The Heer Brant also, who had but just arrived in Leyden, showed himself an able and polished man, one that had been educated more thoroughly than was usual among his class, and who, at the table of his father, the opulent Burgomaster of The Hague, from his youth had associated with all classes and conditions of men.

Indeed it was there that he made the acquaintance of Montalvo, who recognising him in the street had asked him to dinner.
After the dishes were cleared, one of the Spanish officers rose and begged to be excused, pleading some military duty.

When he had saluted his commandant and gone, Montalvo suggested that they should play a game of cards.

This was an invitation which Dirk would have liked to decline, but when it came to the point he did not, for fear of seeming peculiar in the eyes of these brilliant men of the world.
So they began to play, and as the game was simple very soon he picked up the points of it, and what is more, found them amusing.

At first the stakes were not high, but they doubled themselves in some automatic fashion, till Dirk was astonished to find that he was gambling for considerable sums and winning them.