opening there. I'll just put on one napoleon."

"You shall not. If you do, I'll leave you at once. Look at the women
who are playing. Is there one there whom it would not disgrace you to
touch? Look what they are. Look at their cheeks, and their eyes, and
their hands. Those men who rake about the money are bad enough, but
the women look like fiends."

"You're not going to frighten me in that hobgoblin sort of way, you
know. I don't see anything the matter with any of the people."

"What do you think of that young woman who has just got a handful of
money from the man next to her?"

"I think she is very happy. I never get money given to me by
handfuls, and the man to whom I belong gives me no encouragement
when I want to amuse myself." They were now standing near to one end
of the table, and suddenly there came to be an opening through the
crowd up to the table itself. Lady Glencora, leaving Alice's side, at
once stepped up and deposited a piece of gold on one of the marked
compartments. As soon as she placed it she retreated again with
flushed face, and took hold of Alice's arm. "There," she said, "I
have done it." Alice, in her dismay, did not know what step to
take. She could not scold her friend now, as the eyes of many were
turned upon them, nor could she, of course, leave her, as she had
threatened. Lady Glencora laughed with her peculiar little low
laughter, and stood her ground. "I was determined you shouldn't
frighten me out of it," she said.

One of the ministers at the table had in the meantime gone on with
the cards, and had called the game; and another minister had gently
pushed three or four more pieces of gold up to that which Lady
Glencora had flung down, and had then cunningly caught her eye, and,
with all the courtesy of which he was master, had pushed them further
on towards her. She had supposed herself to be unknown there in the
salon, but no doubt all the croupiers and half the company knew well
enough who was the new customer at the table. There was still the
space open, near to which she stood, and then someone motioned to her
to come and take up the money which she had won. She hesitated, and
then the croupier asked her, in that low, indifferent voice which
these men always use, whether she desired that her money should
remain. She nodded her head to him, and he at once drew the money
back again to the spot on which she had placed the first napoleon.
Again the cards were turned up softly, a