superstition,” I replied, coming away from the table, “I didn’t believe it of you.” “I’m discovered!” he smiled philosophically; “besides I want to send some sweets to the children.”