the gambler-第10部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


him　altogether　change　his　tone　towards　me。　This　fact　I　took　into
my　calculations；　and　duly　noted　it；　for；　of　course；　he　MIGHT
apply　to　the　authorities　tomorrow；　and　it　behoved　me　to　go
carefully。

Yet　it　was　not　the　General　but　Polina　that　I　wanted　to　anger。
She　had　treated　me　with　such　cruelty；　and　had　got　me　into　such　a
hole；　that　I　felt　a　longing　to　force　her　to　beseech　me　to　stop。
Of　course；　my　tomfoolery　might　compromise　her；　yet　certain　other
feelings　and　desires　had　begun　to　form　themselves　in　my　brain。
If　I　was　never　to　rank　in　her　eyes　as　anything　but　a　nonentity；
it　would　not　greatly　matter　if　I　figured　as　a　draggle…tailed
cockerel；　and　the　Baron　were　to　give　me　a　good　thrashing；　but；
the　fact　was　that　I　desired　to　have　the　laugh　of　them　all；　and
to　come　out　myself　unscathed。　Let　people　see　what　they　WOULD
see。　Let　Polina；　for　once；　have　a　good　fright；　and　be　forced　to
whistle　me　to　heel　again。　But；　however　much　she　might　whistle；
she　should　see　that　I　was　at　least　no　draggle…tailed　cockerel！

。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

I　have　just　received　a　surprising　piece　of　news。　I　have　just　met
our　chambermaid　on　the　stairs；　and　been　informed　by　her　that
Maria　Philipovna　departed　today；　by　the　night　train；　to　stay
with　a　cousin　at　Carlsbad。　What　can　that　mean？　The　maid　declares
that　Madame　packed　her　trunks　early　in　the　day。　Yet　how　is　it
that　no　one　else　seems　to　have　been　aware　of　the　circumstance？
Or　is　it　that　I　have　been　the　only　person　to　be　unaware　of　it？
Also；　the　maid　has　just　told　me　that；　three　days　ago；　Maria
Philipovna　had　some　high　words　with　the　General。　I　understand；
then！　Probably　the　words　were　concerning　Mlle。　Blanche。
Certainly　something　decisive　is　approaching。

VII

In　the　morning　I　sent　for　the　maitre　d'hotel；　and　explained　to
him　that；　in　future；　my　bill　was　to　be　rendered　to　me
personally。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　my　expenses　had　never　been　so
large　as　to　alarm　me；　nor　to　lead　me　to　quit　the　hotel；　while；
moreover；　I　still　had　16o　gulden　left　to　me；　andin　themyes；　in
them；　perhaps；　riches　awaited　me。　It　was　a　curious　fact；　that；
though　I　had　not　yet　won　anything　at　play；　I　nevertheless　acted；
thought；　and　felt　as　though　I　were　sure；　before　long；　to　become
wealthy　since　I　could　not　imagine　myself　otherwise。

Next；　I　bethought　me；　despite　the　earliness　of　the　hour；　of　going
to　see　Mr。　Astley；　who　was　staying　at　the　Hotel　de　l'Angleterre
（a　hostelry　at　no　great　distance　from　our　own）。　But　suddenly　De
Griers　entered　my　room。　This　had　never　before　happened；　for　of
late　that　gentleman　and　I　had　stood　on　the　most　strained　and
distant　of　termshe　attempting　no　concealment　of　his　contempt
for　me　（he　even　made　an　express；　point　of　showing　it）；　and　I
having　no　reason　to　desire　his　company。　In　short；　I　detested
him。　Consequently；　his　entry　at　the　present　moment　the　more
astounded　me。　At　once　I　divined　that　something　out　of　the　way
was　on　the　carpet。

He　entered　with　marked　affability；　and　began　by　complimenting　me
on　my　room。　Then；　perceiving　that　I　had　my　hat　in　my　hands；　he
inquired　whither　I　was　going　so　early；　and；　no　sooner　did　he　hear
that　I　was　bound　for　Mr。　Astley's　than　he　stopped；　looked　grave；
and　seemed　plunged　in　thought。

He　was　a　true　Frenchman　insofar　as　that；　though　he　could　be
lively　and　engaging　when　it　suited　him；　he　became　insufferably
dull　and　wearisome　as　soon　as　ever　the　need　for　being　lively　and
engaging　had　passed。　Seldom　is　a　Frenchman　NATURALLY　civil：　he
is　civil　only　as　though　to　order　and　of　set　purpose。　Also；　if　he
thinks　it　incumbent　upon　him　to　be　fanciful；　original；　and　out
of　the　way；　his　fancy　always　assumes　a　foolish；　unnatural　vein；
for　the　reason　that　it　is　compounded　of　trite；　hackneyed　forms。
In　short；　the　natural　Frenchman　is　a　conglomeration　of
commonplace；　petty；　everyday　positiveness；　so　that　he　is　the
most　tedious　person　in　the　world。Indeed；　I　believe　that　none
but　greenhorns　and　excessively　Russian　people　feel　an　attraction
towards　the　French；　for；　to　any　man　of　sensibility；　such　a
compendium　of　outworn　formsa　compendium　which　is　built　up　of
drawing…room　manners；　expansiveness；　and　gaietybecomes　at　once
over…noticeable　and　unbearable。

〃I　have　come　to　see　you　on　business；〃　De　Griers　began　in　a　very
off…hand；　yet　polite；　tone；　〃nor　will　I　seek　to　conceal　from　you
the　fact　that　I　have　come　in　the　capacity　of　an　emissary；　of
an　intermediary；　from　the　General。　Having　small　knowledge　of　the
Russian　tongue；　I　lost　most　of　what　was　said　last　night；　but；　the
General　has　now　explained　matters；　and　I　must　confess　that〃

〃See　here；　Monsieur　de　Griers；〃　I　interrupted。　〃I　understand
that　you　have　undertaken　to　act　in　this　affair　as　an
intermediary。　Of　course　I　am　only　'un　utchitel；'　a　tutor；　and
have　never　claimed　to　be　an　intimate　of　this　household；　nor　to
stand　on　at　all　familiar　terms　with　it。　Consequently；　I　do　not　
know　the　whole　of　its　circumstances。　Yet　pray　explain　to　me　this：　
have　you　yourself　become　one　of　its　members；　seeing　that　you　are　
beginning　to　take　such　a　part　in　everything；　and　are　now　present　
as　an　intermediary？〃

The　Frenchman　seemed　not　over…pleased　at　my　question。　It　was　one
which　was　too　outspoken　for　his　tasteand　he　had　no　mind　to　be
frank　with　me。

〃I　am　connected　with　the　General；〃　he　said　drily；　〃partly
through　business　affairs；　and　partly　through　special
circumstances。　My　principal　has　sent　me　merely　to　ask　you　to
forego　your　intentions　of　last　evening。　What　you　contemplate　is；
I　have　no　doubt；　very　clever；　yet　he　has　charged　me　to　represent
to　you　that　you　have　not　the　slightest　chance　of　succeeding　in
your　end；　since　not　only　will　the　Baron　refuse　to　receive　you；
but　also　he　（the　Baron）　has　at　his　disposal　every　possible　means
for　obviating　further　unpleasantness　from　you。　Surely　you　can
see　that　yourself？　What；　then；　would　be　the　good　of　going　on
with　it　all？　On　the　other　hand；　the　General　promises　that　at　the
first　favourable　opportunity　he　will　receive　you　back　into　his
household；　and；　in　the　meantime；　will　credit　you　with　your
salarywith　'vos　appointements。'　Surely　that　will　suit　you；　will
it　not？〃

Very　quietly　I　replied　that　he　（the　Frenchman）　was　labouring
under　a　delusion；　that　perhaps；　after　all；　I　should　not　be
expelled　from　the　Baron's　presence；　but；　on　the　contrary；　be
listened　to；　finally；　that　I　should　be　glad　if　Monsieur　de
Griers　would　confess　that　he　was　now　visiting　me　merely　in　order
to　see　how　far　I　intended　to　go　in　the　affair。

〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　de　Griers。　〃Seeing　that　the　General
takes　such　an　interest　in　the　matter；　is　there　anything　very
unnatural　in　his　desiring　also　to　know　your　plans？　〃

Again　I　began　my　explanations；　but　the　Frenchman　only　fidgeted
and　rolled　his　head　about　as　he　listened　with　an　expression　of
manifest　and　unconcealed　irony　on　his　face。　In　short；　he　adopted
a　supercilious　attitude。　For　my　own　part；　I　endeavoured　to
pretend　that　I　took　the　affair　very　seriously。　I　declared　that；
since　the　Baron　had　gone　and　complained　of　me　to　the　General；　as
though　I　were　a　mere　servant　of　the　General's；　he　had；　in　the
first　place；　lost　me　my　post；　and；　in　the　second　place；　treated
me　like　a　person　to　whom；　as　to　one　not　qualified　to　answer　for
himself；　it　was　not　even　worth　while　to　speak。　Naturally；　I
said；　I　felt　insulted　at　this。　Yet；　comprehending　as　I　did；
differences　of　years；　of　social　status；　and　so　forth　（here　I
could　scarcely　help　smiling）；　I　was　not　anxious　to　bring　about
further　scenes　by　going　personally　to　demand　or　to　request
satisfaction　of　the　Baron。　All　that　I　felt　was　that　I　had　a
right　to　go　in　person　and　beg　the　Baron's　and　the　Baroness's
pardonthe　more　so　since；　of　late；　I　had　been　feeling　unwell　and
unstrung；　and　had　been　in　a　fanciful　condition。　And　so　forth；
and　so　forth。　Yet　（I　continued）　the　Baron's　offensive　behaviour
to　me　of　yesterday　（that　is　to　say；　the　fact　of　his　referring
the　matter　to　the　General）　as　well　as　his　insistence　that　the
General　should　deprive　me　of　my　post；　had　placed　me　in　such　a
position　that　I　could　not　well　express　my　regret　to　him　（the
Baron）　and　to　his　good　lady；　for　the　reason　that　in　all
probability　both　he　and　the　Baroness；　with　the　world　at　large；
would　imagine　that　I　was　doing　so　merely　because　I　hoped；　by　my
action；　to　recover　my　post。　Hence；　I　found　myself　forced　to
request　the　Baron　to　express　to　me　HIS　OWN　regrets；　as　well　as
to　express　them　in　the　most　unqualified　mannerto　say；　in　fact；
that　he　had　never　had　any　wish　to　insult　me。　After　the　Baron　had
done　THAT；　I　should；　for　my　part；　at　once　feel　free　to　express
to　him；　whole…heartedly　and　without　reserve；　my　own　regrets。〃
In　short；〃　I　declared　in　conclusion；　〃　my　one　desire　is　that　the
Baron　may　make　it　possible　for　me　to　adopt　the　latter　course。〃

〃Oh　fie！　What　refinements　and　subtleties！〃　exclaimed　De
Griers。　〃Besides；　what　have　you　to　express　regret　for？　Confess；
Monsieur；　Monsieurpardon　me；　but　I　have　forgotten　your
nameconfess；　I　say；　that　all　this　is　merely　a　plan　to　annoy　the
General？　Or　perhaps；　you　have　some　other　and　special　end　in
view？　Eh？〃

〃In　return　you　must　pardon　ME；　mon　cher　Marquis；　and　tell　me
what　you　have　to　do　with　it。〃

〃The　General〃

〃But　what　of　the　General？　Last　night　he　said　that；　for　some
reason　or　another；　it　behoved　him　to　'move　with　especial　care　at
present；'　wherefore；　he　was　feeling　nervous。　But　I　did　not
understand　the　reference。〃

〃Yes；　there　DO　exist　special　reasons　for　his　doing　so；〃
assented　De　Griers　in　a　conciliatory　tone；　yet　with　rising
anger。　〃You　are　acquainted　with　Mlle。　de　Cominges；　are　you　not？〃

〃Mlle。　Blanche；　you　mean？〃

〃Yes；　Mlle。　Blanche　de　Cominges。　Doubtless　you　know　also　that
the　General　is　in　love　with　this　young　lady；　and　may　even　be
about　to　marry　her　before　he　leaves　here？　Imagine；　therefore；
what　any　scene　or　scandal　would　entail　upon　him！〃

〃I　cannot　see　that　the　marriage　scheme　need；　be　affected　by
scenes　or　scandals。〃

〃Mais　le　Baron　est　si　irascibleun　caractere　prussien；　vous
savez！　Enfin　il　fera　une　querelle　d'Allemand。〃

〃I　do　not　care；〃　I　replied；　〃seeing　that　I　no　longer　belong　to
his　household〃　（of　set　purpose　I　was　trying　to　talk　as
senselessly　as　possib