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CAPTAIN ROCHE.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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CAPTAIN ROCHE.

Captain Roche, alias Tyger, alias Savage Roche, who stuck his gaming companion's hand to the table with a fork for concealing a card under it, happened to be at the Bedford Billiard-table, which was extremely crowded. Roche was knocking the balls about with his cue, and Major Williamson,


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another celebrity, with whom he was engaged on business, desired him to leave off, as he hindered gentlemen from playing. `Gentlemen?' sneeringly exclaimed Roche; `why, major, except you and me (and two or three more) there is not a gentleman in the room — the rest are all blacklegs.'

On leaving the place, the major expressed his astonishment at his rudeness, and wondered, out of so numerous a company, it was not resented. `Oh, sir,' said Roche, `there was no fear of that; there was not a thief in the room who did not suppose himself one of "the two or three gentlemen'' I mentioned.'