His losses at Shotover staggered him, but he had looked to his wife heretofore in such emergencies.
Certainly the time had come for him to do something.

But what ?--if his wife was going to strike such attitudes in the very face of decency?
Certainly a husband in these days was without honour in his own household.
His uneasiness had produced a raging thirst.

He punched an electric button with his fleshy thumb, and prowled around, waiting.

Nobody came; he punched again, and looked at his watch.

It astonished him to find the hour was three o'clock in the morning.