Richard was not sent abroad again, but to Cambridge, where eventually he
took a fourth-class (poll) degree; and Lady Jane was as proud of it
as if he had been senior wrangler. He kept his word, in spite of all
temptations to the contrary, and never touched a card--a circumstance
which drove him to take a fair amount of exercise, and, in consequence,
he steadily improved in health. He was sometimes chaffed by his
companions for his abstinence from play; they should have thought he was
the last man to be afraid of losing his money.

"You are right, so far," he would answer, drily; "but the fact is, I
have had enough of winning."

To which they would reply:

"Oh yes, we dare say," an elliptical expression, which conveyed
disbelief.

He never told them the story of his Monte Carlo experiences; but in the
vacations he would often talk to honest John about them. We may be sure
that that faithful retainer did not go unrewarded for his fraudulent
act.




BIANCA, By W. E. Norris

Not long since, I was one among a crowd of nobodies at a big official
reception in Paris when the Marchese and Marchesa di San Silvestro were
announced. There was a momentary hush; those about the doorway fell back