The fashion of wearing a black coat without being in mourning had not then been introduced, and the King gave a few of his 'coups de boutoir' to certain chevaliers de St.Louis, dressed in this manner, who came to venture two or three louis, in the hope that fortune would favour the handsome duchesses who deigned to place them on their cards.
[Bachaumont in his "Memoirs," (tome xii., p.

189), which are often satirical; and always somewhat questionable, speaks of the singular precautions taken at play at Court.

"The bankers at the Queen's table," says he, "in order to prevent the mistakes [I soften the harshness of his expression] which daily happen, have obtained permission from her Majesty that before beginning to play the table shall be bordered by a ribbon entirely round it, and that no other money than that upon the cards beyond the ribbon shall be considered as staked."-- NOTE By THE EDITOR.] Singular contrasts are often seen amidst the grandeur of courts.

In order to manage such high play at the Queen's faro table, it was necessary to have a banker provided with large, sums of money; and this necessity placed at the table, to which none but the highest titled persons were admitted in general, not only M.de Chalabre, who was its banker, but also a retired captain of foot, who officiated as his second.

A word, trivial, but perfectly appropriate to express the manner in which the Court was attended there, was often heard.