My uncle had always been passionately fond of the course, and prided
himself upon his stud of racers. He betted largely, and was generally
fortunate, probably because he selected his men with a wary eye.
The race course, then, was the arena chosen for the enterprise; but
admirable as were the projected plans, and skilfully as they were
executed, such was his luck, or so profound were his calculations, that
they failed _five_ successive seasons. Fitzroy, however, was one of
those men who, when satisfied that what they engage in ought to succeed,
according to the means employed, only derive fresh vigour from every
fresh defeat. He played his game a _sixth_ time, and won. The same
day that saw my uncle rise with thousands, saw him seek his pillow at
night, a frantic beggar! He was too proud a man, too honourable, I will
add, not to throw down his last guinea, in satisfaction of such demands.
He never suspected villany in the business. He paid his losses,
therefore; and in less than a week afterwards, an inquest sat upon his
body, which was found at the bottom of his own fish pond.

I had my share of this infernal plunder; but so ravenous had been
my appetite for revenge, that not one pang of remorse disturbed the
riotous enjoyments in which it was lavished. On the contrary, the very
consciousness that it _was_ my uncle's money I squandered, gave a
zest to every excess, and seemed to appease the gnawing passions which
had so long tormented me. In two or three years, however, boundless
extravagance, and the gaming-table, stripped me of my last shilling.
It was in one of the frenzied moments of this profligate reverse of
fortune, that I committed the crime for which, if to-morrow dawned
upon me, I should be publicly arraigned.

Fitzroy had been fortunate the whole night. I had thrown with constant