II The Playing — Drawing Lots
Val. It is quite right. We can only play four at a time. We are five. Let us cast lots as to who shall be the spectator of the others.
Manr. I will be the one, without any casting of lots.
Val. No such thing! Wrong should be done to none. No one’s will, but chance, shall decide this. He to whom the first king falls in dealing, he shall sit as lazy spectator, and if any dispute shall arise, he shall be judge.
Lup. Here are two whole packs of cards; one is Spanish, the other French.
Val. The Spanish does not seem to be quite right.
Lup. How so?
Val. Since the tens are lacking.
Lup. They don’t usually have them, as the French do. Cards, both Spanish and French, are divided into four suits, or families. The Spanish have gold coins, cups, sceptres, and swords. The French, hearts, diamonds, clubs, (little) ploughshares, otherwise called spades or arrow-points. There are in each suit—king, queen, knight; ones, twos, threes, fours, fives, sixes, sevens, eights, nines. The French also have tens. In the Spanish game, golden pieces and cups are used, but less preferably swords and sceptres. With the French, the higher numbers are always considered better.
Cast. What game shall we play?
Val. The game of Spanish Triumph, in which the dealer will retain for himself the last card as indication (of trumps) if it is a one or a picture.
Manr. Let us know now who shall be left out of the game!
Tam. You advise well. Pray deal the cards. This is yours, this is his, this for Lupianus. You are umpire.
Val. I would rather have you as umpire than as a fellow-player.
Lup. Nice words, I must say. Pray, why do you say so?
Val. Because in playing you are so cunning, and such a caviller. Then they say that you have a knack of arranging the cards as suits yourself.
Lup. My play has no deceit in it. But my activity seems to your lack of experience like imposture, as often is the case with the ignorant. However, how does Castellus please you, who, as soon as he has won a little money, leaves off playing?
Tam. This is rather shirking play than playing itself (eludere est hoc, quam ludere).
Val. That is a light evil enough. For if he should be beaten, he will fasten himself to the game like a nail in a beam.