e consolation--the bleeding had not
recommenced, and Harcourt was in tolerable spirits. An eminent surgeon
had been sent for. "Go again, my dear Timothy, and as you are intimate
with Harcourt's servant, you will be able to find out what they are
about."

Timothy departed, and was absent about an hour, during which I lay on
the sofa, and groaned with anguish. When he returned, I knew by his
face that his intelligence was favourable.

"All's right," cried Timothy; "no amputation after all. It was only one
of the smaller arteries which was severed, and they have taken it up."

I sprang up from the sofa and embraced Timothy, so happy was I with the
intelligence, and then I sat down again, and cried like a child. At
last I became more composed. I had asked Captain Atkinson to dine with
me, and was very glad when he came. He confirmed Timothy's report, and
I was so overjoyed, that I sat late at dinner, drinking very freely, and
when he again proposed that we should go to the _rouge et noir_ table, I
did not refuse--on the contrary, flushed with wine, I was anxious to go,
and took all the money that I had with me. On our arrival Atkinson
played, but finding that he was not fortunate, he very soon left off.
As I had followed his game, I also had lost considerably, and he
entreated me not to play any more--but _I was a gamester_, it appeared,
and I would not pay attention to him, and did not quit the table until I
had lost every shilling in my pocket. I left the house in no very good
humour, and Atkinson, who had waited for me, accompanied me home.

"Newland," said he, "I don't know what you may think of me--you may have
heard that I'm a _roue_, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, but this I always
do, which is, caution those who are gamesters from their hearts. I have
watched you to-night, and I tell you, that you will be ruined if you
continue to frequent that table. You have no command over yourself. I
do not know what your means may be, but this I do know, that if you were
a Croesus, you would be a beggar. I cared nothing for you while you
were the Mr Newland, the admired, and leader of the fashion; but I felt
for you when I heard that you were scouted from society, merely because
it was found out that you were not so rich as you were supposed to be.
I had a fellow feeling, as I told you. I did not make your acquaintance
to win your money--I can win as much as I wish from the scoundrels who
keep the tables, or fro