said, "I have sunk low enough, God
knows; I have done with it and with this
place, and if I could only get away home
at once, this moment—oh that I had never
come!"

He looked at me gravely, then gently
took my arm and led me out. "Now my
good friend," he said, "forgive me if I
speak freely to you. You make too much
of this. What is it after all? A few
napoleons! Did you never drop money in the
street, or have your purse taken out of your
pocket? We get over that soon enough.
'It can't be helped,' 'must be endured,' and
all that. But a few pieces lost here seems
a calamity, like a house burnt down, or a
murder. Now you are so sensible and
rational and all that, I am sure you will look
at it in this way—"

"It is not that," I say, "but—"

"Well, I am glad of it. What is it then—
bad news from home? What she? Dora ill?"

Dora! A curious light, and more curious
expectancy was in his eyes. I could pass
over his speaking of her as "Dora," for I
knew he was not conscious of what he was
saying. And, indeed, we might have some
indulgence. I told him what was the real
state of the case. He has a fair heart,
and he showed sympathy.

"Well, you have had your share of
trials," he said, "but as for this little loss at
the tables, you must see how little it enters
into the matter. How would you bear with
me if I gave you a piece of advice? I
know those tables well—they take freaks at
times, and then they destroy us all. But in
the average state of things, something is to
be done with them. You fail once, but you
can try again."

"Never," I said. "Never, indeed!"

"Well, you are foolish, I tell you. You
have lost so much—take these three naps;
if you lose them, it will add very little to
your other loss; while these very three might
actually win you back your own money.
Ay, not only that, but ten times as much."

"Ah, if I had only my own back I
should be happy, and ask nothing else."

"Why there are numbers of instances.
There was that Jenkinson, that went in
with a florin, which I declare solemnly
within a quarter of an hour had mounted
to a thousand francs. Why there was Lord
A., whose one napoleon I saw, myself,
grow into ten fat rouleaux as large as
sausages. It is not all ill-luck recollect.
Some one told me what Whately the
arch-bishop said about 'a rashly cautious man.'
There is often as much folly in over caution
as in recklessness. Here, then—you
are so proud, you will be under no
compliment—give me one louis, and I'll go in
and play for you. I feel a conviction I
can do something."

But he could not persuade me, and I
walked away on a miserable stroll up into
the woods. As he said so justly, what was
the loss of a few gold pieces compared with
the heavier trials at home? Dora sick,
worried, wearing nearly out, fighting a
miserable battle. But still—O the shame
and degradation of the thought—that
wretched loss of gold would come up, and,
I am convinced, is the real oppression on
my mind at this moment. Could there be a
better proof of the corruption and
demoralisation of that vile temple of Satan?

These words of Grainger's are not so foolish
after all. As he says, it cannot always
go one way; and this did not occur to
his mind, that it would amount to quite a
suspension of the laws of chance, if there
was to be ill-luck always against the
players, or even against the player himself
on different days. As the ball cannot drop
into say number twenty-six, ten times running,
or even three times, so a player
cannot always be failing. He loses now,
but may win next time. This is a sound
analysis, though a little too refined for
Grainger's intellect. Still his reasoning
was just about risking one piece more or
two. It makes the loss very little more,
but might abolish the loss itself altogether.
Oh, my poor sweet little pieces, if I had
them back what a relief, what joy, what a
new life, even as an earnest of hope of
better things coming. There is the table
d'hôte bell. But I have no heart to dine.

MR. CHARLES DICKENS'S FAREWELL
READINGS.

MR. CHARLES DICKENS will read at Nottingham,
Thursday, February 4; Leicester, Friday,
February 5; St. James's Hall, London, February 16;
Glasgow, February 18; Edinburgh, February 19; Glasgow,
February 22; Edinburgh, February 24; Glasgow,
February 25; Edinburgh, February 26; St. James's Hall,
London, March 2; Wolverhampton, March 4;
Manchester, March 6 and 8; Hull, March, 10; York,
March 11; Hull, March 12.
All communications to be addressed to MESSRS.
CHAPPELL AND Co.. 50, New Bond-street, London, W.