“So you’ve been gold-mining,” said Minna.
“Yes. Pretty successfully. Came in just before the boom.”
“Made a fortune?”
“I’ve cleared a tidy bit.”
“And you’ve come here to dispose of some of it?”
“At the tables? Not much. I am not that sort.”
“I am afraid I am,” said Minna, with a little sigh.
“Do you win or lose?” he asked.
“Last year I lost £6,000. This year I am winning. That’s one reason why I live in these parts. The tables are a necessity to me. Monte Carlo, Aix-les-Bains, Ostend. That’s my usual round.”
“Don’t you get rather sick of it?”