THE TAELES TURNED. 



69 



" Once more, and but once more, will I play witli Fortune. 

 The game looks mine, although but partly won ; for the losses 

 retrieved amount not to that which philosophers tell us are seldom 

 found in our possession — enough. In the present case, however, 

 the universal acquisitiveness of our nature can scarcely be said 

 fco influence my resolve. -I seek to gain, through the means which 

 appear in my power, freedom, complete and perfect, from the 

 chains of slavery my own folly forged. Once broken, and they 

 never shall encompass me again." 



His deep-toned, manly voice quivered with emotion, and 

 some seconds elapsed before he resumed his discourse. 



" That which I have suffered few know, and but one cares 

 — ^young, loving, and beloved. That calmer, happier days 

 might be in store for her I have often prayed, and now they 

 break tipped with colours which the hopeful dream of, but, 

 upon their waking, generally see dissolve and vanish. Through 

 you, my noble, gallant horse, a heart and home again v»ill be 

 what they were before I madly staked their happiness for the 

 merest shadow for which a fool ever dropped his substance in 

 exchange. 'Tis too late, hov/ever, to speak of that. The past 

 is a cloud that's down upon the wind : I will think of the sun- 

 shine for the future. Once more, and but once more, will I 

 play v/ith Fortune!" 



The conclusion of the sentence Sir Bigby repeated several 

 times before leaving my box, and, as if reluctant to quit it, 

 often returned, after reaching the door, to caress and fondle one 

 whose simj)le story perchance may tell how slender is the v/cb 

 upon which we hang or fall. 



Having particularised, link by link, the chain of my event- 

 ful history hitherto, I shall mention that, although my two 

 engagements following the Derby were for the Drav/ing Ptooni 

 Stakes at Goodwood, and the Ebor St. Leger at York, yet, 

 from the absence of Clearwell from these events, they were 

 regarded as absolute certainties for me, and consequently the 

 fieldmen shook their heads and closed their books when even 

 the tempting odds of ten to one were offered by my supporters 

 that I netted both. Notwithstanding, however, the impossi- 



