Though confounded with what I had seen of the proceedings of Kingsley,
I was yet willing to promote, so far as I could, the purpose for
which we came. I felt too, that, unless I played, that purpose,
or my own, might reasonably incur suspicion. To rove through the
several rooms of a gambling-house, surveying closely the proceedings
of others, without partaking, in however slight a degree, in the
common business of the establishment, was neither good policy nor
good manners. Unless there to play, what business had I there?
Accordingly I resolved to play. But of these games I knew nothing.
It was necessary to choose among them, and, without a choice I
turned to one of the tables where the genius of Roulette presided.
A motley group, none of whom I knew, surrounded it. I placed my
dollar upon one of the spots, red or black, I know not which, and
saw it, in a moment after, spooned up with twenty others by the
banker. I preferred this form of play to any other, for the simple
reason that it did not task my own faculties, and left me free
to bestow my glances on the proceedings of my friend. But I soon
discovered that the contagion of play is irresistible; and so
far from putting my stake down at intervals, and with philosophic
indifference, I found myself, after a little while, breathlessly
eager in the results. These, after the first few turns of the machine,
had ceased to be unfavorable. I was confounded to discover myself
winning. Instead of one I put down two Mexicans.
"Put down ten," said one of the bystanders, a dark, sulky-looking
little yellow man, who seemed a veteran at these places. "You are
in luck--make the most of it."
The master of the ceremonies scowled upon the speaker; and this
determined me to obey his suggestions. I did so, and doubled the
money; left my original stake and the winnings on the same spot, and
doubled that also; and it was not long before, under this stimulus
of success, and the novelty of my situation, I found myself as
thoroughly anxious and intensely interested, as if I had gone to
the place in compliance with a natural passion. I know not how
long I had continued in this way, but I was still fortunate. I
had doubled my stakes repeatedly, and my pockets were crammed with
money.
"Stop now, if you are wise," whispered the same sulky-looking little
man who had before urged me to go on more boldly, as he sidled along
by me for this object; "never ride a good horse to death. There's
a time to stop just as there's a time to push. You had better stop
now. Stake another dollar and you lose all your winnings."
"Let the gentleman play his own game, Brinckoff. I don't see why
you come here to spoil sport."