I leave this ruinous
old rat-hole early on to-morrow, for two reasons: first, I do not
want to play with Sir Arthur deeper than I think his security would
warrant; and, secondly, because I am safer a hundred miles away from
Sir Arthur than in the house with him. Look you, my worthy, I tell
you this between ourselves--I may be wrong--but, by ----, I am sure
as that I am now living, that Sir A---- attempted to poison me last
night. So much for old friendship on both sides. When I won the last
stake, a heavy one enough, my friend leant his forehead upon his
hands, and you'll laugh when I tell you that his head literally smoked
like a hot dumpling. I do not know whether his agitation was produced
by the plan which he had against me, or by his having lost so heavily;
though it must be allowed that he had reason to be a little funked,
whichever way his thoughts went; but he pulled the bell, and ordered
two bottles of Champagne. While the fellow was bringing them, he wrote
a promissory note to the full amount, which he signed, and, as the
man came in with the bottles and glasses, he desired him to be off. He
filled a glass for me, and, while he thought my eyes were off, for I
was putting up his note at the time, he dropped something slyly into
it, no doubt to sweeten it; but I saw it all, and, when he handed
it to me, I said, with an emphasis which he might easily understand,
'There is some sediment in it, I'll not drink it.
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