"Yes, Heaven help us!" assented his father, then he went on: "Well, now, as we clearly see deliverance before us, you need no longer keep any secrets from me, especially as you know quite well that I cannot pay your debts. I told you that directly you became an officer. I said to you then: 'Have as many debts as you like, but look to yourself for paying them.' Now confess, how much do you owe?"
Fritz was for a moment embarrassed. "Do you really want to know?"
"Why not? As I am not going to pay them you may be quite sure I shall not reproach you."
Fritz bit another cigar. "Taking it all in all, from first to last, it must be about forty thousand marks."
"And how long have you been a lieutenant?"
"Seven years."
"Then that would be at the rate of about six thousand a year; it can't be called a small amount."
Fritz shrugged his shoulders. "What is one to do? The life of an officer is expensive, and then one is not born into the world simply to perform one's military duties. One cannot manage on the allowance you give me."
"Another perhaps might—you cannot."
"I don't think anyone else, at least no one in my regiment, could; they are all in debt, some more, some less. I should say that 75 per cent. of all the lieutenants from time to time do confess to their parents, then a couple of thousands or so are paid—naturally each time they say it is the very last—and the son is once more on his legs again. Now, if one multiplies by seven the amount that the others pay yearly in debts, it amounts to a pretty big sum of money. With me the matter is somewhat more complicated, because I have never paid a farthing, and when one is in such a plight as I am one naturally has to pay very high interest. The last time, in spite of great skill and cunning, I received a thousand marks when I gave an I O U for three thousand."