hist with the skill of a veteran vicar. By
his science in that game he made, at first, enough; at least, to defray
their weekly expenses. But, by degrees, the good people at Tours,
who, under pretence of health, were there for economy, grew shy of so
excellent a player; and though Gawtrey always swore solemnly that he
played with the most scrupulous honour (an asseveration which Morton,
at least, implicitly believed), and no proof to the contrary was ever
detected, yet a first-rate card-player is always a suspicious character,
unless the losing parties know exactly who he is. The market fell off,
and Gawtrey at length thought it prudent to extend their travels.

"Ah!" said Mr. Gawtrey, "the world nowadays has grown so ostentatious
that one cannot travel advantageously without a post-chariot and four
horses." At length they found themselves at Milan, which at that time
was one of the El Dorados for gamesters. Here, however, for want of
introductions, Mr. Gawtrey found it difficult to get into society.
The nobles, proud and rich, played high, but were circumspect in their
company; the bourgeoisie, industrious and energetic, preserved much
of the old Lombard shrewdness; there were no tables d'hote and public
reunions. Gawtrey saw his little capital daily diminishing, with the
Alps at the rear and Poverty in the van. At length, always on the qui
vive, he contrived to make acquaintance with a Scotch family of great
respectability. He effected this by picking up a snuff-box which the
Scotchman had dropped in taking out his handkerchief. This politeness
paved the way to a conversation in which Gawtrey made himself so
agreeable, and talked with such zest of the Modern Athens, and the
tricks practised upon travellers, that he was presented to Mrs.
Macgregor; cards were interchanged, and, as Mr. Gawtrey lived in
tolerable style, the Macgregors pronounced him "a vara genteel mon."
Once in the house of a respectable person, Gawtrey contrived to turn
himself round and round, till he burrowed a hole into the English circle
then settled in Milan. His whist-playing came into requisition, and once
more Fortune smiled upon Skill.

To this house the pupil one evening accompanied the tutor. When the
whist party, consisting of two tables, was formed, the young man found
himself left out with an old gentleman, who seemed loquacious and
good-natured, and who put many questions to Morton, which he found
it difficult to answer. One of the whis