class。”
  “Did　you　ever　know　anybody　who　was　born　to　it　besides　myself？”
  “O　yes。　　I　once　heard　of　an　Italian；　who　sat　down　at　a　gaming　table　with　only　a　louis；　（that’s　a　foreign　sovereign）；　in　his　pocket。　　He　played　on　for　twenty…four　hours；　and　won　ten　thousand　pounds；　stripping　the　bank　he　had　played　against。　　Then　there　was　another　man　who　had　lost　a　thousand　pounds；　and　went　to　the　broker’s　next　day　to　sell　stock；　that　he　might　pay　the　debt。　　The　man　to　whom　he　owed　the　money　went　with　him　in　a　hackney…coach；　and　to　pass　the　time　they　tossed　who　should　pay　the　fare。　　The　ruined　man　won；　and　the　other　was　tempted　to　continue　the　game；　and　they　played　all　the　way。　　When　the　coachman　stopped　he　was　told　to　drive　home　again：　the　whole　thousand　pounds　had　been　won　back　by　the　man　who　was　going　to　sell。”
  “Ha—ha—splendid！”　exclaimed　Christian。　　“Go　on—go　on！”
  “Then　there　was　a　man　of　London；　who　was　only　a　waiter　at　White’s　clubhouse。　　He　began　playing　first　half…crown　stakes；　and　then　higher　and　higher；　till　he　became　very　rich；　got　an　appointment　in　India；　and　rose　to　be　Governor　of　Madras。　　His　daughter　married　a　member　of　Parliament；　and　the　Bishop　of　Carlisle　stood　godfather　to　one　of　the　children。”
  “Wonderfull　wonderfull”
  “And　once　there　was　a　young　man　in　America　who　gambled　till　he　had　lost　his　last　dollar。　　He　staked　his　watch　and　chain；　and　lost　as　before；　staked　his　umbrella；　lost　again；　staked　his　hat；　lost　again；　staked　his　coat　and　stood　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　lost　again。　　Began　taking　off　his　breeches；　and　then　a　looker…on　gave　him　a　trifle　for　his　pluck。　　With　this　he　won。　　Won　back　his　coat；　won　back　his　hat；　won　back　his　umbrella；　his　watch；　his　money；　and　went　out　of　the　door　a　rich　man。”
  “Oh；　‘tis　too　good—it　takes　away　my　breath！　Mr。　Wildeve；　I　think　I　will　try　another　shilling　with　you；　as　I　am　one　of　that　sort；　no　danger　can　e　o’t；　and　you　can　afford　to　lose。”
  “Very　well；”　said　Wildeve；　rising。　　Searching　about　with　the　lantern；　he　found　a　large　flat　stone；　which　he　placed　between　himself　and　Christian；　and　sat　down　again。　　The　lantern　was　opened　to　give　more　light；　and　it’s　rays　directed　upon　the　stone。　　Christian　put　down　a　shilling；　Wildeve　another；　and　each　threw。　　Christian　won。　　They　played　for　two；　Christian　won　again。
  “Let　us　try　four；”　said　Wildeve。　　They　played　for　four。
  This　time　the　stakes　were　won　by　Wildeve。
  “Ah；　those　little　accidents　will；　of　course；　sometimes　happen；　to　the　luckiest　man；”　he　observed。
  “And　now　I　have　no　more　money！”　explained　Christian　excitedly。　　“And　yet；　if　I　could　go　on；　I　should　get　it　back　again；　and　more。　　I　wish　this　was　mine。”　　He　struck　his　boot　upon　the　ground；　so　that　the　guineas　chinked　within。
  “What！　you　have　not　put　Mrs。　Wildeve’s　money　there？”
  “Yes。　‘Tis　for　safety。　　Is　it　any　harm　to　raffle　with　a　married　lady’s　money　when；　if　I　win；　I　shall　only　keep　my　winnings；　and　give　her　her　own　all　the　same；　and　if　t’other　man　wins；　her　money　will　go　to　the　lawful　owner？”
  “None　at　all。”
  Wildeve　had　been　brooding　ever　since　they　started　on　the　mean　estimation　in　which　he　was　held　by　his　wife’s　friends；　and　it　cut　his　heart　severely。　　As　the　minutes　passed　he　had　gradually　drifted　into　a　revengeful　intention　without　knowing　the　precise　moment　of　forming　it。　　This　was　to　teach　Mrs。　Yeobright　a　lesson；　as　he　considered　it　to　be；　in　other　words；　to　show　her　if　he　could　that　her　niece’s　husband　was　the　proper　guardian　of　her　niece’s　money。
  “Well；　here　goes！”　said　Christian；　beginning　to　unlace　one　boot。　　“I　shall　dream　of　it　nights　and　nights；　I　suppose；　but　I　shall　always　swear　my　flesh　don’t　crawl　when　I　think　o’t！”
  He　thrust　his　hand　into　the　boot　and　withdrew　one　of　poor　Thomasin’s　precious　guineas；　piping　hot。　　Wildeve　had　already　placed　a　sovereign　on　the　stone。　　The　game　was　then　resumed。　　Wildeve　won　first；　and　Christian　ventured　another；　winning　himself　this　time。　　The　game　fluctuated；　but　the　average　was　in　Wildeve’s　favour。　　Both　men　became　so　absorbed　in　the　game　that　they　took　no　heed　of　anything　but　the　pigmy　objects　immediately　beneath　their　eyes；　the　flat　stone；　the　open　lantern；　the　dice；　and　the　few　illuminated　fern…leaves　which　lay　under　the　light；　were　the　whole　world　to　them。
  At　length　Christian　lost　rapidly；　and　presently；　to　his　horror；　the　whole　fifty　guineas　belonging　to　Thomasin　had　been　handed　over　to　his　adversary。
  “I　don’t　care—I　don’t　care！”　he　moaned；　and　desperately　set　about　untying　his　left　boot　to　get　at　the　other　fifty。　　“The　devil　will　toss　me　into　the　flames　on　his　three…pronged　fork　for　this　night’s　work；　I　know！　But　perhaps　I　shall　win　yet；　and　then　I’ll　get　a　wife　to　sit　up　with　me　o’　nights　and　I　won’t　be　afeard；　I　won’t！　Here’s　another　for’ee；　my　man！”　He　slapped　another　guinea　down　upon　the　stone；　and　the　dice…box　was　rattled　again。
  Time　passed　on。　　Wildeve　began　to　be　as　excited　as　Christian　himself。　　When　mencing　the　game　his　intention　had　been　nothing　further　than　a　bitter　practical　joke　on　Mrs。　Yeobright。　　To　win　the　money；　fairly　or　otherwise；　and　to　hand　it　contemptuously　to　Thomasin　in　her　aunt’s　presence；　had　been　the　dim　outline　of　his　purpose。　　But　men　are　drawn　from　their　intentions　even　in　the　course　of　carrying　them　out；　and　it　was　extremely　doubtful；　by　the　time　the　twentieth　guinea　had　been　reached；　whether　Wildeve　was　conscious　of　any　other　intention　than　that　of　winning　for　his　own　personal　benefit。　　Moreover；　he　was　now　no　longer　gambling　for　his　wife’s　money；　but　for　Yeobright’s；　though　of　this　fact　Christian；　in　his　apprehensiveness；　did　not　inform　him　till　afterwards。
  It　was　nearly　eleven　o’clock；　when；　with　almost　a　shriek；　Christian　placed　Yeobright’s　last　gleaming　guinea　upon　the　stone。　　In　thirty　seconds　it　had　gone　the　way　of　its　panions。
  Christian　turned　and　flung　himself　on　the　ferns　in　a　convulsion　of　remorse；　“O；　what　shall　I　do　with　my　wretched　self？”　he　groaned。　　“What　shall　I　do？　　Will　any　good　Heaven　hae　mercy　upon　my　wicked　soul？”
  “Do？　　Live　on　just　the　same。”
  “I　won’t　live　on　just　the　same！　I’ll　die！　I　say　you
  are　a—a“
  “A　man　sharper　than　my　neighbour。”
  “Yes；　a　man　sharper　than　my　neighbour；　a　regular　sharper！”
  “Poor　chips…in…porridge；　you　are　very　unmannerly。”
  “I　don’t　know　about　that！　And　I　say　you　be　unmannerly！　　You’ve　got　money　that　isn’t　your　own。　　Half　the　guineas　are　poor　Mr。　Clym’s。”
  “How’s　that？”
  “Because　I　had　to　gie　fifty　of　‘em　to　him。　　Mrs。　Yeobright　said　so。”
  “Oh？。。。Well；　‘twould　have　been　more　graceful　of　her　to　have　given　them　to　his　wife　Eustacia。　　But　they　are　in　my　hands　now。”
  Christian　pulled　on　his　boots；　and　with　heavy　breathings；　which　could　be　heard　to　some　distance；　dragged　his　limbs　together；　arose；　and　tottered　away　out　of　sight。　　Wildeve　set　about　shutting　the　lantern　to　return　to　the　house；　for　he　deemed　it　too　late　to　go　to　Mistover　to　meet　his　wife；　who　was　to　be　driven　home　in　the　captain’s　four…wheel。　　While　he　was　closing　the　little　horn　door　a　figure　rose　from　behind　a　neighbouring　bush　and　came　forward　into　the　lantern　light。　　It　was　the　reddleman　approaching。
  8　… A　New　Force　Disturbs　the　Current
  Wildeve　stared。　　Venn　looked　coolly　towards　Wildeve；　and；　without　a　word　being　spoken；　he　deliberately　sat　himself　down　where　Christian　had　been　seated；　thrust　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　drew　out　a　sovereign；　and　laid　it　on　the　stone。
  “You　have　been　watching　us　from　behind　that　bush？”　said　Wildeve。
  The　reddleman　nodded。　　“Down　with　your　stake；”　he　said。
  “Or　haven’t　you　pluck　enough　to　go　on？”
  Now；　gambling　is　a　species　of　amusement　which　is　much　more　easily　begun　with　full　pockets　than　left　off　with　the　same；　and　though　Wildeve　in　a　cooler　temper　might　have　prudently　declined　this　invitation；　the　excitement　of　his　recent　success　carried　him　pletely　away。　　He　placed　one　of　the　guineas　on　a　slab　beside　the　reddleman’s　sovereign。　　“Mine　is　a　guinea；”　he　said。
  “A　guinea　that’s　not　your　own；”　said　Venn　sarcastically。
  “It　is　my　own；”　answered　Wildeve　haughtily。　　“It　is　my　wife’s；　and　what　is　hers　is　mine。”
  “Very　well；　let’s　make　a　beginning。”　　He　shook　the　box；　and　threw　eight；　ten；　and　nine；　the　three　casts　amounted　to　twenty…seven。
  This　encouraged　Wildeve。　　He　took　the　box；　and　his　three　casts　amounted　to　forty…five。
  Down　went　another　of　the　reddleman’s　sovereigns　against　his　first　one　which　Wildeve　laid。　　This　time　Wildeve　threw　fifty…one　points；　but　no　pair。　　The　reddleman　looked　grim；　threw　a　raffle　of　aces；　and　pocketed　the　stakes。
  “Here　you　are　again；”　said　Wildeve　contemptuously。　　“Double　the　stakes。”　　He　laid　two　of　Thomasin’s　guineas；　and　the　reddleman　his　two　pounds。　　Venn　won　again。　　New　stakes　were　laid　on　the　stone；　and　the　gamblers　proceeded　as　before。
  Wildeve　was　a　nervous　and　excitable　man；　and　the　game　was　beginning　to　tell　upon　his　temper。　　He　writhed；　fumed；　shifted　his　seat；　and　the　beating　of　his　heart　was　almost　audible。　　Venn　sat　with　lips　impassively　closed　and　eyes　reduced　to　a　pair　of　unimportant　twinkles；　he　scarcely　appeared　to　breathe。　　He　might　have　been　an　Arab；　or　an　automaton；　he　would　have　been　like　a　red　sandstone　statue　but　for　the　motion　of　his