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look of commiseration； after his wife。
‘She is better；' replied Disbrowe； fiercely。 ‘I am come to
settle accounts with you。'
‘I thought they were settled long ago；' returned Parravicin；
instantly resuming his wonted manner。 ‘But I am glad to find you
consider the debt unpaid。'
Disbrowe lifted the cane he held in his hand； and struck the
knight with it forcibly on the shoulder。 ‘Be that my answer；' he
said。
‘I will have your life first； and your wife afterwards；' replied
Parravicin fiercely。
‘You shall have her if you slay me； but not otherwise；'
retorted Disbrowe。 ‘It must be a mortal duel。'
‘It must；' replied Parravicin。 ‘I will not spare you this time。
I shall instantly proceed to the west side of Hyde Park； beneath
the trees。 I shall expect you there。 On my return I shall call
on your wife。'
‘I pray you do so； sir；' replied Disbrowe； disdainfully。
Both then quitted the Coffee…house； Parravicin attended by his
companions； and Disbrowe accompanied by a military friend； whom
he accidentally encountered。 Each party taking a coach； they
soon reached the ground； a retired spot completely screened from
observation by trees。 The preliminaries were soon arranged； for
neither would admit of delay。 The conflict then commenced with
great fury on both sides； but Parravicin； in spite of his
passion； observed far more caution than his antagonist； and
taking advantage of an unguarded movement； occasioned by the
other's impetuosity； passed his sword through his body。 Disbrowe
fell。
‘You are again successful；' he groaned； ‘but save my wifesave
her！'
‘What mean you？' cried Parravicin； leaning over him； as he
wiped his sword。
But Disbrowe could make no answer。 His utterance was choked by a
sudden effusion of blood on the lungs； and he instantly expired。
Leaving the body in care of the second； Parravicin and his
friends returned to the coach； his friends congratulating him on
the issue of the conflict； but the knight looked grave； and
pondered upon the words of the dying man。 After a time； however；
he recovered his spirits； and dined with his friends at the
Smyrna； but they observed that he drank more deeply than usual。
His excesses did not； however； prevent him from playing with his
usual skill； and he won a large sum from one of his companions at
Hazard。
Flushed with success； and heated with wine； he walked up to
Disbrowe's residence about an hour after midnight。 As he
approached the house； he observed a strangely…shaped cart at the
door； and； halting for a moment； saw a body； wrapped in a shroud；
brought out。 Could it be Mrs Disbrowe？ Rushing forward to one
of the assistants in black cloaks； he asked whom he was about to
inter。
‘It is a Mrs Disbrowe；' replied the coffin…maker。 ‘She died
of grief； because her husband was killed this morning in a duel；
but as she had the plague； it must be put down to that。 We are
not particular in such matters； and shall bury her and her
husband together； and as there is no money left to pay for
coffins； they must go to the grave without them。'
And as the body of his victim also was brought forth； Parravicin
fell against the wall in a state of stupefaction。 At this
moment； Solomon Eagle； the weird plague…prophet； with his burning
brazier on his head； suddenly turned the corner of the street；
and； stationing himself before the dead…cart； cried in a voice of
thunder‘Woe to the libertine！ Woe to the homicide！ for he
shall perish in everlasting fire！ Woe！ woe！'
Such is this English legend； as related by Ainsworth； but which I
have condensed into its main elements。 I think it bids fair to
equal in interest that of the Hindoo epic； and if it be not true
in every particular； so much the better for the sake of human
nature。
CHAPTER III。
GAMBLING AMONG THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS； PERSIANS； AND GREEKS。
Concerning the ancient Egyptians we have no particular facts to
detail in the matter of gambling； but it is sufficient to
determine the existence of any special vice in a nation to find
that there are severe laws prohibiting and punishing its
practice。 Now； this testimony not only exists； but the penalty
is of the utmost severity； from which may be inferred both the
horror conceived of the practice by the rulers of the Egyptians；
and the strong propensity which required that severity to
suppress or hold it in check。 In Egypt； ‘every man was easily
admitted to the accusation of a gamester or dice…player； and if
the person was convicted； he was sent to work in the
quarries。'＇19＇ Gambling was； therefore； prevalent in Egypt
in the earliest times。
＇19＇ Taylor； _Ductor Dubitantium_； B。 iv。 c。 1。
That gaming with dice was a usual and fashionable species of
diversion at the Persian court in the times of the younger Cyrus
（about 400 years before the Christian era）； to go no higher； is
evident from the anecdote related by some historians of those
days concerning Queen Parysatis； the mother of Cyrus； who used
all her art and skill in gambling to satiate her revenge； and to
accomplish her bloodthirsty projects against the murderers of her
favourite son。 She played for the life or death of an
unfortunate slave； who had only executed the commands of his
master。 The anecdote is as follows； as related by Plutarch； in
the Life of Artaxerxes。
‘There only remained for the final execution of Queen Parysatis's
projects； and fully to satiate her vengeance； the punishment of
the king's slave Mesabetes； who by his master's order had cut off
the head and hand of the young Cyrus； who was beloved by
Parysatis （their common mother） above Artaxerses； his elder
brother and the reigning monarch。 But as there was nothing to
take hold of in his conduct； the queen laid this snare for him。
She was a woman of good address； had abundance of wit； and
_EXCELLED AT PLAYING A CERTAIN GAME WITH DICE_。 She had
been apparently reconciled to the king after the death of Cyrus；
and was present at all his parties of pleasure and gambling。 One
day； seeing the king totally unemployed； she proposed playing
with him for a thousand _darics_ （about L500）； to which he
readily consented。 She suffered him to win； and paid down the
money。 But； affecting regret and vexation； she pressed him to
begin again； and to play with her_FOR A SLAVE_。 The king； who
suspected nothing； complied； and the stipulation was that the
winner was to choose the slave。
‘The queen was now all attention to the game； and made use of her
utmost skill and address； which as easily procured her victory；
as her studied neglect before had caused her defeat。 She won
and chose Mesabetesthe slayer of her sonwho； being delivered
into her hands； was put to the most cruel tortures and to death
by her command。
‘When the king would have interfered； she only replied with a
smile of contempt〃Surely you must be a great loser； to be