第95章

In return for this complimentary address, a very gruff hoarse voice bade Mr Groves 'hold his noise and light a candle.' And the same voice remarked that the same gentleman 'needn't waste his breath in brag, for most people knew pretty well what sort of stuff he was made of.'

'Nell, they're--they're playing cards,' whispered the old man, suddenly interested.'Don't you hear them?'

'Look sharp with that candle,' said the voice; 'it's as much as Ican do to see the pips on the cards as it is; and get this shutter closed as quick as you can, will you? Your beer will be the worse for to-night's thunder I expect.--Game! Seven-and-sixpence to me, old Isaac.Hand over.'

'Do you hear, Nell, do you hear them?' whispered the old man again, with increased earnestness, as the money chinked upon the table.

'I haven't seen such a storm as this,' said a sharp cracked voice of most disagreeable quality, when a tremendous peal of thunder had died away, 'since the night when old Luke Withers won thirteen times running on the red.We all said he had the Devil's luck and his own, and as it was the kind of night for the Devil to be out and busy, I suppose he was looking over his shoulder, if anybody could have seen him.'

'Ah!' returned the gruff voice; 'for all old Luke's winning through thick and thin of late years, I remember the time when he was the unluckiest and unfortunatest of men.He never took a dice-box in his hand, or held a card, but he was plucked, pigeoned, and cleaned out completely.'

'Do you hear what he says?' whispered the old man.'Do you hear that, Nell?'

The child saw with astonishment and alarm that his whole appearance had undergone a complete change.His face was flushed and eager, his eyes were strained, his teeth set, his breath came short and thick, and the hand he laid upon her arm trembled so violently that she shook beneath its grasp.

'Bear witness,' he muttered, looking upward, 'that I always said it; that I knew it, dreamed of it, felt it was the truth, and that it must be so! What money have we, Nell? Come! I saw you with money yesterday.What money have we? Give it to me.'

'No, no, let me keep it, grandfather,' said the frightened child.

'Let us go away from here.Do not mind the rain.Pray let us go.'

'Give it to me, I say,' returned the old man fiercely.'Hush, hush, don't cry, Nell.If I spoke sharply, dear, I didn't mean it.

It's for thy good.I have wronged thee, Nell, but I will right thee yet, I will indeed.Where is the money?'

'Do not take it,' said the child.'Pray do not take it, dear.For both our sakes let me keep it, or let me throw it away--better let me throw it away, than you take it now.Let us go; do let us go.'

'Give me the money,' returned the old man, 'I must have it.There--there--that's my dear Nell.I'll right thee one day, child, I'll right thee, never fear!'

She took from her pocket a little purse.He seized it with the same rapid impatience which had characterised his speech, and hastily made his way to the other side of the screen.It was impossible to restrain him, and the trembling child followed close behind.

The landlord had placed a light upon the table, and was engaged in drawing the curtain of the window.The speakers whom they had heard were two men, who had a pack of cards and some silver money between them, while upon the screen itself the games they had played were scored in chalk.The man with the rough voice was a burly fellow of middle age, with large black whiskers, broad cheeks, a coarse wide mouth, and bull neck, which was pretty freely displayed as his shirt collar was only confined by a loose red neckerchief.He wore his hat, which was of a brownish-white, and had beside him a thick knotted stick.The other man, whom his companion had called Isaac, was of a more slender figure--stooping, and high in the shoulders--with a very ill-favoured face, and a most sinister and villainous squint.

'Now old gentleman,' said Isaac, looking round.'Do you know either of us? This side of the screen is private, sir.'

'No offence, I hope,' returned the old man.

'But by G--, sir, there is offence,' said the other, interrupting him, 'when you intrude yourself upon a couple of gentlemen who are particularly engaged.'

'I had no intention to offend,' said the old man, looking anxiously at the cards.'I thought that--'

'But you had no right to think, sir,' retorted the other.'What the devil has a man at your time of life to do with thinking?'

'Now bully boy,' said the stout man, raising his eyes from his cards for the first time, 'can't you let him speak?'