 As he himself had carefully avoided the bowl, he
would have availed himself of the frankness of the moment, to extract from
Gosling some farther information upon the subject of Anthony Foster, and the
lady whom the mercer had seen in the mansion-house; but his inquiries only set
the host upon a new theme of declamation against the wiles of the fair sex, in
which he brought at full length the whole wisdom of Solomon to reinforce his
own. Finally, he turned his admonitions, mixed with much objurgation, upon his
tapsters and drawers, who were employed in removing the relics of the
entertainment, and restoring order to the apartment; and at length, joining
example to precept, though with no good success, he demolished a salver with
half a score of glasses, in attempting to show how such service was done at the
Three Cranes in the Vintry, then the most topping tavern in London. This last
accident so far recalled him to his better self, that he retired to his bed,
slept sound, and awoke a new man in the morning.
 

                                 Chapter Third

 Nay, I'll hold touch - the game shall be play'd out,
 It ne'er shall stop for me, this merry wager;
 That which I say when gamesome, I'll avouch
 In my most sober mood, ne'er trust me else.
                                                               The Hazard-Table.
 
»And how doth your kinsman, good mine host?« said Tressilian, when Giles Gosling
first appeared in the public room on the morning following the revel which we
described in the last chapter. »Is he well, and will he abide by his wager?«
    »For well, sir, he started two hours since, and has visited I know not what
purlieus of his old companions; hath but now returned, and is at this instant
breakfasting on new-laid eggs and muscadine; and for his wager, I caution you as
a friend to have little to do with that, or indeed aught that Mike proposes.
Wherefore, I counsel you to a warm breakfast upon a culiss, which shall restore
the tone of the stomach; and let my nephew and Master Goldthred swagger about
their wager as they list.«
    »It seems to me, mine host,« said Tressilian, »that you know not well what
to say about this kinsman of yours; and that you can neither blame nor commend
him without some twinge of conscience.«
    »You have spoken truly, Master Tressilian,« replied Giles Gosling. »There is
natural affection whimpering into one ear, Giles, Giles, why wilt
