"Permit me to explain the game," said Delapine, pointing to the table in front of him. "Watch the little wheel which the croupier has just spun rapidly. You see it is divided into 37 equal compartments, each bearing a number from 1 to 36, eighteen are coloured red, and eighteen black, the remaining one being white, and is called Zero. The croupier has just dropped the ball in the centre wheel which he has caused to spin in the reverse direction. Now the wheel is slowing down, and the ball rushes hither and thither knocking against various obstructions until it drops into one of the 37 pockets. Contrary to the prevalent idea you will observe that the players have a large choice in the methods of staking their money. They may back red (rouge), or black (noir), odd (impair) or even numbers (pair) or they may put their money in the square representing any number below 19 (manque), or on the square representing any number exceeding 18 (passe). In all these cases if they win they receive the same amount as they have staked. Again the player may place the stake on any single number which may be chosen, including Zero, in which case as the chances are 36 to 1 against him, he receives 35 times the stake. If, however, the ball falls into Zero, the croupier gathers in every stake on the table, only paying those who have backed Zero. The stakes, if they have been made on even chances, are put, as they say, 'in prison' until the next throw, when they will be returned to the player if the throw is favourable to them, but if not, then they lose them. But a player can take such stakes out of prison by paying half their value. Moreover you will notice that the table is divided into three long columns, and sub-divided by two horizontal lines, so that there are nine large squares. The centre squares are sub-divided into three smaller ones each bearing one of the 36 numbers, while the outer large squares represent 'Passe,' 'Pair' and 'Noir' on the one side, and 'Manque,' 'Impair' and 'Rouge' on the other side, Zero being by itself at the top. "This is the essence of the game, and the bank plays mechanically, but absolutely fairly. The whole secret of the success of the bank lies in the Zero. It is a wonderfully thought-out game," continued the professor. "Omit Zero and whether you back red or black, odd or even, or above or below 18, the chances are exactly even--it is the fatal Zero which turns the scale all the time in favour of the bank, and no matter what system is adopted the player is invariably beaten by the Zero, provided he only plays long enough.[19] It is like the old legend of the soul playing a game of chess with death. He may beat his adversary time after time--but the fleshless fingers of death always gain the victory in the end."