tile and complying they were to those of
whom they had to borrow was well known.'

From that time gamesters swarmed all over France; they multiplied
rapidly in every profession, even among the magistracy. The Cardinal de
Retz tells us, in his Memoirs, that in 1650 the oldest magistrate in
the parliament of Bordeaus, and one who passed for the wisest, was not
ashamed to stake all his property one night at play, and that too,
he adds, without risking his reputation--so general was the fury
of gambling. It became very soon mixed up with the most momentous
circumstances of life and affairs of the gravest importance. The
States-general, or parliamentary assemblies, consisted altogether
of gamblers. 'It is a game,' says Madame de Sevigne, 'it is an
entertainment, a liberty-hall day and night, attracting all the world.
I never before beheld the States-general of Bretagne. The States-general
are decidedly a very fine thing.'

The same delightful correspondent relates that one of her amusements
when she went to the court was to admire Dangeau at the card-table;
and the following is the account of a gaming party at which she was
present:--

'29th July, 1676.

'I went on Saturday with Villars to Versailles. I need not tell you
of the queen's toilette, the mass, the dinner--you know it all; but at
three o'clock the king rose from table, and he, the queen, Monsieur,
Madame, Mademoiselle, all the princes and princesses, Madame de
Montespan, all her suite, all the courtiers, all the ladies, in short,
what we call the court of France, were assembled in that beautiful
apartment which you know. It is divinely furnished, everything is
magnificent; one does not know what it is to be too hot; we walk about
here and there, and are not incommoded anywhere:--at last a table of
reversi(53) gives a form to the crowd, and a place to every one. _THE
KING IS NEXT TO MADAME DE MONTESPAN_, who deals; the Duke of Orleans,
the queen, and Madame de Soubise; Dangeau and Co.; Langee and Co.; a
thousand louis are poured out on the cloth--there are no other counters.
I saw Dangeau play!--what fools we all are compared to him--he minds
nothing but his business, and wins when every one else loses: he
neglects nothing, takes advantage of everything, is never absent; in a
word, his skill defies fortune, and accordingly 200,000 francs in ten
days, 100,000 crowns in a fortnight, all go to his receipt book.

(53) A kind of game long since out of fashion, a