第61章

CHAPTERLIII

Singulartable-Nomoney-Outofemploy-Mybonnet-Weofthethimble-Goodwages-Wiselyresolved-Strangestwayintheworld-Fatgentleman-Notsuchanother-Firstedition-Notveryeasy-Won’tclose-Avellagorgio-Alarmedlook。

PRESENTLYamanemergedfromthetent，bearingbeforehimarathersingulartable；itappearedtobeofwhitedeal，wasexceedinglysmallatthetop，andwithverylonglegs。Atafewyardsfromtheentrancehepaused，andlookedround，asiftodecideonthedirectionwhichheshouldtake；presently，hiseyeglancingonmeasIlayupontheground，hestarted，andappearedforamomentinclinedtomakeoffasquickaspossible，tableandall。Inamoment，however，heseemedtorecoverassurance，and，cominguptotheplacewhereIwas，thelonglegsofthetableprojectingbeforehim，hecried，’Gladtoseeyouhere，mylord。’

’Thankyou，’saidI，’it’safineday。’

’Veryfine，mylord；willyourlordshipplay？Themthatfinds，wins-themthatdon’tfinds，loses。’

’Playatwhat？’saidI。

’Onlyatthethimbleandpea，mylord。’

’Ineverheardofsuchagame。’

’Didn’tyou？Well，I’llsoonteachyou，’saidhe，placingthetabledown。’Allyouhavetodoistoputasovereigndownonmytable，andtofindthepea，whichIputunderoneofmythimbles。

Ifyoufindit，-anditiseasyenoughtofindit，-Igiveyouasovereignbesidesyourown：forthemthatfinds，wins。’

’Andthemthatdon’tfinds，loses，’saidI；’no，Idon’twishtoplay。’

’Whynot，mylord？’

’Why，inthefirstplace，Ihavenomoney。’

’Oh，youhavenomoney，thatofcoursealtersthecase。Ifyouhavenomoney，youcan’tplay。Well，IsupposeImustbeseeingaftermycustomers，’saidhe，glancingovertheplain。

’Good-day，’saidI。

’Good-day，’saidthemanslowly，butwithoutmoving，andasifinreflection。Afteramomentortwo，lookingatmeinquiringly，headded，’Outofemploy？’

’Yes，’saidI，’outofemploy。’

ThemanmeasuredmewithhiseyeasIlayontheground。Atlengthhesaid，’MayIspeakawordortwotoyou，mylord？’

’Asmanyasyouplease，’saidI。

’Thenjustcomealittleoutofhearing，alittlefartheronthegrass，ifyouplease，mylord。’

’Whydoyoucallmemylord？’saidI，asIaroseandfollowedhim。

’Weofthethimblealwayscallsourcustomerslords，’saidtheman；

’butIwon’tcallyousuchafoolishnameanymore；comealong。’

Themanwalkedalongtheplaintillhecametothesideofadrypit，when，lookingroundtoseethatnoonewasnigh，helaidhistableonthegrass，and，sittingdownwithhislegsoverthesideofthepit，hemotionedmetodothesame。’Soyouareinwantofemploy？’saidhe，afterIhadsatdownbesidehi