Page:The Adventures of David Simple (1904).djvu/360

 poverty, without any consideration what became of her. "'As soon as I had spent all my money, I generally returned to the gaming-table. But at last my companions, whom I only trusted because I could not avoid it, on finding out one evening that I had defrauded them of their share, all combined to disgrace me; and the next time I came, watched narrowly till they saw me slip some false dice out of my pocket, and discovered me to the whole table. It was in vain for me to protest my innocence and complain of the others, for I could not be heard; and the gentleman whom I had endeavoured to cheat held me till I was stripped of all I had about me, which I had won that night, and then kicked me out of the room. Besides the loss, I had pride enough to be hurt to the quick by such usage, and yet I had not courage enough to resent it. Thus this scheme proved abortive, and I was obliged to have done with it. "'I had an acquaintance who, when I was in the utmost distress, used to relieve me; but then that was only enough perhaps to pay some debt, just to keep me from gaol, but was nothing to what I wanted to squander in extravagance. "'The next scheme I took into my head was to follow women for their money instead of their persons; and it was a rule with me generally to go amongst those who had but small fortunes; for as to those who had great ones, I thought I should have my mercenary designs found out if I pursued them. But, by following such as had but a small matter, they easily concluded I could have no views upon their money, and that therefore my professions must be sincere; by which means I got away every farthing they were worth, and then left them to bemoan their folly, hugging myself in my own ingenuity. My method was, when first I