The cards being my own, I had put some delicate
little marks on the trump cards, just at the edges, so that when I dealt,
by means of a little sleight of hand, I could deal myself any trump card
I pleased. But I wished, as I said before, to have no dealings for money
with his reverence, knowing that he was master in the house, and that he
could lead me a dog of a life if I offended him, either by winning his
money, or not letting him win mine. So I told him I had no money to play
with, but the ould thief knew better; he knew that I was every day
winning money from the scholars, and the sub-rector, and the other people
of the house, and the ould thief had determined to let me go on in that
way winning money, and then by means of his tricks, which he thought I
dare not resent, to win from me all my earnings,--in a word, Shorsha, to
let me fill myself like a sponge, and then squeeze me for his own
advantage. So he made me play with him, and in less than three days came
on the quarrel; his reverence chated me, and I chated his reverence; the
ould thaif knew every trick that I knew, and one or two more; but in
daling out the cards I nicked his reverence; scarcely a trump did I ever
give him, Shorsha, and won his money purty freely. Och, it was a purty
quarrel! All the delicate names in the "Newgate Calendar," if ye ever
heard of such a book; all the hang-dog names in the Newgate histories,
and the lives of Irish rogues, did we call each other--his reverence and
I! Suddenly, however, putting out his hand, he seized the cards, saying,
"I will examine these cards, ye cheating scoundrel! for I believe there
are dirty marks on them, which ye have made in order to know the winning
cards." "Give me back my pack," said I, "or m'anam on Dioul if I be not
the death of ye!" His reverence, however, clapped the cards into his
pocket, and made the best of his way to the door, I hanging upon him. He
was a gross fat man, but, like most fat men, deadly strong, so he forced
his way to the door, and opening it, flung himself out, with me still
holding on him like a terrier dog on a big fat pig; then he shouts for
help, and in a little time I was secured and thrust into a lock-up room,
where I was left to myself. Here was a purty alteration. Yesterday I
was the idol of the religious house, thought more on than his reverence,
every one paying me court and wurtship, and wanting to play cards with
me, and to learn my tricks, and fed, mor