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The Gaming Table-Vol. 1-Part38_Andrew Steinmetz(1816-1877)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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evening before, in company with Dick England; and at length, from

what the two gentlemen said, he had no doubt of the fact, and



thought it a fit opportunity to make a due acknowledgment of the

gentlemanly conduct of their friend, who had paid him a bet which



he had no remembrance of having made.

No mood could be better for the purpose of the meeting; so the



two gentlemen not only approved of the conduct of Dick, and

descanted on the propriety of paying drunken men what they won,



but also declared that no _GENTLEMAN_ would refuse to pay a

debt of honour won from him when drunk; and at once begged



leave to `remind' Mr D-- that he had lost to them 180 guineas!

In vain the astounded Mr D-- denied all knowledge of the



transaction; the gentlemen affected to be highly indignant, and

talked loudly of injured honour. Besides, had he not received 30



guineas from their friend? So he assented, and appointed the

next morning to settle the matter.



Fortunately for Mr D--, however, some intelligent friends of his

arrived in the mean time, and having heard his statement about



the whole affair, they `smelt a rat,' and determined to ferret it

out. They examined the waiter--previously handing him over five



guineas--and this man declared the truth that Mr D-- did not play

at all--in fact, that he was in such a condition that there could



not be any real play. Dick England was therefore `blown' on this

occasion. Mr D-- returned him his thirty guineas, and paid five



guineas for his share of the supper; and well he might,

considering that it very nearly cost him 150 guineas--that is,



having to receive 30 guineas and to pay 180 guineas to the

Greeks--profit and loss with a vengeance.



Being thus `blown' at Scarborough, Dick England and his

associates decamped on the following morning.



He next formed a connection with a lieutenant on half pay, nephew

to an Irish earl. With this lieutenant he went to Spa, and



realized something considerable; but not without suspicion--for a

few dice were missed.



Dick England returned to London, where he shortly disagreed with

the lieutenant. The latter joined the worthy before described,



Captain O'Kelly, who was also at enmity with Dick England; and

the latter took an opportunity of knocking their heads together



in a public coffee-room, and thrashing them both till they took

shelter under the tables. Dick had the strength of an ox, the



ferocity of a bull-dog, and `the cunning of the serpent,'

although what the latter is no naturalist has ever yet discovered



or explained.

The lieutenant determined on revenge for the thrashing. He had



joined his regiment, and he `peached' against his former friend,

disclosing to the officers the circumstance of the dice at Spa,



before mentioned; and, of course, upset all the designs of Dick

England and his associates. This enraged all the blacklegs; a



combination was formed against the lieutenant; and he was

shot through the head by `a brother officer,' who belonged to the



confraternity.

The son of an earl lost forty thousand pounds in play to Dick



England; and shot himself at Stacie's Hotel in consequence--the

very night before his honourable father sent his steward to pay



the `debt of honour' in full--though aware that his son had been

cheated out of it.



But the most extraordinary `pass' of Dick England's career is

still to be related--not without points in it which make it



difficult to believe, in spite of the evidence, that it is the

same `party' who was concerned in it. Here it is.



In the _Gentleman's Magazine_, in Gilchrist's Collection of

British Duels, in Dr Millingen's reproduction of the latter, the



following account occurs:--

`Mr Richard England was put to the bar at the Old Bailey, charged



with the "wilful murder" of Mr Rowlls, brewer, of Kingston, in

a duel at Cranford-bridge, June 18, 1784.



`Lord Derby, the first witness, gave evidence that he was present

at Ascot races. When in the stand upon the race-course, he heard



Mr England cautioning the gentlemen present not to bet with

the deceased, as he neither paid what he lost nor what he



borrowed. On which Mr Rowlls went up to him, called him rascal

or scoundrel, and offered to strike him; when Mr England bid him



stand off, or he would be obliged to knock him down; saying, at

the same time--"We have interrupted the company sufficiently



here, and if you have anything further to say to me, you know




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