the gambler-第12部分

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〃Nonothing。〃

〃Then　you　have　done　very　wrong　to　speak　of　them　to　me；　or　even
to　imagine　things　about　them。〃

〃Quite　so；　quite　so；〃　I　interrupted　in　some　astonishment。　〃I
admit　that。　Yet　that　is　not　the　question。〃　Whereupon　I　related
to　him　in　detail　the　incident　of　two　days　ago。　I　spoke　of
Polina's　outburst；　of　my　encounter　with　the　Baron；　of　my
dismissal；　of　the　General's　extraordinary　pusillanimity；　and　of
the　call　which　De　Griers　had　that　morning　paid　me。　In
conclusion；　I　showed　Astley　the　note　which　I　had　lately　received。

〃What　do　you　make　of　it？〃　I　asked。　〃When　I　met　you　I　was　just
coming　to　ask　you　your　opinion。　For　myself；　I　could　have　killed
this　Frenchman；　and　am　not　sure　that　I　shall　not　do　so　even　yet。〃

〃I　feel　the　same　about　it；〃　said　Mr。　Astley。　〃As　for　Mlle。
Polinawell；　you　yourself　know　that；　if　necessity　drives；　one
enters　into　relation　with　people　whom　one　simply　detests。　Even
between　this　couple　there　may　be　something　which；　though　unknown
to　you；　depends　upon　extraneous　circumstances。　For；　my　own　part；
I　think　that　you　may　reassure　yourselfor　at　all　events
partially。　And　as　for　Mlle。　Polina's　proceedings　of　two　days
ago；　they　were；　of　course；　strange；　not　because　she　can　have
meant　to　get　rid　of　you；　or　to　earn　for　you　a　thrashing　from　the
Baron's　cudgel　（which　for　some　curious　reason；　he　did　not　use；
although　he　had　it　ready　in　his　hands）；　but　because　such
proceedings　on　the　part　of　suchwell；　of　such　a　refined　lady　as
Mlle。　Polina　are；　to　say　the　least　of　it；　unbecoming。　But　she
cannot　have　guessed　that　you　would　carry　out　her　absurd　wish　to
the　letter？〃

〃Do　you　know　what？〃　suddenly　I　cried　as　I　fixed　Mr。　Astley
with　my　gaze。　〃I　believe　that　you　have　already　heard　the　story
from　some　onevery　possibly　from　Mlle。　Polina　herself？〃

In　return　he　gave　me　an　astonished　stare。

〃Your　eyes　look　very　fiery；〃　he　said　with　a　return　of　his
former　calm；　〃and　in　them　I　can　read　suspicion。　Now；　you　have
no　right　whatever　to　be　suspicious。　It　is　not　a　right　which　I
can　for　a　moment　recognise；　and　I　absolutely　refuse　to　answer
your　questions。〃

〃Enough！　You　need　say　no　more；〃　I　cried　with　a　strange　emotion
at　my　heart；　yet　not　altogether　understanding　what　had　aroused
that　emotion　in　my　breast。　Indeed；　when；　where；　and　how　could
Polina　have　chosen　Astley　to　be　one　of　her　confidants？　Of　late　I
had　come　rather　to　overlook　him　in　this　connection；　even　though
Polina　had　always　been　a　riddle　to　meso　much　so　that　now；　when
I　had　just　permitted　myself　to　tell　my　friend　of　my　infatuation
in　all　its　aspects；　I　had　found　myself　struck；　during　the　very
telling；　with　the　fact　that　in　my　relations　with　her　I　could
specify　nothing　that　was　explicit；　nothing　that　was　positive。　On
the　contrary；　my　relations　had　been　purely　fantastic；　strange；
and　unreal；　they　had　been　unlike　anything　else　that　I　could
think　of。

〃Very　well；　very　well；〃　I　replied　with　a　warmth　equal　to
Astley's　own。　〃Then　I　stand　confounded；　and　have　no　further
opinions　to　offer。　But　you　are　a　good　fellow；　and　I　am　glad　to
know　what　you　think　about　it　all；　even　though　I　do　not　need　your
advice。〃

Then；　after　a　pause；　I　resumed：

〃For　instance；　what　reason　should　you　assign　for　the　General
taking　fright　in　this　way？　Why　should　my　stupid　clowning　have
led　the　world　to　elevate　it　into　a　serious　incident？　Even　De
Griers　has　found　it　necessary　to　put　in　his　oar　（and　he　only
interferes　on　the　most　important　occasions）；　and　to　visit　me；
and　to　address　to　me　the　most　earnest　supplications。　Yes；　HE；　De
Griers；　has　actually　been　playing　the　suppliant　to　ME！　And；　mark
you；　although　he　came　to　me　as　early　as　nine　o'clock；　he　had
ready…prepared　in　his　hand　Mlle。　Polina's　note。　When；　I　would
ask；　was　that　note　written？　Mlle。　Polina　must　have　been　aroused
from　sleep　for　the　express　purpose　of　writing　it。　At　all　events
the　circumstance　shows　that　she　is　an　absolute　slave　to　the
Frenchman；　since　she　actually　begs　my　pardon　in　the
noteactually　begs　my　pardon！　Yet　what　is　her　personal　concern
in　the　matter？　Why　is　she　interested　in　it　at　all？　Why；　too；　is
the　whole　party　so　afraid　of　this　precious　Baron？　And　what　sort
of　a　business　do　you　call　it　for　the　General　to　be　going　to
marry　Mlle。　Blanche　de　Cominges？　He　told　me　last　night　that；
because　of　the　circumstance；　he　must　'move　with　especial　care　at
present。'　What　is　your　opinion　of　it　all？　Your　look　convinces　me
that　you　know　more　about　it　than　I　do。〃

Mr。　Astley　smiled　and　nodded。

〃Yes；　I　think　I　DO　know　more　about　it　than　you　do；〃　he
assented。　〃The　affair　centres　around　this　Mlle。　Blanche。　Of
that　I　feel　certain。〃

〃And　what　of　Mlle。　Blanche？〃　I　cried　impatiently　（for　in　me
there　had　dawned　a　sudden　hope　that　this　would　enable　me　to
discover　something　about　Polina）。

〃Well；　my　belief　is　that　at　the　present　moment　Mlle。　Blanche
has；　in　very　truth；　a　special　reason　for　wishing　to　avoid　any
trouble　with　the　Baron　and　the　Baroness。　　It　might　lead　not　only
to　some　unpleasantness；　but　even　to　a　scandal。〃

〃Oh；　oh！　〃

〃Also　I　may　tell　you　that　Mlle。　Blanche　has　been　in
Roulettenberg　before；　for　she　was　staying　here　three　seasons
ago。　I　myself　was　in　the　place　at　the　time；　and　in　those　days
Mlle。　Blanche　was　not　known　as　Mlle。　de　Cominges；　nor　was　her
mother；　the　Widow　de　Cominges；　even　in　existence。　In　any　case
no　one　ever　mentioned　the　latter。　De　Griers；　too；　had　not
materialised；　and　I　am　convinced　that　not　only　do　the　parties
stand　in　no　relation　to　one　another；　but　also　they　have　not　long
enjoyed　one　another's　acquaintance。　Likewise；　the　Marquisate　de
Griers　is　of　recent　creation。　Of　that　I　have　reason　to　be　sure；
owing　to　a　certain　circumstance。　Even　the　name　De　Griers　itself
may　be　taken　to　be　a　new　invention；　seeing　that　I　have　a　friend
who　once　met　the　said　'Marquis'　under　a　different　name
altogether。〃

〃Yet　he　possesses　a　good　circle　of　friends？〃

〃Possibly。　Mlle。　Blanche　also　may　possess　that。　Yet　it　is　not
three　years　since　she　received　from　the　local　police；　at　the
instance　of　the　Baroness；　an　invitation　to　leave　the　town。　And
she　left　it。〃

〃But　why？〃

〃Well；　I　must　tell　you　that　she　first　appeared　here　in　company
with　an　Italiana　prince　of　some　sort；　a　man　who　bore　an
historic　name　（Barberini　or　something　of　the　kind）。　The　fellow
was　simply　a　mass　of　rings　and　diamonds　　real　diamonds；　too　
and　the　couple　used　to　drive　out　in　a　marvellous　carriage。　At
first　Mlle。　Blanche　played　'trente　et　quarante'　with　fair　success；
but；　later；　her　luck　took　a　marked　change　for　the　worse。　I
distinctly　remember　that　in　a　single　evening　she　lost　an
enormous　sum。　But　worse　was　to　ensue；　for　one　fine　morning　her
prince　disappearedhorses；　carriage；　and　all。　Also；　the　hotel
bill　which　he　left　unpaid　was　enormous。　Upon　this　Mlle。　Zelma
（the　name　which　she　assumed　after　figuring　as　Madame　Barberini）
was　in　despair。　She　shrieked　and　howled　all　over　the　hotel；　and
even　tore　her　clothes　in　her　frenzy。　In　the　hotel　there　was
staying　also　a　Polish　count　（you　must　know　that　ALL　travelling
Poles　are　counts！）；　and　the　spectacle　of　Mlle。　Zelma　tearing　her
clothes　and；　catlike；　scratching　her　face　with　her　beautiful；
scented　nails　produced　upon　him　a　strong　impression。　So　the　pair
had　a　talk　together；　and；　by　luncheon　time；　she　was　consoled。
Indeed；　that　evening　the　couple　entered　the　Casino　arm…in…arm　
Mlle。　Zelma　laughing　loudly；　according　to　her　custom；　and
showing　even　more　expansiveness　in　her　manners　than　she　had
before　shown。　For　instance；　she　thrust　her　way　into　the　file　of
women　roulette…players　in　the　exact　fashion　of　those　ladies　who；
to　clear　a　space　for　themselves　at　the　tables；　push　their
fellow…players　roughly　aside。　Doubtless　you　have　noticed　them？〃

〃Yes；　certainly。〃

〃Well；　they　are　not　worth　noticing。　To　the　annoyance　of　the
decent　public　they　are　allowed　to　remain　hereat　all　events　such
of　them　as　daily　change　4000　franc　notes　at　the　tables　（though；
as　soon　as　ever　these　women　cease　to　do　so；　they　receive　an
invitation　to　depart）。　However；　Mlle。　Zelma　continued　to　change
notes　of　this　kind；　but　her　play　grew　more　and　more
unsuccessful；　despite　the　fact　that　such　ladies'　luck　is
frequently　good；　for　they　have　a　surprising　amount　of　cash　at
their　disposal。　Suddenly；　the　Count　too　disappeared；　even　as　the
Prince　had　done；　and　that　same　evening　Mlle。　Zelma　was　forced　to
appear　in　the　Casino　alone。　On　this　occasion　no　one　offered　her
a　greeting。　Two　days　later　she　had　come　to　the　end　of　her
resources；　whereupon；　after　staking　and　losing　her　last　louis
d'or　she　chanced　to　look　around　her；　and　saw　standing　by　her
side　the　Baron　Burmergelm；　who　had　been　eyeing　her　with　fixed
disapproval。　To　his　distaste；　however；　Mlle。　paid　no　attention；
but；　turning　to　him　with　her　well…known　smile；　requested　him　to
stake；　on　her　behalf；　ten　louis　on　the　red。　Later　that　evening　a
complaint　from　the　Baroness　led　the　authorities　to　request　Mlle。
not　to　re…enter　the　Casino。　If　you　feel　in　any　way　surprised
that　I　should　know　these　petty　and　unedifying　details；　the
reason　is　that　I　had　them　from　a　relative　of　mine　who；　later
that　evening；　drove　Mlle。　Zelma　in　his　carriage　from
Roulettenberg　to　Spa。　Now；　mark　you；　Mlle。　wants　to　become
Madame　General；　in　order　that；　in　future；　she　may　be　spared　the
receipt　of　such　invitations　from　Casino　authorities　as　she
received　three　years　ago。　At　present　she　is　not　playing；　but
that　is　only　because；　according　to　the　signs；　she　is　lending
money　to　other　players。　Yes；　that　is　a　much　more　paying　game。　I
even　suspect　that　the　unfortunate　General　is　himself　in　her
debt；　as　well　as；　perhaps；　also　De　Griers。　Or；　it　may　be　that　the
latter　has　entered　into　a　partnership　with　her。　Consequently　you
yourself　will　see　that；　until　the　marriage　shall　have　been
consummated；　Mlle。　would　scarcely　like　to　have　the　attention　of
the　Baron　and　the　Baroness　drawn　to　herself。　In　short；　to　any
one　in　her　position；　a　scandal　would　be　most　detrimental。　You
form　a　member　of　the　menage　of　these　people；　wherefore；　any　act
of　yours　might　cause　such　a　scandaland　the　more　so　since　daily
she　appears　in　public　arm　in　arm　with　the　General　or　with　Mlle。
Polina。　NOW　do　you　understand？〃

〃N