Page:Reminisences of Captain Gronow.djvu/190

Hunyady, the chief gambler of the day, who created considerable sensation in his time. He became très a la mode: his horses, carriage, and house, were considered perfect, while his good looks were the theme of universal admiration; there were ladies' cloaks "à la Huniade," and the illustrious Borel, of the Rocher de Cancalle, named new dishes after the famous Hungarian. Hunyady's luck for a long time was prodigious: no bank could resist his attacks; and at one time he must have been a winner of nearly two millions of francs. His manners were particularly calm and gentlemanlike; he sat apparently unmoved, with his right hand in the breast of his coat, whilst thousands depended upon the turning of a card or the hazard of a die. His valet, however, confided to some indiscreet friend that his nerves were not of such iron temper as he would have made people believe, and that the count bore in the morning the bloody marks of his nails, which he had pressed into his chest in the agony of an unsuccessful turn of fortune. The streets of Paris were at that time not very safe; consequently the Count was usually attended to his residence by two gensdarmes, in order to prevent his being attacked by robbers. Hunyady was