ughing; "you don't
know it's past twelve o'clock."

'"Indeed!" said I, starting up, and scarce remembering where I was. "The
fact is, my wits are none of the clearest this morning--that bowl of
bishop finished me."

'"Did it, by Jove?" replied he, with a half saucy laugh; "I'll wager a
pony, notwithstanding, that you never played better in your life."

'"Played! why, I never touched a card," said I, in horror and amazement.

'"I wish you hadn't, that's all," said he, while he took a pocket-book
from his pocket, and proceeded to open it on the bed. "If you hadn't, I
should have been somewhat of a richer man this morning."

'"I can only tell you," said I, as I rubbed my eyes, and endeavoured
to waken up more completely--"I can only tell you that I don't remember
anything of what you allude to, nor can I believe that I would have
broken a firm resolve I made against play----"

'"Gently, sir, gently," said he, in a low, smooth voice; "be a little
careful, I beseech you; what you have just said amounts to something
very like a direct contradiction of my words. Please to remember, sir,
that we were strangers to each other yesterday morning. But to be brief,
was your last bet a double or quit, or only a ten-pound note, for on
that depends whether I owe you two hundred and sixty, or two hundred
and seventy pounds? Can you set me right on that point--they made such a
noise at the time, I can't be clear about it."

'"I protest, sir," said I, once more, "this is all a dream to me; as I
have told you already, I never played----"

'"You never played, sir?"

'"I mean, I never knew I played, or I have no remembrance of it now."

'"Well, young gentleman, fortune treats _you_ better when asleep than
she does _me_ with my eyes open, and as I have no time to lose, for
I leave for Bingen in half an hour, I have only to say, here is your
money. You may forget what you have won; I have also an obligation, but
a stronger one, to remember what I have lost; and as for the ten pounds,
shall we say head or tail for it, as we neither of us are quite clear
about it?"

'"Say anything you like, for I firmly believe one or the other of us
must be out of our reason."

'"What do you say, sir--head or tail?"

'"Head!" cried I, in a frenzy; "there ought to be _one_ in the party."

'"Won again, by Jove!" said he, opening his hand; "I think you'll find
that rouleau correct; and now, sir, _au revoir_. I shall have my revenge
one of these day