"Indeed! What is it?"
"You know that I was a heavy loser at the Club the other night."
"Yes, and I am very sorry for it. You see, I wanted to stop playing at eight o'clock, but you were so persistent that I was compelled to carry on the bank."
"Good Heavens! My loss then was more than I could pay, and I wanted to go on, in the hope of getting some of it back. It is the old story over again."
"That is bad. What is the amount of your loss?"
"Ninety thousand francs."
"It is a lot, a very big lot, and I sympathise with you sincerely."
"But worse remains behind," said the Doctor, and his voice trembled.
"It is absolutely impossible for me to pay up just at present."
"You don't mean to say so! That is unfortunate, very unfortunate. What will they say at the Club? They have this year been very much down on all that sort of thing. The Committee decided, at their last meeting, to apply the rule in all its severity."
"I know all about it. I shall be posted in twenty-four hours."