On one hand, Hermann seems unstable. He is obsessive enough to wait for hours under the one girl's window and, once he learns the three cards he must play, they "never left his thoughts, were constantly on his lips." (301) He comtemplated becoming the old lady's lover so as to learn her secret, and he is described as very superstitious. It is hard to believe a narrator such as that, especially when the supernatural things he sees are (as Marina said) so cliche. However, it is clear there is something going on with the three cards, as other people mention the story of how the countess won, and she seemed to obey the rules she told him. Thus, one would have a hard time claiming everything supernatural in this story happens in hermann's head. Either way, this story is mostly about Hermann's greed and ruthlessness, and how destructive that is.