played one rubber with him and won it, though it was only a rubber
of two instead of a bumper, as it would have been if I had played
properly--for being in doubt and remembering the adage, I had led a
trump, but it subsequently turned out that _the adversaries had called
for them_. Now I never see an adversaries' call, and but rarely those
of my partner, unless when made glaringly conspicuous by a ten and a
two, so I led this wretched card with disastrous results.

However, my partner accepted the situation with unexpected suavity,
merely remarking pleasantly, as an item of general interest, "The only
time my partner ever leads a trump is when the adversaries call." I
smiled inanely--what else could I do? for I was dimly conscious that
the stricture might have justification in fact. Yes, this was bad; but
worse remains behind. In the last hand of the next rubber, my partner
had four trumps; so had I; he had, besides a very long suit; hence he
extracted the trumps, and we were left with the last two between us,
mine being the better. I got the lead, of course, exactly at the time
I did not want it; although everyone else knew where the smaller trump
was, I did not, so I drew it from my partner's hand, and then led him
a card of which he had none in the suit; this card, as ill-luck would
have it, belonged to an enormously long suit, of which one of the
adversaries had entire control. So this gentleman got in and made
about six tricks in it, finishing up with the two; he therefore
made with his spades all--indeed, I rather think more tricks than
the Colonel ought to have made in his diamonds, each of which, now
losing cards, he successively banged down with increasing anger and
turbulence of gesture, as the enormity of my crime was borne in upon
him. It was the deciding game of a rubber; the adversaries' score had
stood at one, while we were at two, and besides, we had had two by
honours; as they made four by cards, they went out--and so did I--not