Paul's; the morning was
misty, and the parson drowsy, and the whole audience consisted of
themselves and a blind woman, and so they escaped detection."
"For all this, Malcolm," said the young lord, gravely, "I cannot dine
with you to-day, at this same ordinary."
"And wherefore, in the name of heaven, should you draw back from your
word?" said Lord Dalgarno.
"I do not retract my word, Malcolm; but I am bound, by an early
promise to my father, never to enter the doors of a gaming-house."
"I tell you this is none," said Lord Dalgarno; "it is but, in plain
terms, an eating-house, arranged on civiller terms, and frequented by
better company, than others in this town; and if some of them do amuse
themselves with cards and hazard, they are men of honour, and who play
as such, and for no more than they can well afford to lose. It was
not, and could not be, such houses that your father desired you to
avoid. Besides, he might as well have made you swear you would never
take accommodation of an inn, tavern, eating-house, or place of public
reception of any kind; for there is no such place of public resort but
where your eyes may be contaminated by the sight of a pack of pieces
of painted pasteboard, and your ears profaned by the rattle of those
little spotted cubes of ivory. The difference is, that where we go, we
may happen to see persons of quality amusing themselves with a game;
and in the ordinary houses you will meet bullies and sharpers, who
will strive either to cheat or to swagger you out of your money.
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