CARO. (_with indifference_) Who, sir? COCKLE. My nephew, Triptolemus. TRIPTOLE. (_aside_) Uncle Cockletop! if he recognizes me, up goes the donkey--I mean the monkey! (_pulling his wig more over his eyes_) COCKLE. (_to HARDAPORT_) Very hard, ain't it, sir, after coming up all the way from Cambridge on the wings of love. TRIPTOLE. (_aside, in an agony_) There are circumstances under which a nephew ought to be allowed to strangle his uncle. COCKLE. I repeat, very hard; ain't it, sir? CAPT. H. (_sharply_) Very indeed! COCKLE. Bless you! (_making an ineffectual attempt to grasp the CAPTAIN'S hand_) Bless you again! BUNNY. (_to COCKLETOP_) Be quiet, do! Sit down and have a quiet game of cards--that gentleman will play with you, I'm sure! (_meaning TRIPTOLEMUS--pushes COCKLETOP into other chair of card table_) COCKLE. (_shuffling the cards and addressing TRIPTOLEMUS, who pulls his wig still more over his eyes_) What shall we play at, sir? TRIPTOLE. (_bewildered_) Sir! (_finding a red worsted comforter in the paletot wipes his face with it_) COCKLE. What say you to picquet? I'm rather partial to casino! TRIPTOLE. Well, I went to one _once;_ but I didn't much like it. CAPT. H. Ha, ha, ha! (_laughing_) Not bad. (_TRIPTOLEMUS rises from his chair, and makes him a low bow_) COCKLE. (_to TRIPTOLEMUS_) Once more, sir, what shall it be? TRIPTOLE. Don't you think "Beat my neighbour out of doors," rather a pretty game? COCKLE. No, no; perhaps you won't object to say cribbage? TRIPTOLE. Certainly not, sir, if it will gratify you. Cribbage--I'll say it again--cribbage! CAPT. H. Ha, ha, ha! good again! (_TRIPTOLEMUS rises and makes another bow to the CAPTAIN_) COCKLE. Now, then, to see who deals. (_cuts the cards_) I wish you'd cut, sir. TRIPTOLE. (_aside_) I wish I could. COCKLE. Perhaps you'll deal, sir. Ah, me! I only wish I was sitting down to cribbage now with my poor dear Triptolemus! CAPT. H. (_savagely_) So do I! (_TRIPTOLEMUS during this has gone on dealing nearly all the cards in the pack in one heap on the table_) COCKLE. Holloa, that's wrong! I'll deal for you. (_to TRIPTOLEMUS, as he deals the cards_) Do you know, sir, you are something like my poor nephew. (_the CAPTAIN looks intently in TRIPTOLEMUS'S face, who nervously wipes his face with a handful of gloves, which he lets fall on the stage, instead of returning them to the pocket of his paletot_) COCKLE. (_aside_) He's got a paletot uncommonly like mine. (_throwing out two cards for the crib--TRIPTOLEMUS, who watches him, does the same--COCKLETOP then cuts the cards_) Now, sir, it's for you to turn up. TRIPTOLE. (_bothered_) Turn up! Suppose you turn up first, sir, and let me see how you do it. CAPT. H. Ha, ha! good again. (_another rise and bow from TRIPTOLEMUS_) COCKLE. (_turning up the trump card_) Knave! CAPT. H. (_aside to TRIPTOLEMUS_) Two for his nob! TRIPTOLE. (_to CAPTAIN_) You mean to say it's the rule of the game that I'm to give him two for his nob?