Night Games: And Other Stories and Novellas by Arthur Schnitzler Read Free Book Online Page B

consul.
    The words echoed through the room, for everyone was quiet, absolutely quiet. Will no one now say, "I'd stop if I were you?" No, thought
Willi, no one has the audacity. They know it would be stupid for me to
stop now. But what should he bet now? He had only a few hundred
gulden lying in front of him. Suddenly there were more. The consul had
pushed two thousand more his way.
    "Help yourself, Lieutenant."
    Indeed, he helped himself. He put down fifteen hundred and won.
Now he could pay back his debt and still have something left over. He
felt a hand on his shoulder. "Kasda," said First Lieutenant Wimmer behind him. "No more!" His voice sounded hard, almost severe. But I'm
not on duty now, thought Willi, and I can do what I want with my money
and my life! And he bet again, bet only a modest thousand gulden and
uncovered the card he had been dealt. Schnabel took his time, playing
with deadly slowness, as though they had all the time in the world. There
was still time, indeed; no one was going to force them to stop playing at
2:3o a.m. The last time they had played until 5:30. The last time ... that
beautiful, distant time. Why were they all standing around him? It was as
if in a dream. Ah, they were all more agitated than he was. Even Fraulein
Rihoscheck, who was standing across from him, a straw hat with a red band on her well-waved hair, had curiously shining eyes. He smiled at
her. She had a face like a tragic queen, though she was little better than a
chorus girl. The consul uncovered his cards. A queen. Ha, Queen Rihoscheck and a nine of spades! That damned spade!-it always brought
him bad luck. And the thousand wandered over to the consul. But what
did it matter? He still had something left. Or was he already completely
ruined? He hadn't the slightest ... Suddenly there were a few more thousand in front of him. A noble man, that consul. To be sure, he was certain
he would get them back. An officer, after all, had to pay his gambling
debts. Someone like Elrief remained an Elrief in any case, but an officer,
unless he was named Bogner ...

    "Two thousand, Herr Consul!"
    "Two thousand?"
    "Indeed, Consul!"
    He didn't buy a card; he held with his seven. The consul had to buy.
This time he didn't bother with ceremony; he was in a hurry, and he
added an eight-an eight of spades-to his one, and that made nine. No
doubt about it. The eight would have been enough by itself. And the two
thousand wandered back to the consul-and then immediately back to
Willi. Or was it more? Three or four thousand? Better not to look at all,
that would bring bad luck. The consul wouldn't cheat him, and in any
case the others were all standing around and watching closely. And since
he no longer knew exactly what he already owed, he bet two thousand
again. The four of spades. Yes, he was forced to buy at that. Six. The six
of spades. So that made one too many! The consul didn't even have to
make an effort, and he had only a three ... and the two thousand wandered over to the consul again-and then immediately back. It was
ridiculous! Forward and back, forward and back. The church tower clock
struck again-the half-hour. But evidently no one had heard. The consul
dealt the cards calmly. Everyone was standing around, all the men; only
the regiment doctor had left. Yes, Willi had noticed how, a little while
ago, he had shaken his head angrily and had mumbled something between his teeth. Evidently he couldn't bear to see how Lieutenant Kasda
was playing for his life. How could a doctor have such weak nerves!
    And again new cards lay in front of him. He bet-how much ex actly he didn't know. A handful of bills. This was a new way to tempt
fate. Eight. Now his luck had to change.

    It did not. The consul uncovered a nine, looked around at the group,
and then pushed the cards away. Willi opened his eyes wide. "Well, Consul?" But the consul lifted his finger and pointed outdoors, "It has just
struck the half hour,