After I had sat a while, one gentleman said to me, jeering, 'Come,
madam, I see you are afraid to venture for yourself; I always had good
luck with the ladies, you shall set for me, if you won't set for
yourself.' I told him, 'sir, I should be very loth to lose your
money,' though I added, 'I am pretty lucky too; but the gentlemen play
so high, that I dare not indeed venture my own.' 'Well, well,' says he, 'there's ten guineas, madam; set them for me.'
so I took his money and set, himself looking on. I ran out nine of the
guineas by one and two at a time, and then the box coming to the next
man to me, my gentleman gave me ten guineas more, and made me set five
of them at once, and the gentleman who had the box threw out, so there
was five guineas of his money again. He was encouraged at this, and
made me take the box, which was a bold venture. However, I held the
box so long that I had gained him his whole money, and had a good
handful of guineas in my lap, and which was the better luck, when I
threw out, I threw but at one or two of those that had set me, and so
went off easy.
When I was come this length, I offered the gentleman all the gold, for
it was his own; and so would have had him play for himself, pretending
I did not understand the game well enough. He laughed, and said if I
had but good luck, it was no matter whether I understood the game or
no; but I should not leave off. However, he took out the fifteen
guineas that he had put in at first, and bade me play with the rest. I
would have told them to see how much I had got, but he said, 'No, no,
don't tell them, I believe you are very honest, and 'tis bad luck to
tell them'; so I played on.
I understood the game well enough, though I pretended I did not, and
played cautiously. It was to keep a good stock in my lap, out of which
I every now and then conveyed some into my pocket, but in such a
manner, and at such convenient times, as I was sure he could not see it.
I played a great while, and had very good luck for him; but the last
time I held the box, they set me high, and I threw boldly at all; I
held the box till I gained near fourscore guineas, but lost above half
of it back in the last throw; so I got up, for I was afraid I should
lose it all back again, and said to him, 'Pray come, sir, now, and take
it and play for yourself; I think I have done pretty well for you.' He
would have had me play on, but it grew late, and I desired to be
excused. When I gave it up to him, I told him I hoped he would give me
leave to tell it now, that I might see what I had gained, and how lucky
I had been for him; when I told them, there were threescore and three
guineas. 'Ay,' says I, 'if it had not been for that unlucky throw, I
had got you a hundred guineas.' So I gave him all the money, but he
would not take it till I had put my hand into it, and taken some for
myself, and bid me please myself. I refused it, and was positive I
would not take it myself; if he had a mind to anything of that kind, it
should be all his own doings.