Each played with his memorandums and pencil at his side. Nothing
fatal had yet happened. The duke owed Lord Dice about L5000, and
Temple Grace owed him as many hundreds. Lord Castlefort also was
his debtor to the tune of 750, and the baron was in his books,
but slightly.
'Every half-hour they had a new pack of cards, and threw the used
ones on the floor. All this time Tom Cogit did nothing but snuff
the candles, stir the fire, bring them a new pack, and
occasionally made a tumbler for them.
'At eight o'clock the duke's situation was worsened. The run was
greatly against him, and perhaps his losses were doubled. He
pulled up again the next hour or two; but, nevertheless, at ten
o'clock owed every one something. No one offered to give over;
and every one, perhaps, felt that his object was not obtained.
They made their toilets, and went down-stairs to breakfast. In
the mean time the shutters were opened, the room aired; and in
less than an hour they were at it again.
'They played till dinner-time without intermission; and though
the duke made some desperate efforts, and some successful ones,
his losses were, nevertheless, trebled. Yet he ate an excellent
dinner, and was not at all depressed; because the more he lost
the more his courage and his resources seemed to expand.
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