I could bear the gloom no longer,
but made up the fire till the light danced ruddy across pewter and
porcelain on the dresser. 'Come, Master Block,' I said, 'there is time
enough before May Day to think what we shall do, so let us take a cup of
tea, and after that I will play you a game of backgammon.' But he still
remained cast down, and would say nothing; and as chance would have it,
though I wished to let him win at backgammon, that so, perhaps, he might
get cheered, yet do what I would that night I could not lose. So as his
luck grew worse his moodiness increased, and at last he shut the board
with a bang, saying, in reference to that motto that ran round its edge,
'Life is like a game of hazard, and surely none ever flung worse throws,
or made so little of them as I.'
CHAPTER 8
THE LANDING
Let my lamp at midnight hour
Be seen in some high lonely tower--_Milton_
Maskew got ugly looks from the men, and sour words from the wives, as he
went up through the village that afternoon, for all knew what he had
done, and for many days after the auction he durst not show his face
abroad. Yet Damen of Ringstave and some others of the landers' men, who
made it their business to keep an eye upon him, said that he had been
twice to Weymouth of evenings, and held converse there with Mr.
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