The truth is, when we say of a gentleman that he lives elegantly on nothing a year, we use the word "nothing" to signify something unknown; meaning simply, that we don’t know how the gentleman in question defrays the expenses of his establishment. Now, our friend the colonel had a great aptitude for all games of chance; and exercising himself, as he continually did. with the cards, the dice-box, or the cue, it is natural to suppose that he attained a much greater skill in the use of these articles than men can possess who only occasionally handle them. To use a cue at billiards well is like using a pencil, or a German flute, or a small-sword-you can not master any one of these implements at first, and it is only by repeated study and perseverance, joined to a natural taste, that a man can excel in the handling of either. Now, Crawley, from being only a brilliant amatcaur had grown to a consummate master of billiards. Like a great general, his genius used to rise with the danger, and when the luck had been unfavourable to him for a whole game, and the bets were consequently against him, he would, with consummate skill and boldness, make some prodigious hits which would restore the battle, and come a victor at the end, to the astonishment of everybody-of everybody, that is, who was a stranger to his play. Those who were accustomed to see it were cautious how they staked their money against a man of such sadder, resources, and brilliant and overpowering skill. It is suggested in the passage that [A] Colonel Crawley did not play games of chances often. [B] although Colonel Crawley always won the games, he could not do well at the beginning. [C] Mrs. Crawley persuaded her husband to return the money to some pitiful young fellows. [D] fewer and fewer officers would play with Colonel Crawley.

At games of cards he was equally skillful; for though he would constantly lose money at the commencement of an evening, playing so carelessly and making such blunders, that newcomers were often inclined to think meanly of his talent; yet when roused to action, and awakened to caution by repeated small losses, it was remarked that Crawley’s play became quite different, and that he was pretty sure of beating his enemy thoroughly before the night was over. Indeed, very few men could say that they ever had the better of him.
B. His successes were so repeated that no wonder the envious and the vanquished spoken sometimes with bitterness regarding them. And as the French say of the Duke of Wellington. who never suffered a defeat, that only an astonishing series of lucky accidents enabled him to be an invariable winner; yet even they allow that he cheated at Waterloo, and was enabled to win the last great trick: so it was hinted at headquarters in England. that some foul play must have taken place in order to account for the continuous success of Colonel Crawley.
C. Though Frascati and the Salon were open at that time in Paris. the mania for play was so widely spread, that the public gambling-rooms did not suffice for the general ardour, and gambling went on in private houses as much as if there had been no public means for gratifying the passion. At Crawley’s charming little reunions of an evening this fatal amusement commonly was practiced-much to good natured little Mrs. Crawley’s annoyance. She spoke about her husband’s passion for dice with the deepest grief; she bewailed it to everybody who came to her house. She besought the young fellows never, never to touch a box; and when young Green, of the Rifles, lost a very considerable sum of money, Rebecca passed a whole night in tears, as the servant told the unfortunate young man, and actually went on her knees to her husband to beseech him to remit the debt, and burn the acknowledgment. How could he He had lost just as much as himself to Blackstone of the Hussars, and Count Punter of the Hanoverian Cavalry. Green might have any decent time; but pay -of course he must pay-to talk of burning IOU’s was child’s play.
D. Other officers, chiefly young-for the young fellows gathered round Mrs. Crawley-came from her parties with tong faces, having dropped more or less money at her fatal card tables. Her house began to have an unfortunate reputation. The old hands warned the less experienced of their danger. Colonel O’Dowd, of the regiment, one of those occupying in Paris, warned Lieutenant Spooney of that corps. A loud and violent fracas took place between the infantry-colonel and his lady, who were dining a the Caré de Paris. and Colonel and Mrs. Crawley, who were also taking their meal there. The ladies engaged on both sides. Mrs. O’Dowd snapped her fingers in Mr. Crawley’s face, and called her husband "no better than a blackleg", Colonel Crawley challenged Colonel O’Dowd, C. B. The commander-in-chief hearing of the dispute sent for Colonel Crawley, who was getting ready the same pistols, "which he shot Captain Marker, " and had such a conversation with him that no duel took place. If Rebecca had not gone on her knees to General Tufto, Crawley would have been sent back to England; and he did not play, except with civilians, for some weeks after.