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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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923 my life, upon my word I never did; if any gentleman had been backing the black in the last five minutes he must have won five- and-forty pound in four rolls of the ball, he must indeed. Gentlemen, we’ve port, sherry, cigars, and most excellent champagne. Here, wai-ter, bring a bottle of champagne, and let’s have a dozen or fifteen cigars here--and let’s be comfortable, gentlemen--and bring some clean glasses--any time while the ball rolls!--I lost one hundred and thirty-seven pound yesterday, gentlemen, at one roll of the ball, I did indeed!--how do you do, sir?’ (recognising some knowing gentleman without any halt or change of voice, and giving a wink so slight that it seems an accident), ‘will you take a glass of sherry, sir?--here, wai-ter! bring a clean glass, and hand the sherry to this gentleman--and hand it round, will you, waiter?--this is the rooge-a-nore from Paris, gentlemen--any time while the ball rolls!--gentlemen, make your game, and back your own opinions--it’s the rooge-a-nore from Paris--quite a new game, I brought it over myself, I did indeed-- gentlemen, the ball’s a-rolling!’ This officer was busily plying his vocation when half-a-dozen persons sauntered through the booth, to whom, but without stopping either in his speech or work, he bowed respectfully; at the same time directing, by a look, the attention of a man beside him to the tallest figure in the group, in recognition of whom the proprietor pulled off his hat. This was Sir Mulberry Hawk, with whom were his friend and pupil, and a small train of gentlemanly- dressed men, of characters more doubtful than obscure. The proprietor, in a low voice, bade Sir Mulberry good-day. Sir Mulberry, in the same tone, bade the proprietor go to the devil, and turned to speak with his friends. |
