Now, I had no desire to play with his reverence for money, as I knew that doing so would bring on a quarrel.

As long as we were playing for nothing, I could afford to let his reverence use what tricks he pleased; but if we played for money, I couldn't do so.

If he played his tricks, I must play mine, and use every advantage to save my money; and there was one I possessed which his reverence did not.

The cards being my own, I had put some delicate little marks on the trump cards, just at the edges, so that when I dealt, by means of a little sleight of hand I could deal myself any trump card I pleased.

But I wished, as I said before, to have no dealings for money with his reverence, knowing that he was master in the house, and that he could lead me a dog of a life if I offended him, either by winning his money, or not letting him win mine.