and come neck and neck into the winning-post," he continued.
"This," laying one of the notes upon the table, "will suffice for
the bill. As for the rest - "

He tossed them into the fire, and they went up the chimney in a
single blaze.

The young man tried to catch his arm, but as the table was between
them his interference came too late.

"Unhappy man," he cried, "you should not have burned them all! You
should have kept forty pounds."

"Forty pounds!" repeated the Prince. "Why, in heaven's name, forty
pounds?"

"Why not eighty?" cried the Colonel; "for to my certain knowledge
there must have been a hundred in the bundle."

"It was only forty pounds he needed," said the young man gloomily.
"But without them there is no admission. The rule is strict.
Forty pounds for each. Accursed life, where a man cannot even die
without money!"

The Prince and the Colonel exchanged glances. "Explain yourself,"
said the latter. "I have still a pocket-book tolerably well lined,
and I need not say how readily I should share my wealth with
Godall. But I must know to what end: you must certainly tell us
what you mean."