The Meaning of “The Gambler”

As for Mr. Astley, I have seen him already, and I see that he is here again. ” she added to the gentleman in question. ” The mutterings of the unhappy General died away. The café in question was only a hundred paces away; so, when coffee had been brought, we seated ourselves, and I lit a cigarette. Astley was no smoker, but, taking a seat by my side, he prepared himself to listen. Everything, to my eyes, seemed to change as I read these words.

  • Upon all this the Grandmother gazed with open-eyed curiosity; and, on some thieves happening to be turned out of the place, she was delighted.
  • Though unable to walk, she had arrived borne aloft in an armchair , as brisk, aggressive, self-satisfied, bolt-upright, loudly imperious, and generally abusive as ever.
  • Yet, on leaving the table, she immediately ordered me to accompany her for a walk.
  • Does this path you are following lead you to a place where you can be proud and your beliefs won’t be compromised?

You yourself wish me to leave you for him? ” she cried with a scornful look and a proud smile. Never before had she addressed me thus. “The question,” I went on, “is how to raise the fifty thousand francs. We cannot expect to find them lying about on the floor. ” Even as I spoke a new and strange idea formed itself in my brain.

“For,” she added, “I can see no difference between you and the Baron; nor can I bear that German visage of yours.” Upon this the landlord bowed and departed, though he could not have understood the Grandmother’s compliment. “I have only to say,” replied Mr. Astley gravely, but also with alacrity, “that I am indeed glad to see you in such good health.” This was interpreted to the Grandmother, and she seemed much gratified. “She interests me tremendously,” whispered Mr. Astley as, still smoking, he walked by my side.

Kenny Rogers

On the table where, the previous night, I had counted the money there still was lying the packet of twenty five thousand florins. Then she buried her face in her hands, and https://news.wongcw.com/2020/10/01/mobile-phone-entertainment-cool-things-you-can-do-with-your-smartphone/ relapsed into hysterics. Somehow I had an intuition of something having happened to her which had nothing to do with myself. She was like a person temporarily insane.

Also Rein’s father, a traveling gambler who abandoned Rein at a young age, and who uses playing card sleight-of-hand to talk a troubled mother out of making the same mistake he did. It is a year and eight months since I last looked at these notes of mine. I do so now only because, being overwhelmed with depression, I wish to distract my mind by reading them through at random. I left them off at the point where I was just going to Homburg. My God, with what a light heart did I write the concluding lines!

gambler

To think that when I awoke on the morrow, I was no lacquey! I decided to leave at once for Homburg. There I should neither have to serve as a footman nor to lie in prison. Half an hour before starting, I went and ventured a couple of stakes—no more; with the result that, in all, I lost fifteen hundred florins. Nevertheless, I proceeded to Homburg, and have now been there for a month. At that moment she cannot have been in her right mind; yet, what was the cause of her temporary aberration I cannot say.

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“Seule, elle fera des bêtises.” More than this I could not overhear, but he seemed to have got some plan in his mind, or even to be feeling a slight return of his hopes. Then she proceeded on her way—only to repeat the same story in front of a Saxon statuette which she had sighted from afar, and had commanded, for some reason or another, to be brought to her. Finally, she inquired of the landlord what was the value of the carpet in her bedroom, as well as where the said carpet had been manufactured; but, the landlord could do no more than promise to make inquiries. Next, the old lady scanned Polina, from head to foot with minute attention. Why, I had no idea that he could understand me!

Audience Reviews for The Gambler

In a word, he must look upon the gaming-table, upon roulette, and upon trente et quarante, as mere relaxations which have been arranged solely for his amusement. Of the existence of the lures and gains upon which the bank is founded and maintained he must profess to have not an inkling. Best of all, he ought to imagine his fellow-gamblers and the rest of the mob which stands trembling over a coin to be equally rich and gentlemanly with himself, and playing solely for recreation and pleasure. This complete ignorance of the realities, this innocent view of mankind, is what, in my opinion, constitutes the truly aristocratic. In the same way, I saw our General once approach the table in a stolid, important manner. A lacquey darted to offer him a chair, but the General did not even notice him.

About the Author
I live and work in Norway. I do financial analysis. I like to travel, I go in for sports.