He leaned slightly back against the table, facing me.
"Captain Rotherby," he said, "I have sometimes thought that men like yourself, of spirit, who have seen something of the world, must find it very wearisome to settle down to lead the life of an English farmer gentleman." "I am not proposing to do anything of the sort," I answered.
Louis nodded.
"For you," he said, "perhaps it would be impossible.

But tell me, then, what is there that you care to do?
I will tell you.

You will give half your time to sport.

The rest of the time you will eat and drink and grow fat.

You will go to Marienbad and Carlsbad, and you will begin to wonder about your digestion, find yourself growing bald,--you will realize that nothing in the world ages a man so much as lack of excitement." "I grant you everything, Louis," I said.