It was out of the question for Vandover to consider them as drunkards.

Certainly, neither he nor any of the others drank because they liked the beer; after the fifth or sixth glass it was all they could do to force down another.

Such being the case, Vandover often asked himself why he got drunk at all.

This question he was never able to answer.
It was the same with gambling.

At first the idea of playing cards for money shocked him beyond all expression.