Well then, do it, will you?' said the landlord.

Mr List's squint assumed a portentous character, which seemed to

threaten a prolongation of this controversy, when his companion, who

had been looking sharply at the old man, put a timely stop to it.

'Who knows,' said he, with a cunning look, 'but the gentleman may

have civilly meant to ask if he might have the honour to take a hand

with us!'

I did mean it,' cried the old man. 'That is what I mean. That is what I

want now!'

'I thought so,' returned the same man. 'Then who knows but the

gentleman, anticipating our objection to play for love, civilly desired to

play for money?'

The old man replied by shaking the little purse in his eager hand, and

then throwing it down upon the table, and gathering up the cards as a

miser would clutch at gold.

'Oh! That indeed,' said Isaac; 'if that's what the gentleman meant, I

beg the gentleman's pardon. Is this the gentleman's little purse? A

very pretty little purse. Rather a light purse,' added Isaac, throwing it

into the air and catching it dexterously, 'but enough to amuse a

gentleman for half an hour or so.'

'We'll make a four-handed game of it, and take in Groves,' said the

stout man. 'Come, Jemmy.'

The landlord, who conducted himself like one who was well used to

such little parties, approached the table and took his seat. The child,

in a perfect agony, drew her grandfather aside, and implored him,

even then, to come away.

'Come; and we may be so happy,' said the child.

We WILL be happy,' replied the old man hastily. 'Let me go, Nell. The

means of happiness are on the cards and the dice. We must rise from

little winnings to great. There's little to be won here; but great will

come in time. I shall but win back my own, and it's all for thee, my

darling.'

God help us!' cried the child. 'Oh! what hard fortune brought us

here?'

The Old Curiosity Shop