the debt I owe him, and you will win and pocket money."
"Ah," replied I, "if you mean to allow him a chance for his money, I
have no objection--that will be all fair."
"Depend upon it, Newland, when I know that people play as badly as they
do, I will not refuse them; but when we sit down with others, it must be
as it was before--we must play against each other, and I shall owe the
money. I told the fellow that I never would pay him."
"Yes; but he thought you were only joking."
"That is his fault--I was in earnest. I could not have managed this had
it not been that you are known to be a young man of ten thousand pounds
per annum, and supposed to be my dupe. I tell you so candidly; and now
good-night."
I turned the affair over in my mind as I undressed--it was not
honest--but I paid when I lost, and I only took the money when I
won,--still I did not like it; but the bank notes caught my eye as they
lay on the table, and--I was satisfied. Alas! how easy are scruples
removed when we want money! How many are there who, when in a state of
prosperity and affluence, when not tried by temptation, would have
blushed at the bare idea of a dishonest action, have raised and held up
their hands in abhorrence, when they have heard that others have been
found guilty; and yet, when in adversity, have themselves committed the
very acts which before they so loudly condemned! How many of the other
sex, who have expressed their indignation and contempt at those who have
fallen, when tempted, have fallen themselves! Let us therefore be
charitable; none of us can tell to what we may be reduced by
circumstances; and when we acknowledge that the error is great, let us
feel sorrow and pity rather than indignation, and pray that we also may
not be "_led into temptation_"
As agreed upon, the next evening we repaired to the club, and found the
two gentlemen ready to receive us. This time the Major refused to play
unless it was with me, as I had such good fortune, and no difficulty was
made by our opponents. We sat down and played till four o'clock in the
morning. At first, notwithstanding our good play, fortune favoured our
adversaries; but the luck soon changed, and the result of the evening
was, that the Major had a balance in his favour of forty pounds, and I
rose a winner of one hundred and seventy-one pounds, so that in two
nights we had won three hundred and forty-two pounds. For nearly three
weeks this continued, the Major not
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