The Gambler’s Profit

The gambler returned late at night, and as usual, his wife opened the door, frowning at him. However, the husband was beaming with happiness. She thought that, at last, he had come home with some winnings, a welcome change from all the times he had lost.

“It seems you have won some money tonight!” she observed.

“You call four thousand rupees just some money? It’s a lot, isn’t it?” he replied, his smile widening.

The wife agreed that it was indeed a substantial amount. “Where is the money?” she asked, curiosity piqued.

“You won’t see the money, but my profit cannot be disputed. I lost five thousand rupees, and unfortunately, I had no cash to pay. The casino was pleased to take possession of my diamond ring in lieu of that amount,” he explained.
“Now, do you remember how much I paid for that ring? It was only a thousand rupees. Do you now realize how I made a clean profit of four thousand?” the happy gambler concluded, his joy juxtaposed with the bittersweet nature of his win.