Though it was early, there was a crowd round each of the roulette tables, and for a moment Lily only noticed the curious-looking people composing the crowd. Then, gradually, she began to see the table, the more so that her two companions were quietly shepherding her to a good place, close behind one of the croupiers.
At first the girl felt as if she would never understand the complicated game; and then gradually she began to see the relation between the plan or tableau, divided off with yellow lines into squares, and the complicated giant yet toy-like wheel which was sunk in the centre of the long, comparatively narrow table.
“And now,” said M. Popeau, “would you like to stake what is equivalent to a five-franc piece on a number? What number will you choose?”
“If I were you,” said Angus Stuart, “I should back twelve numbers. If you put your money on only one number you’ve thirty-five chances against you.”
Lily hesitated. “Yes, do as he advises,” said M. Popeau good-naturedly.
And so Lily, guided by the Frenchman, put her small coloured counters on the middle dozen; thus she covered the numbers 13 to 24.
The croupier behind whom Lily was standing gave the huge wheel a powerful twist, then he flung a little ball into the revolving disc. It spun round and round, jumping about as if possessed by the spirit of motion. Then, at last, the great disc began to slow down. A croupier called out, “Rien ne va plus!” The ball leapt into one of the red and black pockets (each of which bears a corresponding number to one marked on the plan), and the wheel ceased to revolve. Something was shouted out, and then Lily saw with surprise and joy two other five-franc counters joined to her stake. She looked round at her two companions.
“Pick your money up,” said Angus Stuart quickly, “or someone else will get it!”
Sure enough, as she put out her hand hesitatingly, another hand—a big, rather dirty-looking man’s hand—took up her three counters.
“That money belongs to Mademoiselle!” called out M. Popeau angrily.