The Gambler

What am I? I am zero—nothing. What shall I be tomorrow? I may be risen from the dead, and have begun life anew. For still, I may discover the man in myself, if only my manhood has not become utterly shattered.

I suppose you would like to take them to the Casino to play roulette? Well, excuse my speaking so plainly, but I know how addicted you are to gambling. Though I am not your mentor, nor wish to be, at least I have a right to require that you shall not actually compromise me."

All women are like that. Even the proudest of them become abject slaves where marriage is concerned.

As he passed I looked at him, and the thought occurred to me that he was a man lost for ever.

if necessity drives, one enters into relation with people whom one simply detests.

You have lost your temper now, and are beginning to play the fool!

"one cannot arrest a man for brawling until he has brawled.

"I have perpetrated the—the piece of idiocy," I said as I came level with her.
"Have you? Then you can take the consequences,"

I am not quite sure what was the matter with me—whether I was merely stupefied or whether I purposely broke loose and ran amok. At times my mind seems all confused; while at other times I seem almost to be back in my childhood, at the school desk, and to have done the deed simply out of mischief.

know well that you must have used the words 'of no use' in order to crush me. I can see through you. 'Of no use,' did you say? Why, to give pleasure is ALWAYS of use; and, as for barbarous, unlimited power—even if it be only over a fly—why, it is a kind of luxury. Man is a despot by nature, and loves to torture. You, in particular, love to do so."