"
"No man dare say so!" replied Nigel, very angrily. "I play with whom I
please, but I will only play for what stake I please."
"That is just what they say, my lord," said the unmerciful Richie,
whose natural love of lecturing, as well as his bluntness of feeling,
prevented him from having any idea of the pain which he was inflicting
on his master; "these are even their own very words. It was but
yesterday your lordship was pleased, at that same ordinary, to win
from yonder young hafflins gentleman, with the crimson velvet doublet,
and the cock's feather in his beaver--him, I mean, who fought with the
ranting captain--a matter of five pounds, or thereby. I saw him come
through the hall; and, if he was not cleaned out of cross and pile, I
never saw a ruined man in my life."
"Impossible!" said Lord Glenvarloch--"Why, who is he? he looked like a
man of substance."
"All is not gold that glistens, my lord," replied Richie; "'broidery
and bullion buttons make bare pouches. And if you ask who he is--maybe
I have a guess, and care not to tell."
"At least, if I have done any such fellow an injury," said the Lord
Nigel, "let me know how I can repair it."
"Never fash your beard about that, my lord,--with reverence always,"
said Richie,--"he shall be suitably cared after. Think on him but as
ane wha was running post to the devil, and got a shouldering from your
lordship to help him on his journey.
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