Page:In a winter city, by Ouida.djvu/206

Rh the student to spend his time in feverish dreams—the simple day-labourer to consume his content in senseless calculations that often bring his poor empty brain, to madness. The lottery assails them in the street, is carried to them in their homes, drops them some poor prize at first to chain them in torment for ever afterwards. It changes honesty to cunning, peace to burning desire, industry to a perpetual waiting upon chance, manly effort to an imbecile abandonment to the dictates of signs and portents, and the expectancy of a fortune which never comes. High-born gamblers are only the topmost leaves of the tree of the State; they may rot away without detriment to the tree, but the lottery lays the axe to the very trunk and root of it, because it demoralises the people."

Lady Hilda listened, and watched him as he spoke with a grave and almost tender meditation in her eyes; which M. de St. Louis saw, and seeing, smiled.

"Say all that in the Chamber, caro mio," muttered Carlo Maremma.

"I would go to the Chambers to say it, or to