Night Games: And Other Stories and Novellas by Arthur Schnitzler

Lieutenant."
    "What," cried Willi, pretending to be astonished. "Couldn't we give
it another quarter of an hour?"
    He looked around the circle as though he sought approval. Everyone was silent. Herr Elrief looked away, very aristocratically, and lit a
cigarette; Wimmer bit his lips; Greising whistled nervously, almost
soundlessly; and the theatre manager remarked somewhat rudely, as
though it were trivial, "The lieutenant has really had bad luck today!"
    The consul stood up and called for the waiter-as though it had
been a night like any other. Only two bottles of cognac were on his own
account, but to simplify things he wished to take care of the entire bill.
Greising refused and paid for his coffee and cigarettes personally. The
others accepted the consul's hospitality indifferently. Then the consul
turned to Willi, who was still sitting, and again pointing outdoors with
his right arm as he had before when he had called attention to the striking
of the church clock, he said, "If you like, Lieutenant, I'll take you back to
Vienna in my carriage."
    "Very kind of you," replied Willi. And at this moment it seemed to
him as though the last quarter of an hour, in fact the whole night and
everything that had happened, were canceled out. The consul no doubt
regarded it in the same light. Otherwise how could he have invited him
into his carriage?
    "Your debt, Lieutenant," the consul added in a friendly manner,
"amounts to eleven thousand gulden net."
    "Correct, Consul," replied Willi in a military tone.
    "Do you want it in writing?" asked the consul, "or is that not necessary?"
    "Not necessary," remarked First Lieutenant Wimmer gruffly.
"We're all witnesses."
    The consul paid no attention either to him or to the tone of his voice. Willi was still sitting at the table. His legs felt as heavy as lead.
Eleven thousand gulden-not bad! About three or four years' salary, including bonuses. Wimmer and Greising were speaking together in low
and agitated tones. Elrief was evidently saying something very funny to
the theatre manager, as the latter burst into laughter. Fraulein Rihoscheck
stood next to the consul and addressed a question to him, which he answered in the negative with a shake of his head. The waiter helped the
consul into his cape, a wide, black, armless cape with a velvet collar
which had recently impressed Willi as very elegant, though somewhat
eccentric. The actor Elrief quickly poured himself a last glass of cognac
from the almost empty bottle. It seemed to Willi that they were all avoiding having to trouble themselves with him, even to look at him. He now
rose abruptly. Suddenly Tugut, who, to Willi's surprise, had returned,
stood near him, seemed to grope for words, and finally said, "You can
find the money by tomorrow morning, I hope?"

    "But of course, Doctor," replied Willi, with a broad and empty
smile. Then he walked over to Wimmer and Greising and shook hands
with them. "Till next Sunday," he said lightly. They didn't answer, didn't
even nod.
    "Are you ready, Lieutenant?" asked the consul.
    "At your service!"
    Willi now took his leave in a very cordial and animated manner, and
quite gallantly kissed Fraulein Rihoscheck's hand-it couldn't do him
any harm!
    Everyone left. On the terrace the tables and chairs glowed a ghostly
white. Night still covered the city and the fields, though not a star remained to be seen. In the neighborhood of the train station the horizon
was beginning to lighten. The consul's carriage was waiting outside; the
coachman was sleeping with his feet on the dashboard. Schnabel touched
him on the shoulder and he awoke, lifted his hat, went to the horses, and
took off their blankets. The officers touched their caps once more, then
sauntered away. The manager, Elrief, and Fraulein Rihoscheck waited
until the driver was ready. Willi mused: why doesn't the consul stay in
Baden with Fraulein Rihoscheck? Why does he keep her if he doesn't
stay with her? It