Page:Pontoppidan - Emanuel, or Children of the Soil (1896).djvu/61

 The cards were brought in silence. The vet. pulled himself together for the fray, sipped his toddy and stroked his beard with his hairy hand. His eyes were as red as a bull's. He would try one more tilt with fortune. If this solo were won, the game would come to an end, and with it all hope for this evening. Mortensen had three "Matadors," and a four of trumps, besides the king, queen, and three of hearts, and two small spades. He also had the lead. Like a careful general he kept his king of hearts back, and sent the queen into the fire first.

The vet., who could not follow suit, was not to be imposed upon.

"That's a blind, I expect," he growled, and took it with a trump.

The first drops of sweat made their appearance on Mortensen's forehead.

The vet. played a small trump, Villing took it with the king; Mortensen had to follow suit. Then hearts appeared again from Villing, Mortensen followed suit with his king, the vet. took it with a trump and played his queen of spades.

Now Mortensen saw that he was lost, his boots ceased creaking, and he turned as white as a sheet. Then unnoticed, he dropped the small spade with which he ought to have followed suit into his lap, whence it slid between his knees on to the floor, where he quickly put his foot on it, at the same time taking the queen with a small trump. Then