Part 58 (2/2)

”Take my purse,” whispered O'Kelly, endeavoring to slip it into my hand as he spoke.

I accepted the invitation; and, without taking any notice of O'Kelly's offer, took my place at the table.

”We play low stakes, too low, perhaps, for you,” said his Royal Highness,--”mere guinea points; but there's Canthorpe, and Sedley, and two or three more, will indulge you in any wager you fancy.”

”Fifty on the rubber, if you like, sir,” said Colonel Canthorpe, a tall, soldier-like man, who stood with his back to the fire.

”If my friend O'Kelly will be my banker for to-night, I shall take your offer.”

Without the slightest hesitation, O'Kelly replied, ”To be sure, my boy!”

and the game began.

My mastery at the game was soon apparent; and the Prince complimented me by saying,--

”I wish we could discover in what you are deficient; for up to this we have certainly not hit upon it.”

It needed not all this flattery to make me feel almost mad with excitement. I remember little of that scene; but still there is one trait of it fast graven on my memory, to hold its place there forever.

It was this: that while I betted largely, and lost freely considerable sums, O'Kelly, who had become the security for my debts, never winced for a moment, nor showed the slightest mark of discomfiture or uneasiness. My demand, in the first instance, was suggested by the not over generous motive of making him pay the penalty he had incurred by having invited me. He has called me his friend before the world, thought I, and if he means this for a cruel jest, it shall at least cost him dearly. In a sort of savage ferocity, I fed myself with thinking of the tortures with which I should afflict him, in return for all the agony and suffering I had myself gone through. He also shall know what it is to act a lie, said I to myself; and with this hateful resolve I sat down to play. His ready acceptance of my proposition, his gentleman-like ease and calm, his actual indifference as I lost, and lost heavily, soon staggered all my reasonings, and routed all my theory. And when at last the Prince, complimenting me on my skill, deplored the ill-luck that more than balanced it, O'Kelly said, gayly,--

”Depend on 't, you'll have better fortune after supper. Come and have a gla.s.s of champagne.”

I was now impatient until we were again at the card-table.

All my former intentions were reversed, and I would have given my right hand to have been able to repay my debt to him ere I said ”Good night.”

Perhaps he read what was pa.s.sing within me; I almost suspect that he construed aright the restless anxiety that now beset me; for he whispered, as we went back to the drawing-room,--

”You are evidently out of luck. Wait for your revenge on another evening.”

”Now or never,” said I. And so was it in reality. I had secretly determined within myself to try and win back O'Kelly's losses, and if I failed, at once to stand forward and declare myself in my real character. No false shame, no real dread of the ignominy to which I should expose myself should prevent me; and with an oath to my own heart I ratified this compact.

Again we took our places; the stakes were now doubled; and all the excitement of mind was added to the gambler's infatuation. Colonel Canthorpe, who had been for some minutes occupied with his note-book, at last tore out the leaf he had been writing on, and handed it to me, saying,--

”Is that correct?”

The figures were six hundred and fifty,--the amount of my loss.

I simply nodded an a.s.sent, and said,--

”We go on, I suppose?”

”We 'll double, if you prefer it,” said he.

”What says my banker?” said I.

”He says, 'Credit unlimited,'” cried O'Kelly, gayly.

”Egad! I wish mine would say as much,” said the Prince, laughing, as he cut the cards for me to deal.

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