Beckerleg. "You have a
dice-box and dice in the house?"
"No, sir. His worship the Mayor--"
"My good fellow, the regulations against play in this town are well
known to me; also that the Crowns is an orderly house. Let me
suggest, then, that you have several gentlemen of the army lodging
under this roof; that one of these, if politely asked, might own that
he had come across such a thing as a dice-box during his sojourn in
the Low Countries. It may even be that in the sack of some
unpronounceable town or other he has acquired a specimen, and is
bringing it home in his valise to exhibit it to his family. Be so
good as to inform him that three gentlemen, in Room No. 6, who are
about to write a tractate on the amusements of the Dutch--"
"By your leave, sir, I don't know how it may be on campaign; but in
this house we never awaken a soldier for any reason which he cannot
grasp at once."
"In that case let him have his sleep out before you vex him with our
apologies. But meanwhile bring the dice."
The fellow went out, whispered to the chamber-maid, and returned in
less than five minutes with a pair of dice and a leathern box much
worn with use.
"They belong," he whispered, "to a young gentleman of the Admiral's
regiment, who was losing heavily last night.
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