"I am but a country-bred youth myself, Mistress Rosamund," answered
Tom, who had laid aside all his fine gentleman airs, and felt a
deal more comfortable in consequence, "and this town and its gay
doings are as strange to me as they can be to you. I am all agape
at what I see and hear; but a man must needs keep his astonishment
to himself, else he becomes the butt and the gibe of all the
company."
And forthwith, by no means reluctantly, Master Tom began to give
account of his doings of the past days, only keeping quite silent
on the subject of the duel, for he had learned that that was a
matter which Lord Claud wished to remain secret.
Rosamund listened as Desdemona might have done to Othello, and Cale
himself was considerably interested, though he shook his head when
he heard that already Tom had lost all the money he had about him,
and was even in debt to Lord Claud for losses he had been unable to
meet at the moment, and which his patron had settled for him.
"Keep away from the gaming tables, Tom; keep away from the gaming
tables," he said. "Did I not warn you that you would be fleeced and
rooked if you tried that sort of thing on?"
Tom laughed a little, and said he knew beforehand he should lose,
as though that were an excuse.
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