The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

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.