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pocket. To say the truth, I doubted not from his many strongexpressions of friendship, but that he would offer to lend me a smallsum for that purpose, but he answered, `Never mind that, man; e'enboldly run a levant' [Partridge was going to inquire the meaning ofthat word, but Jones stopped his mouth]: `but be circumspect as to theman. I will tip you the proper person, which may be necessary, as youdo not know the town, nor can distinguish a rum cull from a queerone.""The bill was now brought, when Watson paid his share, and wasdeparting. I reminded him, not without blushing, of my having nomoney. He answered, `That signifies nothing; score it behind the door,or make a bold brush and take no notice.--Or--stay,' says he; `I willgo down-stairs first, and then do you take up my money, and score thewhole reckoning at the bar, and I will wait for you at the corner.' Iexpressed some dislike at this, and hinted my expectations that hewould have deposited the whole; but he swore he had not anothersixpence in his pocket."He then went down, and I was prevailed on to take up the money andfollow him, which I did close enough to hear him tell the drawer thereckoning was upon the table. The drawer past by me up-stairs; but Imade such haste into the street, that I heard nothing of hisdisappointment, nor did I mention a syllable at the bar, according tomy instructions."We now went directly to the gaming-table, where Mr Watson, to mysurprize, pulled out a large sum of money and placed it before him, asdid many others; all of them, no doubt, considering their own heaps asso many decoy birds, which were to intice and draw over the heaps oftheir neighbours."Here it would be tedious to relate all the freaks which Fortune, orrather the dice, played in this her temple. Mountains of gold were ina few moments reduced to nothing at one part of the table, and rose assuddenly in another. The rich grew in a moment poor, and the poor assuddenly became rich; so that it seemed a philosopher could nowherehave so well instructed his pupils in the contempt of riches, at leasthe could nowhere have better inculcated the incertainty of theirduration."For my own part, after having considerably improved my small estate,I at last entirely demolished it. Mr Watson too, after much variety ofluck, rose from the table in some heat, and declared he had lost acool hundred, and would play no longer. Then coming up to me, he askedme to return with him to the tavern; but I positively refused, saying,I would not bring myself a second time into such a dilemma, andespecially as he had lost all his money and was now in my owncondition. `Pooh!' says he, `I have just borrowed a couple of guineasof a friend, and one of them is at your service.' He immediately putone of them into my hand, and I no longer resisted his inclination."I was at first a little shocked at returning to the same house whencewe had departed in so unhandsome a manner; but when the drawer, withvery civil address, told us, `he believed we had forgot to pay ourreckoning,' I became perfectly easy, and very readily gave him aguinea, bid him pay himself, and acquiesced in the unjust charge whichhad been laid on my memory."Mr Watson now bespoke the most extravagant supper he could well think

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