I am as great a fool as you? I wonder why Mr. S lets him hang about here for; there is one or two other such sometimes."
I did not reply, but continued to stag; which he perceiving, asked whether I wanted any one? and demanded pardon for making so bold, "did he not play with me lately a whole forenoon in Wood Street, at BAGATELLE?"
I gave him to understand that he might; for I had been out of place, and picked up a few stray shillings in that way, which came in very sweet to me, notwithstanding my appearance.
Here he put me upon an examination: "Could I draw the nine? Make sure of any hole once out of twice? Could I top forty once out of three goes?" To all which I answered modestly in the affirmative; upon which he chuckled a good deal; proposed that I should act the novice to-morrow at the board, until something handsome was betted, and that he and me would make a good thing of it. Finally, we parted, with a promise to meet again, and a repartee pun: he asked "which do you use, mace or cue?" To which I answered that I myself was mace, but I could come it the cue. Here the bon mot consists in turning the tap-keeper's noun mace into the verb to mace, or cheat.
