The Opposite House: A Novel — page 136: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Opposite Flouse. 131 finger on his lips. No talking was allowed in the gaming-hall. They were standing beside the roulette table. “ Rouge /’ cried the croupier’s monotonous voice. ‘““ Trente et un!’ and hands pocketed the coin with trembling haste, the ball buzzed and hummed as it ran down; and the tunvarying voice continued its call, while the gamblers listened with feverish ex- citement. Ah, when the ball stopped it sent a thrill through nerve and bone. “Let us go! whispered Gerrald. ‘‘ Let us move on!’ He passed his hand across his brow, and his restless eyes wandered to Marie. A gold band glit- tered in her hair—gold, wherever he looked. He pressed forward to another table. The crou- pier held a pack of cards in his hand. “ Fattes votre jeu, messieurs !” he said, as he slowly turned the cards. Again that strange thrill ran through Gerrald’s frame. How often he had stood at that table, betting with feverish excitement on that game. How often the cards had turned in his favor ; how often they had gathered up his gold— forever. He stood gazing fixedly at the gay bits of pasteboard, his lips parted, and a feverish flush glowed on his cheeks. “Won!” he cried with sparkling eyes. The sudden exclamation made Marie look up; the expression of his face startled her. Comiclboolkxs