A gambling game for life
Villanelle recalls a story of a wealthy man, a gambler, and a stranger who came to the casino one day. The wealthy man had everything so there was nothing valuable to him to gamble for-except his life. And that is precisely what the two men gambled for-life. They were vividly excited in this game and the one who won at the end is the stranger-the luck was on his side. "What you risk reveals what you value."
Cypress tree
"For myself I will plant a cypress tree and it will outlive me." Henri is of his own will staying at the madhouse at the end. The ghosts of past visit him there, and he doesn't feel the need to go anywhere else. He is finally able to make his own choice. He likes the unexpectedness of life and likes the idea that life will move on after him, that there will be something left behind him, outlive him, just like the cypress tree he is planning to plant.
Gambler's luck
Villanelle contemplates her obsession with the woman from the villa and what would have happened if she decided to go for the tenth day to be with her. She talks about the gambler's never-ending cycle of pushing the luck. The gambler is hoping to win, and the thought of losing excites him. When he wins he believes that luck will allow him to win again and it goes on like that. If she didn't break the cycle of obsession with that woman, Villanelle feels that she as well would have been trapped in this cycle of hope and thrill.
