Page:Moonfleet - John Meade Falkner.pdf/25

 sound except the constant rattle of the dice, and the rubbing of the pieces being moved across the board. Now and then one of the players stopped to light his pipe; and at the end of a game they scored their totals on the table with a bit of chalk. So I watched them for an hour, knowing the game myself, and being interested at seeing Elzevir's backgammon-board, which I had heard talked of before.

It had formed part of the furniture of the Why Not for generations of landlords, and served perhaps to pass time for cavaliers of the Civil Wars. All was of oak, black and polished, board, dice-boxes, and men; but round the edge ran a Latin inscription inlaid in light wood, which I read on that first evening, but did not understand till Mr. Glennie translated it to me. I had cause to remember it afterwards, so I shall set it down here in Latin for those who know that tongue, Ita in vita ut in lusu aleæ pessima jactura arte corrigenda est; and in English as Mr. Glennie translated it, As in life, so in a game of hazard, skill will make something of the worst of throws.

At last Elzevir looked up and spoke to me, not unkindly, "Lad, it is time for you to go home. Men say that Blackbeard walks on the first nights of winter, and some have met him face to face betwixt this house and yours." I saw he wanted to be rid of me, so bade them both good-night, and was off home, running all the way thither, though not from any fear of Blackbeard, for Ratsey had often told me that there was no chance of meeting him unless one passed the churchyard by night.

Blackbeard was one of the Mohunes who had died a