Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 5, 2025
I would prefer not to begin." "Meseems ... hic ... de Chavasse, that this ... this young friend of yours is a hic ... damned Puritan ..." came in ever thickening accents from Lord Walterton.
"Out with you fellow, we've no time to waste in bandying words with ye ..." said Walterton, with the tone of one accustomed to see the churl ever cringe before the lord, "and let one of thy myrmidons touch a thing in this room if he dare!" The young cavalier was standing somewhat in advance of his friends, having stepped forward in order to emphasize the peremptoriness of his words.
"It is sure to break the bank in time," he said confidently, "I am for going to Paris where play runs high, and need not be carried on in this hole and corner fashion to suit cursed Puritanical ideas." "Tell me your secret, Walterton," urged worthy Sir Michael, whose broad Shropshire acres were heavily mortgaged, after the rapine and pillage of civil war. "Well!
"Nay! nay! my dear Segrave," replied Lord Walterton, shaking himself like a sleepy dog, "the game hath ceased to have any pleasure for me, as our young friend here hath remarked.... I wish you good luck ... and good-night." Whereupon he turned on his heel and straddled away to another corner of the room, away from the temptation of that green-covered table.
"I will gladly take the bank," said Segrave eagerly. "Pardi! I care not who hath the bank," quoth Lord Walterton, with the slow emphasis of the inebriated. "My system takes time to work.... And I stand to lose a good deal unless ... hic ... unless I win!" "You are not where you were, when you began," commented Sir Michael grimly. "By Gad, no! ... hic ... but 'tis no matter.... Give me time!"
Their bow, too, was slight, though they tossed their curls as they bent their heads in the most approved French fashion. But there was a distinct note of insolence, not altogether unmixed with irony, in the freedom with which they had greeted her. "I met de Chavasse in town to-day," said Lord Walterton, over his shoulder before he mixed with the crowd.
"To-night?" said Mistress de Chavasse curtly, but peremptorily, "what of to-night? ... I sent you orders from Thanet that I wished the house opened to-night ... Lord Walterton, Sir James Overbury and as many of our usual friends as were in the town, apprised that play would be in full progress.... Meseems," she added, casting a searching look all round the room, "that we have singularly few players."
"Before this round begins," said Sir James Overbury who was standing close behind Lord Walterton, also watching the game, "I will bet you, Walterton, that Segrave wins again." "Done with you," replied the other, "and I'll back mine own opinion by taking a hand." The florid woman brought him a chair, and he sat down at the table, as Endicott once more began to deal.
"The game doth not appear to be vastly complicated," assented Lambert lightly. "I have played primero on a system for years ..." quoth Lord Walterton sententiously, "but to-night ... hic ... by Gad! ... I cannot make the system work right ... hic!" But already Segrave was dealing again. Lambert staked more coolly now.
A simple means, forsooth, of getting rid of any superfluity of cash. "Art winning, Endicott?" queried Lord Walterton as, he stood over the other man, looking down on the game. Endicott shrugged his fat shoulders, and gave an enigmatic chuckle. "I pay King and Ace only," he called out imperturbably, as he turned up a Queen.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking