“Who else? What about you there, with the long nose and fancy hat?”
Cugel diffidently approached the table. “What game do you play? I warn you, at cards I am a hopeless duffer.”
“The game is Skax, and we don’t care how you play, so long as you cover your bets.”
Cugel smiled politely. “If only to be sociable, I will venture a hand or two, but you must teach me the fine points of the game.”
The red-bearded man guffawed. “No fear! You will learn them as fast as the hands are dealt! I am Wagmund; this is Sabtile and this saturnine cutthroat is Koyman, embalmer to the town Saskervoy and a most reputable citizen. Now then! The rules for Skax are thus and so.” Wagmund went on to explain the mode of play, emphasizing his points by pounding the table with a blunt forefinger. “So then, Cugel, is this all clear? Do you think you will be able to cope with the game? Remember, all bets must be made in solid terces. One may not hold his cards beneath the table or move them back and forth in a suspicious manner.”
“I am both inexperienced and cautious,” said Cugel. “Still, I think I understand the game and I will risk two, no three, terces, and I hereby bet one discrete, solid and whole terce on the first sally.”
“That’s the spirit, Cugel!” said Wagmund approvingly. “Koyman, distribute the cards, if you will!”
“First,” Sabtile pointed out, “you must place out your own bet!”
“True,” admitted Wagmund. “See that you do the same.”
“No fear of that; I am known for my quick and clever style of play.”
“Fewer boasts and more money!” called Koyman. “I await your terces!”
“What of your own bet, my good stealer of ornamental gold sphincter-clasps* from the corpses entrusted into your care?”
“An oversight: simply that and no more.”
The play proceeded. Cugel lost eleven terces, and drank two mugs of the local beer: a pungent liquid brewed from acorns, bittermoss and black sausage. Presently Cugel was able to introduce his own cards into the game, whereupon his luck changed and he quickly won thirty-eight terces, with Wagmund, Koyman and Sabtile crying out and smiting their foreheads in disbelief at the unfavorable consequences of their play.
Into the common room ambled Bunderwal. He called for beer and for a space stood watching the game, teetering up and down on his toes and smoking dried herbs in a long-stemmed clay pipe. He seemed a skillful analyst of the game, and from time to time called out his approval of good play, while chaffing the losers for their blunders. “Ah then, Koyman, why did you not play down your Double-red and sweep the field before Cugel beat you with his Green Varlets?”
Koyman snapped: “Because the last time I did so, Cugel brought out the Queen of Devils and destroyed my hopes.” Koyman rose to his feet. “I am destitute. Cugel, at least tender me a beer from your winnings.”
“With pleasure!” Cugel called the serving boy. “Beer for Koyman and also for Bunderwal!”
“Thank you.” Koyman signaled Bunderwal to his place. “You may try your luck against Cugel, who plays with uncanny skill.”
“I will try him for a terce or two. Ho boy! Bring fresh cards, and throw away these limp old rags! Some are short, some are long; some are stained; others show strange designs.”
“New cards by all means,” cried Cugel heartily. “Still I will take these old cards and use them for practice. Bunderwal, where is your bet?”
Bunderwal placed out a terce and distributed the new cards with a fluttering agility of the fingers which caused Cugel to blink.
Several sallies were played out, but luck had deserted Cugel. He relinquished his chair to another and went to stand behind Bunderwal, in order to study the manner in which Bunderwal conducted his play.
After winning ten terces, Bunderwal declared that he wanted no more gaming for the evening. He turned to Cugel. “Allow me to invest some of my winnings in a noble purpose: the ingestion of good beer. This way; I see a couple of chairs vacant by the wall. Boy! Two mugs of the best Tatterblass!”
“Right, sir!” The boy saluted and ran down into the still-room.
Bunderwal put away his pipe. “Well, Cugel: what do you think of Saskervoy?”
“It seems a pleasant community, with prospects for the earnest worker.”
“Exactly so, and in fact it is to this subject that I address myself. First, I drink to your continued prosperity.”
“I will drink to prosperity in the abstract,” said Cugel cautiously. “I have had little experience of it.”
“What? With your dexterity at Skax? My eyes are crossed from the attempt to follow your flamboyant flourishes.”
“A foolish mannerism,” said Cugel. “I must learn to play with less display.”
“It is no great matter,” said Bunderwal. “Of more importance is that employment offered by Soldinck, which already has prompted several regrettable interchanges.”
“True,” said Cugel. “Let me make a suggestion.”
“I am always open to new concepts.”
“The supercargo possibly controls other posts aboard the Galante. If you will —”
Bunderwal held up his hand. “Let us be realistic. I perceive you to be a man of decision. Let us put our case to the test here and now, and let Mandingo determine who applies for the position and who stands aloof.”
Cugel brought out his cards. “Will you play Skax or Zampolio?”
“Neither,” said Bunderwal. “We must settle upon a test where the outcome is not fore-ordained … Notice the glass yonder, where Krasnark the landlord keeps his sphigales.” Bunderwal indicated a glass-sided box. Within resided a number of crustaceans, which, when broiled, were considered a notable delicacy. The typical sphigale measured eight inches in length, with a pair of powerful pincer-claws and a whip-tail sting.
“These creatures show different temperaments,” said Bunderwal. “Some are fast, some slow. Choose one and I will choose another. We will set our racers upon the floor and the first to reach the opposite wall wins the test.”
Cugel studied the sphigales. “They are mettlesome beasts, no question as to this.” One of the sphigales, a creature striped red, yellow and an unpleasant chalk-blue, caught his eye. “Very well; I have selected my racer.”
“Extract him with the tongs, but take care! They use both pincers and sting with a will.”
