"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." "And are you really unable to avoid this—this—unpleasantness?" "Utterly unable," replied M. Delange. "Come, let us think it over. Two heads are better than one. Is there no one who would help you out of your difficulty? You have plenty of friends, and rich ones, too." "The amount is too large. I should never manage to get hold of so much all at once." He stopped, hesitated for a moment or two, and then, taking courage, said— "You, and you alone, can, if you will, get me out of this scrape." "I! Do you imagine that I could lend you ninety thousand francs? My dear fellow, if you only knew how terribly I am in want of money just now, and what expense I am put to! I am, as you may perhaps have heard, about to undertake a tremendously costly journey, and I am bound to scrape together every farthing I can get hold of." "You do not understand me," replied the Doctor. "I do not ask you to lend me this amount; I only ask you not to press me for payment at once." "I do not understand you now. Please explain." "Did you not win about ninety thousand francs the other night?" "Possibly. I have not yet made up my account." "Well, at all events, I lost all that you won." "Excuse me," said M. de Morin, very curtly, "I do not admit that. Counters have very properly been brought into use in clubs in order to avoid all disputes between the players. Consequently, my dear sir, you do not owe me a farthing, not a single farthing. I have in my drawer a larger number of counters, which I shall take with me to the Club when I go there, either to-night or to-morrow, and, in exchange for them, the Club, my sole debtor, will give me bank notes." "The Club," said M. Delange, nervously, "will reply, or will cause you to be informed, that as the accounts for the game in question have not been settled, it is not in a position to pay you." "In that case I shall complain to the Committee. As for you. Doctor, you will have no reproaches from me. I assure you, once more, that I do not look upon you as my debtor." "Be it so; but the Club will look upon me as its debtor, and, as we have already said, that means being posted." "What on earth do you want me to do?" exclaimed M. de Morin. "I want you—I want you—" replied M. Delange, hesitating. "I do not know how to put it, but there is a way—" "What is it?"