In the margin on one side of the top division is worked the word “under,” and on the opposite side the word “over.”
The margin of the middle space contains the words, “even” and “odd,” and at the opposite sides of the last section of the green cloth are two squares of cloth, one black and the other red.
The cloth is also divided into thirty-seven equal squares.
The uninitiated reader will by the foregoing description be able to form a tolerably accurate notion of the gambling machinery used in playing the game of roulette.
It must, however, be understood that “rouge et noir,” and other games were played at the club-house into which Peace now found himself for the first time introduced.
Kempshead endeavoured to explain to him the manner in which the game was played.
A short bald-headed gentleman, who wore a military coat, and had a remarkably thick and dark moustache, and who had been introduced to Peace as Captain Draper, now sidled up to Kempshead and said, nodding at Peace—
“Does your friend play?”
“Well, no, I can’t say he does—he’s a novice. Ahem, a young man from the country.”
“Ah, ah! capital—I see,” returned the captain, with a loud military laugh.