the gambler-第1部分

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The　Gambler

by　Fyodor　Dostoyevsky

Translated　by　CJ　Hogarth




I

At　length　I　returned　from　two　weeks　leave　of　absence　to　find
that　my　patrons　had　arrived　three　days　ago　in　Roulettenberg。　I
received　from　them　a　welcome　quite　different　to　that　which　I　had
expected。　The　General　eyed　me　coldly；　greeted　me　in　rather
haughty　fashion；　and　dismissed　me　to　pay　my　respects　to　his
sister。　It　was　clear　that　from　SOMEWHERE　money　had　been
acquired。　I　thought　I　could　even　detect　a　certain　shamefacedness
in　the　General's　glance。　Maria　Philipovna；　too；　seemed
distraught；　and　conversed　with　me　with　an　air　of　detachment。
Nevertheless；　she　took　the　money　which　I　handed　to　her；　counted
it；　and　listened　to　what　I　had　to　tell。　To　luncheon　there　were
expected　that　day　a　Monsieur　Mezentsov；　a　French　lady；　and　an
Englishman；　for；　whenever　money　was　in　hand；　a　banquet　in
Muscovite　style　was　always　given。　Polina　Alexandrovna；　on　seeing
me；　inquired　why　I　had　been　so　long　away。　Then；　without　waiting
for　an　answer；　she　departed。　Evidently　this　was　not　mere
accident；　and　I　felt　that　I　must　throw　some　light　upon　matters。
It　was　high　time　that　I　did　so。

I　was　assigned　a　small　room　on　the　fourth　floor　of　the　hotel
（for　you　must　know　that　I　belonged　to　the　General's　suite）。　So
far　as　I　could　see；　the　party　had　already　gained　some　notoriety
in　the　place；　which　had　come　to　look　upon　the　General　as　a
Russian　nobleman　of　great　wealth。　Indeed；　even　before　luncheon
he　charged　me；　among　other　things；　to　get　two　thousand…franc
notes　changed　for　him　at　the　hotel　counter；　which　put　us　in　a
position　to　be　thought　millionaires　at　all　events　for　a　week！
Later；　I　was　about　to　take　Mischa　and　Nadia　for　a　walk　when　a
summons　reached　me　from　the　staircase　that　I　must　attend　the
General。　He　began　by　deigning　to　inquire　of　me　where　I　was　going
to　take　the　children；　and　as　he　did　so；　I　could　see　that　he
failed　to　look　me　in　the　eyes。　He　WANTED　to　do　so；　but　each　time
was　met　by　me　with　such　a　fixed；　disrespectful　stare　that　he
desisted　in　confusion。　In　pompous　language；　however；　which
jumbled　one　sentence　into　another；　and　at　length　grew
disconnected；　he　gave　me　to　understand　that　I　was　to　lead　the
children　altogether　away　from　the　Casino；　and　out　into　the　park。
Finally　his　anger　exploded；　and　he　added　sharply：

〃I　suppose　you　would　like　to　take　them　to　the　Casino　to　play
roulette？　Well；　excuse　my　speaking　so　plainly；　but　I　know　how
addicted　you　are　to　gambling。　Though　I　am　not　your　mentor；　nor
wish　to　be；　at　least　I　have　a　right　to　require　that　you　shall
not　actually　compromise　me。〃

〃I　have　no　money　for　gambling；〃　I　quietly　replied。

〃But　you　will　soon　be　in　receipt　of　some；〃　retorted　the
General；　reddening　a　little　as　he　dived　into　his　writing　desk
and　applied　himself　to　a　memorandum　book。　From　it　he　saw　that　he
had　120　roubles　of　mine　in　his　keeping。

〃Let　us　calculate；〃　he　went　on。　〃We　must　translate　these
roubles　into　thalers。　Heretake　100　thalers；　as　a　round　sum。　The
rest　will　be　safe　in　my　hands。〃

In　silence　I　took　the　money。

〃You　must　not　be　offended　at　what　I　say；〃　he　continued。　〃You
are　too　touchy　about　these　things。　What　I　have　said　I　have　said
merely　as　a　warning。　To　do　so　is　no　more　than　my　right。〃

When　returning　home　with　the　children　before　luncheon；　I　met　a
cavalcade　of　our　party　riding　to　view　some　ruins。　Two　splendid
carriages；　magnificently　horsed；　with　Mlle。　Blanche；　Maria
Philipovna；　and　Polina　Alexandrovna　in　one　of　them；　and　the
Frenchman；　the　Englishman；　and　the　General　in　attendance　on
horseback！　The　passers…by　stopped　to　stare　at　them；　for　the
effect　was　splendidthe　General　could　not　have　improved　upon　it。
I　calculated　that；　with　the　4000　francs　which　I　had　brought　with
me；　added　to　what　my　patrons　seemed　already　to　have　acquired；
the　party　must　be　in　possession　of　at　least　7000　or　8000
francsthough　that　would　be　none　too　much　for　Mlle。　Blanche；
who；　with　her　mother　and　the　Frenchman；　was　also　lodging　in　our
hotel。　The　latter　gentleman　was　called　by　the　lacqueys　
〃Monsieur　le　Comte；〃　and　Mlle。　Blanche's　mother　was　dubbed　
〃Madame　la　Comtesse。〃　Perhaps　in　very　truth　they　WERE　〃Comte　et
Comtesse。〃

I　knew　that　〃Monsieur　le　Comte〃　would　take　no　notice　of　me
when　we　met　at　dinner；　as　also　that　the　General　would　not　dream
of　introducing　us；　nor　of　recommending　me　to　the　〃Comte。〃
However；　the　latter　had　lived　awhile　in　Russia；　and　knew　that
the　person　referred　to　as　an　〃uchitel〃　is　never　looked　upon　as
a　bird　of　fine　feather。　Of　course；　strictly　speaking；　he　knew
me；　but　I　was　an　uninvited　guest　at　the　luncheonthe　General
had　forgotten　to　arrange　otherwise；　or　I　should　have　been
dispatched　to　dine　at　the　table　d'hote。　Nevertheless；　I　presented
myself　in　such　guise　that　the　General　looked　at　me　with　a　touch
of　approval；　and；　though　the　good　Maria　Philipovna　was　for
showing　me　my　place；　the　fact　of　my　having　previously　met　the
Englishman；　Mr。　Astley；　saved　me；　and　thenceforward　I　figured　as
one　of　the　company。

This　strange　Englishman　I　had　met　first　in　Prussia；　where　we　had
happened　to　sit　vis…a…vis　in　a　railway　train　in　which　I　was
travelling　to　overtake　our　party；　while；　later；　I　had　run　across
him　in　France；　and　again　in　Switzerlandtwice　within　the　space
of　two　weeks！　To　think；　therefore；　that　I　should　suddenly
encounter　him　again　here；　in　Roulettenberg！　Never　in　my　life　had
I　known　a　more　retiring　man；　for　he　was　shy　to　the　pitch　of
imbecility；　yet　well　aware　of　the　fact　（for　he　was　no　fool）。　At
the　same　time；　he　was　a　gentle；　amiable　sort　of　an　individual；
and；　even　on　our　first　encounter　in　Prussia　I　had　contrived　to
draw　him　out；　and　he　had　told　me　that　he　had　just　been　to　the
North　Cape；　and　was　now　anxious　to　visit　the　fair　at　Nizhni
Novgorod。　How　he　had　come　to　make　the　General's　acquaintance　I
do　not　know；　but；　apparently；　he　was　much　struck　with　Polina。
Also；　he　was　delighted　that　I　should　sit　next　him　at　table；　for
he　appeared　to　look　upon　me　as　his　bosom　friend。

During　the　meal　the　Frenchman　was　in　great　feather：　he　was
discursive　and　pompous　to　every　one。　In　Moscow　too；　I
remembered；　he　had　blown　a　great　many　bubbles。　Interminably　he
discoursed　on　finance　and　Russian　politics；　and　though；　at
times；　the　General　made　feints　to　contradict　him；　he　did　so
humbly；　and　as　though　wishing　not　wholly　to　lose　sight　of　his
own　dignity。

For　myself；　I　was　in　a　curious　frame　of　mind。　Even　before
luncheon　was　half　finished　I　had　asked　myself　the　old；　eternal
question：　〃WHY　do　I　continue　to　dance　attendance　upon　the
General；　instead　of　having　left　him　and　his　family　long　ago？〃
Every　now　and　then　I　would　glance　at　Polina　Alexandrovna；　but
she　paid　me　no　attention；　until　eventually　I　became　so　irritated
that　I　decided　to　play　the　boor。

First　of　all　I　suddenly；　and　for　no　reason　whatever；　plunged
loudly　and　gratuitously　into　the　general　conversation。　Above
everything　I　wanted　to　pick　a　quarrel　with　the　Frenchman；　and；
with　that　end　in　view　I　turned　to　the　General；　and　exclaimed　in
an　overbearing　sort　of　wayindeed；　I　think　that　I　actually
interrupted　himthat　that　summer　it　had　been　almost　impossible
for　a　Russian　to　dine　anywhere　at　tables　d'hote。　The　General
bent　upon　me　a　glance　of　astonishment。

〃If　one　is　a　man　of　self…respect；〃　I　went　on；　〃one　risks　abuse
by　so　doing；　and　is　forced　to　put　up　with　insults　of　every　kind。
Both　at　Paris　and　on　the　Rhine；　and　even　in　Switzerlandthere
are　so　many　Poles；　with　their　sympathisers；　the　French；　at　these
tables　d'hote　that　one　cannot　get　a　word　in　edgeways　if　one
happens　only　to　be　a　Russian。〃

This　I　said　in　French。　The　General　eyed　me　doubtfully；　for　he
did　not　know　whether　to　be　angry　or　merely　to　feel　surprised
that　I　should　so　far　forget　myself。

〃Of　course；　one　always　learns　SOMETHING　EVERYWHERE；〃　said　the
Frenchman　in　a　careless；　contemptuous　sort　of　tone。

〃In　Paris；　too；　I　had　a　dispute　with　a　Pole；〃　I　continued；　
〃and　then　with　a　French　officer　who　supported　him。　After　that　a
section　of　the　Frenchmen　present　took　my　part。　They　did　so　as
soon　as　I　told　them　the　story　of　how　once　I　threatened　to　spit
into　Monsignor's　coffee。〃

〃To　spit　into　it？〃　the　General　inquired　with　grave　disapproval
in　his　tone；　and　a　stare；　of　astonishment；　while　the　Frenchman
looked　at　me　unbelievingly。

〃Just　so；〃　I　replied。　〃You　must　know　that；　on　one　occasion；
when；　for　two　days；　I　had　felt　certain　that　at　any　moment　I
might　have　to　depart　for　Rome　on　business；　I　repaired　to　the
Embassy　of　the　Holy　See　in　Paris；　to　have　my　passport　visaed。
There　I　encountered　a　sacristan　of　about　fifty；　and　a　man　dry
and　cold　of　mien。　After　listening　politely；　but　with　great
reserve；　to　my　account　of　myself；　this　sacristan　asked　me　to
wait　a　little。　I　was　in　a　great　hurry　to　depart；　but　of　course　I
sat　down；　pulled　out　a　copy　of　L'Opinion　Nationale；　and　fell　to
reading　an　extraordinary　piece　of　invective　against　Russia　which
it　happened　to　contain。　As　I　was　thus　engaged　I　heard　some　one
enter　an　adjoining　room　and　ask　for　Monsignor；　after　which　I　saw
the　sacristan　make　a　low　bow　to　the　visitor；　and　then　another
bow　as　the　visitor　took　his　leave。　I　ventured　to　remind　the　good
man　of　my　own　business　also；　whereupon；　with　an　expression　of；
if　anything；　increased　dryness；　he　again　asked　me　to　wait。　Soon
a　third　visitor　arrived　who；　like　myself；　had　come　on　business
（he　was　an　Austrian　of　some　sort）；　and　as　soon　as　ever　he　had
stated　his　errand　he　was　conducted　upstairs！　This　made　me　very
angry。　I　rose；　approached　the　sacristan；　and　told　him　that；
since　Monsignor　was　receiving　callers；　his　lordship　might　just
as　well　finish　off　my　affair　as　well。　Upon　this　the　sacristan
shrunk　back　in　astonishment。　It　simply　passed　his　understanding
that　any　insignificant　Russian　should　dare　to　compare　himself
with　other　visitors　of　Monsignor's！　In　a　tone　of　the　utmost
effrontery；　as　though　he　were　delighted　to　have　a　chance　of
insulting　me；　he　looked　me　up　and　down；　and　then　said：　〃Do　you
suppose　that　Monsignor　is　going　to　put　aside　his　coffee　for　YOU？〃　
But　I　only　cried　the　louder：　〃Let　me　tell　you　that　I　am
going　to　SPIT　into　that　coffee！　Yes；　and　if　you　do　not　get　me　my
passp