“I did not fail to include this pack of cards among them,”—­here the speaker exhibited that oviform specimen already mentioned—­“and with these I have gained my bread among the inns and taverns between Madrid and this place, by playing at Vingt-et-un.  It is true they are somewhat soiled and worn, as your worship sees; but for him who knows how to handle them, they possess a marvellous virtue, which is, that you never cut them but you find an ace at the bottom; if your worship then is acquainted with the game, you will see what an advantage it is to know for certain that you have an ace to begin with, since you may count it either for one or eleven; and so you may be pretty sure that when the stakes are laid at twenty-one, your money will be much disposed to stay at home.

“In addition to this, I have acquired the knowledge of certain mysteries regarding Lansquenet and Reversis, from the cook of an ambassador who shall be nameless,—­insomuch that, even as your worship might pass as master in the cutting of spatterdashes, so could I, too, take my degrees in the art of flat-catching.

“With all these acquirements, I am tolerably sure of not dying from hunger, since, even in the most retired farm-house I come to, there is always some one to be found who will not refuse himself the recreation of a few moments at cards.  We have but to make a trial where we are; let us spread the net, and it will go hard with us if some bird out of all the Muleteers standing about do not fall into it.  I mean to say, that if we two begin now to play at Vingt-et-un as though we were in earnest, some one will probably desire to make a third, and, in that case, he shall be the man to leave his money behind him.”

“With all my heart,” replied the younger lad:  “and I consider that your excellency has done me a great favour by communicating to me the history of your life.  You have thereby made it impossible for me to conceal mine, and I will hasten to relate it as briefly as possible.  Here it is, then:—­

“I was born at Pedroso, a village situate between Salamanca and Medina del Campo.  My father is a tailor, as I have said, and taught me his trade; but from cutting with the scissors I proceeded—­my natural abilities coming in aid—­to the cutting of purses.  The dull, mean life of the village, and the unloving conduct of my mother-in-law, were besides but little to my taste.  I quitted my birthplace, therefore, repaired to Toledo to exercise my art, and succeeded in it to admiration; for there is not a reliquary suspended to the dress, not a pocket, however carefully concealed, but my fingers shall probe its contents, or my scissors snip it off, though the owner were guarded by the eyes of Argus.