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Theophilus Bellasis, an infamouscharacter, was well known at Bow
Street, where he had been charged with breaking into the
counting-house of Sir James Sanderson, Bart. Bellasis was
sometimes clerk and sometimes client to John Shepherd, an
attorney of Bow Street; while at other times Shepherd was
prosecutor of those who kept gaming houses, and Bellasis
attorney. Sir William Addington, the magistrate, was so well
aware that these two men commenced prosecutions solely for the
purpose of HUSH MONEY, that he refused to act. The Joseph
Atkinson just mentioned at one time gave them L100, at another
L80; and in this way they had amassed an immense sum, and
undertook, for a specificamount, to defend keepers of gaming
houses against all prosecutions!
WALKING OFF WITH A L200 BANK-NOTE.
The runaway son of an extensive linen-draper went to a gaming
house in King Street, and pocketed a L200 bank-note from the
table. He was not kicked out, because it would not be safe for
the proprietors of these houses to run the risk of getting
involved in law; but he was civilly walked down-stairs by the
master of the establishment, who forbad him the house evermore.
The dashing youth, however, put both the money and the affront in
his pocket, and was only too thankful to get away in so good a
plight.
PERQUISITES OF GAMBLING HOUSE WAITERS.
A waiter in one of the gambling houses in St James's Street
received in Christmas boxes above L500. A nobleman, who had in
the course of a week won L80,000, gave him L100 of his winnings.
He was said to have actually borrowed of the waiter the money
which led to his extraordinary success!
PAUL ROUBEL.
Paul Roubel was a gaming house keeper, who seems to have been an
exception to his class, according to the following account:--'A
foreigner once applied for the situation of croupier at old Paul
Roubel's, stating as his qualification that he could cut or turn
up whatever card he pleased. The old man (for he was nearly
eighty, and a very good hearty fellow in his way) declined the
offer, saying--"You are too clever for me; my customers must have
some chance!" It is true Roubel kept a gambling house; but it is
also true that few men in higher walks of life possessed a kinder
heart, or a hand which opened more freely or more liberally to
the calls of humanity! Peace be to his manes!'
TITLED GREEKS, OR 'DECOYS.'
In all the gaming houses of any note there were unprincipled and
reckless persons paid by the hellites, employed in various
capacities, and for various purposes. Sometimes they played for
the proprietors against any one who chose to put down his money;
at other times, when there were no other individuals playing at
all, they pretended to be strangers themselves, and got up sham
games with the proprietors, with the view of practising a
deception on any strangers who might be in the room, and by that
means inducing them to put down their money. They were dressed
in the most fashionable manner, always exhibiting a profusion of
jewellery, and living in great splendour when they have any
particular person in their eye, in the various hotels throughout
town.[50]
[50] Grant, Sketches in London.
In some cases, in the higher class of gaming establishments, the
Greeks, or decoys, being men of title or considerablestanding in
society, did not receive a fixed salary for seducing young men of
fortune, but being in every case very needy men, they nominally
borrowed, from time to time, large sums of money from the hell-
keepers. It was, however, perfectly understood on both sides
that the amount so borrowed was never to be repaid.[51]
[51] Grant, Ubi supra.
WHY CHEATS WERE CALLED GREEKS.
M. Robert-Houdin says that this application of the term 'Greek'
originated from a certain modern Greek, named Apoulos, who in the
reign of Louis XIV. was caught cheating at court, and was
condemned to 20 years at the galleys. I think this a very
improbable derivation, and unnecessary withal. Aristotle of old,
as before stated, ranked gamesters 'with thieves and plunderers,
who for the sake of gain do not scruple to despoil their best
Street, where he had been charged with breaking into the
counting-house of Sir James Sanderson, Bart. Bellasis was
sometimes clerk and sometimes client to John Shepherd, an
attorney of Bow Street; while at other times Shepherd was
prosecutor of those who kept gaming houses, and Bellasis
attorney. Sir William Addington, the magistrate, was so well
aware that these two men commenced prosecutions solely for the
purpose of HUSH MONEY, that he refused to act. The Joseph
Atkinson just mentioned at one time gave them L100, at another
L80; and in this way they had amassed an immense sum, and
undertook, for a specificamount, to defend keepers of gaming
houses against all prosecutions!
WALKING OFF WITH A L200 BANK-NOTE.
The runaway son of an extensive linen-draper went to a gaming
house in King Street, and pocketed a L200 bank-note from the
table. He was not kicked out, because it would not be safe for
the proprietors of these houses to run the risk of getting
involved in law; but he was civilly walked down-stairs by the
master of the establishment, who forbad him the house evermore.
The dashing youth, however, put both the money and the affront in
his pocket, and was only too thankful to get away in so good a
plight.
PERQUISITES OF GAMBLING HOUSE WAITERS.
A waiter in one of the gambling houses in St James's Street
received in Christmas boxes above L500. A nobleman, who had in
the course of a week won L80,000, gave him L100 of his winnings.
He was said to have actually borrowed of the waiter the money
which led to his extraordinary success!
PAUL ROUBEL.
Paul Roubel was a gaming house keeper, who seems to have been an
exception to his class, according to the following account:--'A
foreigner once applied for the situation of croupier at old Paul
Roubel's, stating as his qualification that he could cut or turn
up whatever card he pleased. The old man (for he was nearly
eighty, and a very good hearty fellow in his way) declined the
offer, saying--"You are too clever for me; my customers must have
some chance!" It is true Roubel kept a gambling house; but it is
also true that few men in higher walks of life possessed a kinder
heart, or a hand which opened more freely or more liberally to
the calls of humanity! Peace be to his manes!'
TITLED GREEKS, OR 'DECOYS.'
In all the gaming houses of any note there were unprincipled and
reckless persons paid by the hellites, employed in various
capacities, and for various purposes. Sometimes they played for
the proprietors against any one who chose to put down his money;
at other times, when there were no other individuals playing at
all, they pretended to be strangers themselves, and got up sham
games with the proprietors, with the view of practising a
deception on any strangers who might be in the room, and by that
means inducing them to put down their money. They were dressed
in the most fashionable manner, always exhibiting a profusion of
jewellery, and living in great splendour when they have any
particular person in their eye, in the various hotels throughout
town.[50]
[50] Grant, Sketches in London.
In some cases, in the higher class of gaming establishments, the
Greeks, or decoys, being men of title or considerablestanding in
society, did not receive a fixed salary for seducing young men of
fortune, but being in every case very needy men, they nominally
borrowed, from time to time, large sums of money from the hell-
keepers. It was, however, perfectly understood on both sides
that the amount so borrowed was never to be repaid.[51]
[51] Grant, Ubi supra.
WHY CHEATS WERE CALLED GREEKS.
M. Robert-Houdin says that this application of the term 'Greek'
originated from a certain modern Greek, named Apoulos, who in the
reign of Louis XIV. was caught cheating at court, and was
condemned to 20 years at the galleys. I think this a very
improbable derivation, and unnecessary withal. Aristotle of old,
as before stated, ranked gamesters 'with thieves and plunderers,
who for the sake of gain do not scruple to despoil their best
- unfortunate [ʌn´fɔ:tʃunit]
a.不幸的，运气差的 (初中英语单词) - victim [´viktim] n.牺牲者；受害者 (初中英语单词)
- landlord [´lændlɔ:d] n.地主；房东；店主 (初中英语单词)
- revenge [ri´vendʒ] vt.报复 n.报仇；报复 (初中英语单词)
- oyster [´ɔistə] n.牡蛎 (初中英语单词)
- constant [´kɔnstənt] a.坚定的；坚贞的 (初中英语单词)
- polite [pə´lait] a.有礼貌的；温和的 (初中英语单词)
- countenance [´kauntinəns] n.面部表情；脸色；面容 (初中英语单词)
- visitor [´vizitə] n.访问者；来宾；参观者 (初中英语单词)
- acquaintance [ə´kweintəns] n.相识；熟人，相识的人 (初中英语单词)
- advanced [əd´vɑ:nst] a.先进的；高级的 (初中英语单词)
- invitation [,invi´teiʃən] n.邀请；请帖；吸引 (初中英语单词)
- passion [´pæʃən] n.激情；激怒；恋爱 (初中英语单词)
- female [´fi:meil] a.女(性)的 n.女人 (初中英语单词)
- additional [ə´diʃənəl] a.附加的，额外的 (初中英语单词)
- partner [´pɑ:tnə] n.伙伴 v.同….合作 (初中英语单词)
- consequence [´kɔnsikwəns] n.结果；后果；推断 (初中英语单词)
- scheme [ski:m] n.计划；阴谋，诡计 (初中英语单词)
- whatever [wɔt´evə] pron.&a.无论什么 (初中英语单词)
- enormous [i´nɔ:məs] a.巨大地，很，极 (初中英语单词)
- extraordinary [ik´strɔ:dinəri] a.非常的；额外的 (初中英语单词)
- accordingly [ə´kɔ:diŋli] ad.因此；从而；依照 (初中英语单词)
- considerable [kən´sidərəbəl] a.重要的；值得重视 (初中英语单词)
- ignorance [´ignərəns] n.无知，愚昧 (初中英语单词)
- indian [´indiən] a.印度的 n.印度人 (初中英语单词)
- running [´rʌniŋ] a.奔跑的；流动的 (初中英语单词)
- valuable [´væljuəbəl, -jubəl] a.有价值的，贵重的 (初中英语单词)
- freely [´fri:li] ad.自由地；慷慨地 (初中英语单词)
- traffic [´træfik] n.交通，运输 (初中英语单词)
- character [´kæriktə] n.特性；性质；人物；字 (初中英语单词)
- shepherd [´ʃepəd] n.牧羊人 vt.带领 (初中英语单词)
- immense [i´mens] a.广大的，无限的 (初中英语单词)
- amount [ə´maunt] n.总数；数量 v.合计 (初中英语单词)
- extensive [ik´stensiv] a.广阔的；大量的 (初中英语单词)
- establishment [i´stæbliʃmənt] n.建(成)立；研究所 (初中英语单词)
- actually [´æktʃuəli] ad.事实上；实际上 (初中英语单词)
- keeper [´ki:pə] n.管理人；看守；保管人 (初中英语单词)
- standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)
- application [,æpli´keiʃən] n.申请；申请书；应用 (初中英语单词)
- decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)
- whilst [wailst] conj.当…时候；虽然 (高中英语单词)
- alternate [ɔ:l´tə:nit, ´ɔ:ltə:neit] a.交替的 v.轮流 (高中英语单词)
- profound [prə´faund] a.深奥的；渊博的 (高中英语单词)
- certainty [´sə:tənti] n.确实(性)；确信 (高中英语单词)
- saloon [sə´lu:n] n.大厅；餐车 (高中英语单词)
- recommendation [,rekəmen´deiʃən] n.推荐；劝告 (高中英语单词)
- inevitable [i´nevitəbəl] a.不可避免的 (高中英语单词)
- amongst [ə´mʌŋst] prep.其中之一 =among (高中英语单词)
- brightly [´braitli] ad.明亮地；聪明地 (高中英语单词)
- generosity [,dʒenə´rɔsiti] n.慷慨；慷慨的行为 (高中英语单词)
- popularity [,pɔpju´læriti] n.普及；流行；名望 (高中英语单词)
- continually [kən´tinjuəli] ad.不断地，频繁地 (高中英语单词)
- client [´klaiənt] n.委托人；顾客 (高中英语单词)
- solely [´səulli] ad.唯一；单独；完全 (高中英语单词)
- specific [spi´sifik] a.具体的；特有的 (高中英语单词)
- thankful [´θæŋkfəl] a.感激的；欣慰的 (高中英语单词)
- hearty [´hɑ:ti] a.热忱的；强健的 (高中英语单词)
- fashionable [´fæʃənəbəl] a.流行的，时髦的 (高中英语单词)
- perfectly [´pə:fiktli] ad.理想地；完美地 (高中英语单词)
- coolly [´ku:li] ad.冷(静地)，沉着地 (英语四级单词)
- tradesman [´treidzmən] n.店主；商人 (英语四级单词)
- vicinity [vi´siniti] n.邻近，附近，接近 (英语四级单词)
- nobleman [´nəublmən] n.贵族 (英语四级单词)
- wonderfully [´wʌndəfuli] ad.令人惊讶地；奇妙地 (英语四级单词)
- trying [´traiiŋ] a.难堪的；费劲的 (英语四级单词)
- favoured [´feivəd] a.有利的，喜爱的 (英语四级单词)
- waiter [´weitə] n.侍者，服务员 (英语四级单词)
- qualification [,kwɔlifi´keiʃən] n.资格；合格证明 (英语四级单词)
- withal [wi´ðɔ:l] ad.加之；同样；然而 (英语四级单词)
- thieves [θi:vz] thief的复数 (英语四级单词)
- privately [´praivitli] ad.秘密，一个人 (英语六级单词)
- reckoning [´rekəniŋ] n.计算；算帐；估计 (英语六级单词)
- retired [ri´taiəd] a.退休的；通职的 (英语六级单词)
- inexperienced [,iniks´piəriənst] a.缺乏经验的 (英语六级单词)
- piazza [pi´ætsə] n.广场；市场 (英语六级单词)
- infamous [´infəməs] a.声名狼藉的 (英语六级单词)
- runaway [´rʌnəwei] n.逃跑(者) a.逃亡的 (英语六级单词)
- dashing [´dæʃiŋ] a.勇猛的；生气勃勃的 (英语六级单词)
- affront [ə´frʌnt] vt.&n.(当众)侮辱 (英语六级单词)
- applied [ə´plaid] a.实用的，应用的 (英语六级单词)
- scruple [´skru:pəl] n.&v.犹豫；顾忌 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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