MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



491 



with the exception of much more 

 gaiety, more avowed vice, and 

 the absence of all pretence at ra- 

 tional resources, acts the part of 

 thehbrary at an English watering- 

 place. The Redoubt is a large 

 handsome building, the ground 

 floor open with a colonnade in 

 front, appropriated to print, toy- 

 shops, &c. A wide stair-case 

 conducts to the first-floor, where, 

 after depositing your hat and stick 

 with the gens d'armes at the door, 

 you enter the Grand Saloon — a 

 splendid room, with a carved 

 cieling, and lined with mirrors. 

 On one side a crowd of motley, 

 but well-dressed and gay-looking 

 persons, (I regret to say, of both 

 sexes), are pressing over each 

 other's heads, round two large 

 banks of Rouge et Noir. An 

 anxious silence reigns, only inter- 

 rupted by the rattling of the rou- 

 lette, the clink of the Napoleons 

 and francs, and the titters and 

 jokes of the few whose specula- 

 tions are a matter of mere frolic. 

 The play is frequently very high, 

 but the bank does not refuse to 

 sweep in a solitary franc. Pretty, 

 interesting women were putting 

 down their Napoleons, and seeing 

 them swept away, or drawing 

 them in doubled, with a sang 

 froid which showed they were no 

 novices in their employment. 



A Russian officer of my ac- 

 quaintance was subject, like many 

 of his countrymen whom I have 

 known, to the infatuation of play 

 to a most ridiculous excess. His 

 distrust of himself, under the as- 

 sailments which he anticipated at 

 a place like Aix-la-Chapelle, had 

 induced him to take the prudenf 

 precaution of paying in advance 

 at his hotel for his board and 



lodging, and at the bathing-house 

 for his baths, for the time he 

 intended to stay. The remaining 

 contents of his purse he thought 

 fairly his own ; and he went of 

 course to the table all the gayer 

 for the sort of licence he had 

 taken of his conscience. On for- 

 tune showing him a few favours, 

 he came to me, in high spirits, 

 with a purse full of Napoleons, 

 and a resolute determination to 

 keep them by venturing no more : 

 but a gamester can no more be 

 stationary than the tide of a river, 

 and in the evening he was put out 

 of suspense by having not a Na- 

 poleon left, and nothing to con- 

 sole himself but congratulation on 

 his foresight, and the excellent 

 supper which was the fruit of it. 



Between four and five o'clock, 

 groupes of the beau monde repair 

 to the Louisberg — a bold sandy 

 hill, rising abruptly just above 

 the ramparts of the town, the 

 view from which overlooks the 

 city and the rich valley beneath, 

 and stretches over the neighbour- 

 ing hills and fertile pastures, to 

 a range of even mountains which 

 bound the horizon towards Ger- 

 many. The scene of attraction 

 on the mountain is a large tavern, 

 with a splendid saloon, command- 

 ing a noble prospect. Music, 

 dancing, smoking, tea-drinking, 

 walks in the gardens, &c., occupy 

 the various descriptions of guests ; 

 and the scene has few features of 

 difference from our cockney ren- 

 dezvous near town, except the 

 characters of the parties, who, 

 instead of being worthy cits, with 

 fat spouses, are often a gay assem- 

 blage, of Counts, Barons, &c. &c. 

 of various nations and qualities. 

 During the continuance of the 



season 



