[1] As the Palais Royal may be considered the central point of the
_maisons de jeu_, or gambling-houses, it will not be irrelevant
to give a brief sketch of them:--
The apartments which they occupy are on the first floor, and are
very spacious. Upon ascending the staircase is an antechamber, in
which are persons called _bouledogues_ (bull-dogs), whose
office it is to prevent the entrance of certain marked individuals.
In the same room are men to receive hats, umbrellas, &c., who give
a number, which is restored upon going out.
The antechamber leads to the several gaming rooms, furnished with
tables, round which are seated the individuals playing, called
_pontes_ (punters), each of whom is furnished with a card and a pin
to mark the _rouge_ and _noir_, or the number, in order to regulate
his game. At each end of the table is a man called _bout de table_,
who pushes up to the bank the money lost. In the middle of the
table is the man who draws the cards. These persons, under the
reign of Louis XIV., were called _coupeurs de bourses_
(purse-cutters); they are now denominated _tailleurs_.
After having drawn the cards, they mate known the result as
follows:--_Rouge gagne et couleur perd.--Rouge perd et couleur
gagne_.
At _roulette_, the _tailleurs_ are those who put the ball in
motion and announce the result.
At _passe-dix_, every time the dice are thrown, the _tailleurs_
announce how many the person playing has gained.
Opposite the _tailleur_, and on his right and left, are persons
called _croupiers_, whose business it is to pay and to collect
money.
Behind the _tailleurs_ and _croupiers_ are inspectors, to see
that too much is not given in payment, besides an indefinite
number of secret inspectors, who are only known to the proprietors.
There are also _maîtres de maison_, who are called to decide
disputes; and _messieurs de la chambre_, who furnish cards to
the _pontes_, and serve them with beer, &c., which is to be
had _gratis_. Moreover, there is a _grand maître_, to whom the
apartments, tables, &c., belong.
When a stranger enters these apartments, he will soon find near
him some obliging men of mature age, who, with an air of prudence
and sagacity, proffer their advice. As these advisers perfectly
understand _their own_ game, if their _protégés_ lose, the mentors
vanish; but it they win, the counsellor comes nearer, congratulates
the happy player, insinuates that it was by following his advice
that fortune smiled on him, and finally succeeds in borrowing a
small sum of money on honour. Many of these loungers have no
other mode of living.
There is likewise another room, furnished with sofas, called
_chamber des blessés_, which is far from being the most
thinly peopled.
The bank pays in ready money every successful stake and sweeps
off the losings with wooden instruments, called _rateaux_
(rakes).
It was in one of the houses in this quarter that the late Marshal
Blucher won and lost very heavy sums, during the occupation of
Paris by the allied armies.
There are two gaming-houses in Paris of a more splendid description
than those of the Palais Royal, where dinners or suppers are given,
and where ladies are admitted.--_Galignani's History of Paris_.
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