You could only hope, however, such were
the malign associations of the place, that their chaperons would not
neglect them for the gaming-tables beyond, but you could not be sure, if
the chaperons were all like that old English lady one evening at the
opera in the Casino, who came in charge of her niece, or possibly some
friend's daughter. She remained dutifully enough beside the girl through
the first act of the stupid musical comedy, and even through the ensuing
ballet, and when a flaunting female, in a hat of cart-wheel
circumference, came in and shut out the whole stage from the hapless
stranger behind, this good old lady authorized her charge to ask him to
take the seat next them where he could see something of the action if he
wished. But at the end of the ballet, she rose, and bidding the girl
wait her return, she vanished in the direction of the gaming-rooms. She
may merely have gone to look on at a spectacle which, dulness for
dulness, was no worse than that of the musical comedy, and I have no
proof that she risked her money there.
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