to trump my best
card?'

'Because I wanted the lead. And those who want to lead, please your
Majesty, must never hesitate about sacrificing their friends.'

'I believe you speak truly. I was right in playing that thirteenth
card?'

'Quite so. Above all things, I love a thirteenth card. I send it forth,
like a mock project in a revolution, to try the strength of parties.'

'You should not have forced me, Lady Manto,' said the Captain of the
yacht, in a grumbling tone, to his partner. 'By weakening me, you
prevented me bringing in my spades. We might have made the game.'

'You should not have been forced,' said Tiresias. 'If she made a
mistake, who was unacquainted with your plans, what a terrible blunder
you committed to share her error without her ignorance!'

'What, then, was I to lose a trick?'

'Next to knowing when to seize an opportunity,' replied Tiresias, 'the
most important thing in life is to know when to forego an advantage.'

'I have cut you an honour, sir,' said Manto.

'Which reminds me,' replied Tiresias, 'that, in the last hand, your
Majesty unfortunately forgot to lead through your adversary's ace. I
have often observed that nothing ever perplexes an adversary so much as
an appeal to his honour.'

'I will not forget to follow your advice,' said the Captain of the
yacht, playing accordingly.

'By which you have lost the game,' quietly remarked Tiresias. 'There are
exceptions to all rules, but it seldom answers to follow the advice of
an opponent.'

'Confusion!' exclaimed the Captain of the yacht.

'Four by honours, and the trick, I declare,' said Proserpine. 'I was so
glad to see you turn up the queen, Tiresias.'

'I also, madam. Without doubt there are few cards better than her royal
consort, or, still more, the imperial ace. Nevertheless, I must confess,
I am perfectly satisfied whenever I remember that I have the Queen on my
side.'

Proserpine bowed.

'I have a good mind to do it, Tiresias,' said Queen Proserpine, as that
worthy sage paid his compliments to her at her toilet, at an hour which
should have been noon.

'It would be a great compliment,' said Tiresias.

'And it is not much out of our way?'

'By no means,' replied the seer. ''Tis an agreeable half-way house. He
lives in good style.'

'And whence can a dethroned monarch gain a revenue?'.inquired the Queen.

'Your Majesty, I see, is not at all learned in politics. A sovereign
never knows what an easy income is till