368 THE BORDERLAND OF SCIENCE. 



breakers' are followed and believed in, while their 

 success seems to last. 



The scene is laid in one of the most celebrated 

 German Kursaals. 



c What a sudden influx of people into the room ! 

 Now, indeed, we shall see a celebrity. The tall light- 

 haired young man coming towards us, and attended by 

 such a retinue, is a young Saxon nobleman who made 

 his appearance here a short time ago, and commenced 

 his gambling career by staking very small sums ; but, 

 by the most extraordinary luck, he was able to increase 

 his capital to such an extent that he now rarely stakes 

 under the maximum, and almost always wins. They 

 say that when the croupiers see him place his money 

 on the table, they immediately prepare to pay him, 

 without waiting to see which colour has actually won, 

 and that they have offered him a handsome sum down 

 to desist from playing while he remains here. Crowds 

 of people stand outside the Kursaal doors every 

 morning, awaiting his arrival, and when he comes 

 following him into the room, and staking as he stakes. 

 When he ceases playing they accompany him to the 

 door, and shower on him congratulations and thanks 

 for the good fortune he has brought them. See how 

 all the people make way for him at the table, and how 

 deferential are the subdued greetings of his acquain- 

 tances 1 He does not bring much money with him, 

 his luck is too great to require it. He takes some 

 notes out of a case, and places maximums on black and 

 couleur. A crowd of eager hands are immediately out- 



