Dubliners (Joyce)
A group of four young men, Charles Segouin, Andre Riviere, a Hungarian named Villona, and a man named Doyle, were driving towards Dublin in a car after a race. They were all in high spirits, particularly because the French cars had performed well in the race.
The group decided to dine together that evening at Segouin's hotel. During the dinner, the conversation shifted from music to politics, and the young men became increasingly excited.
Rapid motion through space elates one; so does notoriety; so does the possession of money.
After the meal, they strolled through the city, eventually boarding a train to Kingstown. There, they took a rowboat to an American's yacht, where they enjoyed a light supper, music, and card games.
As the night wore on, the card games became more intense, and Jimmy, one of the young men, realized he was losing a significant amount of money.
Despite his losses, he continued to play, hoping for a change in his luck. Eventually, the group decided to play one final game, which resulted in Routh winning. Jimmy and Farley were the heaviest losers of the night. Exhausted and regretful, Jimmy rested his head on the table, counting the beats of his temples as daybreak approached.
He knew that he would regret in the morning but at present he was glad of the rest, glad of the dark stupor that would cover up his folly.