After meeting beautiful Pauline Ostrovsky on a train, writer Fredja makes a spur-of-the-moment decision to disembark with her in Wiesbaden, Germany. After searching for her for some time, he finally finds her in the local casino, and soon realizes that she, like her father, General Ostrovsky, is a compulsive gambler. He tries to understand what drives someone to gamble and learns something of their plight when he meets Aristide Pitard who, in a moment of despair over losing at the tables, takes his own life. But over time, Fredja is consumed by the same disease, losing all of his money and gambling away his livelihood. All he has left is Pauline--can she help him overcome his addiction?
—garykmcd