The front room was tolerably crowded on the evening when Chichester, Markham, the baronet, and Talbot, honoured the establishment with a visit. The moment they entered the apartment, Richard instinctively drew back, and, catching hold of Chichester's arm, whispered to him in a hurried and anxious manner, "Tell me, is this a Gambling-House? is it what I have heard called a Hell?" "It is a Gambling-House, if you will, my dear fellow," was the reply; "but a most respectable one. Besides--you must see life, you know!" With these words he took Markham's arm, and conducted him up to the _rouge et noir_ table. A young officer, whose age could not have exceeded twenty, was seated at the further end of the green-baize covered board. A huge pile of notes and gold lay before him; but at rapid intervals one of the Croupiers raked away the stakes which he deposited; and thus his heap of money was gradually growing smaller. "Well, this is extraordinary!" ejaculated the young officer; "I never saw the luck set so completely in against me. However--I can afford to lose a little; for I broke your bank for you last night, my boys?" "What does that mean?" demanded Richard in a whisper. "He won all the money which the proprietor deposited in that tin case, he means," replied Chichester. "And how much do you suppose that might be?" "About fifteen hundred to two thousand pounds." "Here--waiter!" exclaimed the young officer, who had just lost another stake,--"a glass of claret." The waiter handed him a glass of the wine so demanded. The young officer did not notice him for a moment, but waited to see the result of the next chance. He lost again. He turned round to seize the glass of wine; but when his eyes caught sight of it, his countenance became almost livid with rage. "Fool! idiot!" he ejaculated, starting from his seat: "bring me a tumbler--a large tumbler full of claret; my mouth is as parched as h--l, and my stomach is like a lime-kiln." The waiter hastened to comply with the wishes of the young gambler. The tumbler of claret was supplied; and the game continued. Still the officer lost. "A cigar!" he shouted, in a fearful state of excitement--"bring me a cigar!" The waiter handed him a box of choice Havannahs, that he might make his selection. "Why the devil don't you bring a light at the same time, you d--d infernal rascal?" cried the gamester; and while the domestic hastened to supply this demand also, he poured a volley of most horrible oaths at the bewildered wretch's head. Again the play proceeded. And again the young officer lost. His pile of gold was gone: the Croupier who kept the bank changed one of his remaining notes. "That makes three thousand that I have lost already, by G--d!" ejaculated the young officer. "Including the amount you won last night, I believe," said one of the Bonnets.