the gambler-第19部分

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Madame　General　and　an　important　legateewould　not　lightly
surrender　the　position；　but　would　use　her　every　resource　of
coquetry　upon　the　old　lady；　in　order　to　afford　a　contrast　to　the
impetuous　Polina；　who　was　difficult　to　understand；　and　lacked
the　art　of　pleasing。　

Yet　now；　when
the　Grandmother　had　just　performed　an　astonishing　feat　at
roulette；　now；　when　the　old　lady's　personality　had　been　so
clearly　and　typically　revealed　as　that　of　a　rugged；　arrogant
woman　who　was　〃tombee　en　enfance〃；　now；　when　everything
appeared　to　be　lost；why；　now　the　Grandmother　was　as　merry　as　a
child　which　plays　with　thistle…down。　〃Good　Lord！〃　I　thought
with；　may　God　forgive　me；　a　most　malicious　smile；　〃every
ten…gulden　piece　which　the　Grandmother　staked　must　have　raised　a
blister　on　the　General's　heart；　and　maddened　De　Griers；　and
driven　Mlle。　de　Cominges　almost　to　frenzy　with　the　sight　of　this
spoon　dangling　before　her　lips。〃　Another　factor　is　the
circumstance　that　even　when；　overjoyed　at　winning；　the
Grandmother　was　distributing　alms　right　and　left；　and　
taking　every　one　to　be　a　beggar；　she　again　snapped
out　to　the　General　that　he　was　not　going　to　be　allowed　any　of
her　money　which　meant　that　the　old　lady　had　quite　made　up　her
mind　on　the　point；　and　was　sure　of　it。　Yes；　danger　loomed　ahead。

All　these　thoughts　passed　through　my　mind　during　the　few　moments
that；　having　left　the　old　lady's　rooms；　I　was　ascending　to　my　own　
room　on　the　top　storey。　What　most　struck　me　was　the　fact　that；　
though　I　had　divined　the　chief；　the　stoutest；　threads　which　
united　the　various　actors　in　the　drama；　I　had；　until　now；　been　
ignorant　of　the　methods　and　secrets　of　the　game。　For　Polina　had
never　been　completely　open　with　me。　Although；　on　occasions；　it
had　happened　that　involuntarily；　as　it　were；　she　had　revealed　
to　me　something　of　her　heart；　I　had　noticed　that　in　most　
casesin　fact；　nearly　alwaysshe　had　either　laughed　away　these
revelations；　or　grown　confused；　or　purposely　imparted　to　them　
a　false　guise。　Yes；　she　must　have　concealed　a　great　deal　from　me。　
But；　I　had　a　presentiment　that　now　the　end　of　this　strained　and　
mysterious　situation　was　approaching。　Another　stroke；　and　all　
would　be　finished　and　exposed。　Of　my　own　fortunes；　interested　
though　I　was　in　the　affair；　I　took　no　account。　I　was　in　the　
strange　position　of　possessing　but　two　hundred　gulden；　of　being　
at　a　loose　end；　of　lacking　both　a　post；　the　means　of　subsistence；　
a　shred　of　hope；　and　any　plans　for　the　future；　yet　of　caring　
nothing　for　these　things。　Had　not　my　mind　been　so　full　of　Polina；　
I　should　have　given　myself　up　to　the　comical　piquancy　of　the　
impending　denouement；　and　laughed　my　fill　at　it。　But　the　thought　
of　Polina　was　torture　to　me。　That　her　fate　was　settled　I　already　
had　an　inkling；　yet　that　was　not　the　thought　which　was　giving　me　
so　much　uneasiness。　What　I　really　wished　for　was　to　penetrate　her　
secrets。　I　wanted　her　to　come　to　me　and　say；　〃　I　love　you；　〃　and；　
if　she　would　not　so　come；　or　if　to　hope　that　she　would　ever　do　so　
was　an　unthinkable　absurditywhy；　then　there　was　nothing　else　for　
me　to　want。　Even　now　I　do　not　know　what　I　am　wanting。　I　feel　like　
a　man　who　has　lost　his　way。　I　yearn　but　to　be　in　her　presence；　and　
within　the　circle　of　her　light　and　splendourto　be　there　now；　and　
forever；　and　for　the　whole　of　my　life。　More　I　do　not　know。　How　
can　I　ever　bring　myself　to　leave　her？

On　reaching　the　third　storey　of　the　hotel　I　experienced　a　shock。　
I　was　just　passing　the　General's　suite　when　something　caused　me　
to　look　round。　Out　of　a　door　about　twenty　paces　away　there　was　
coming　Polina！　She　hesitated　for　a　moment　on　seeing　me；　and　
then　beckoned　me　to　her。

〃Polina　Alexandrovna！〃

〃Hush！　Not　so　loud。〃

〃Something　startled　me　just　now；〃　I　whispered；　〃and　I　looked　
round；　and　saw　you。　Some　electrical　influence　seems　to　emanate　
from　your　form。〃

〃Take　this　letter；〃　she　went　on　with　a　frown　（probably　she　had　
not　even　heard　my　words；　she　was　so　preoccupied）；　〃and　hand　it　
personally　to　Mr。　Astley。　Go　as　quickly　as　ever　you　can；　please。　
No　answer　will　be　required。　He　himself〃　She　did　not　finish　her　
sentence。

〃To　Mr。　Astley？〃　I　asked；　in　some　astonishment。

But　she　had　vanished　again。

Aha！　So　the　two　were　carrying　on　a　correspondence！　However；　I
set　off　to　search　for　Astleyfirst　at　his　hotel；　and　then　at　
the　Casino；　where　I　went　the　round　of　the　salons　in　vain。　At　
length；　vexed；　and　almost　in　despair；　I　was　on　my　way　home　
when　I　ran　across　him　among　a　troop　of　English　ladies　and　
gentlemen　who　had　been　out　for　a　ride。　Beckoning　to　him　to　
stop；　I　handed　him　the　letter。　We　had　barely　time　even　to　look　
at　one　another；　but　I　suspected　that　it　was　of　set　purpose　
that　he　restarted　his　horse　so　quickly。

Was　jealousy；　then；　gnawing　at　me？　At　all　events；　I　felt　
exceedingly　depressed；　despite　the　fact　that　I　had　no　desire　
to　ascertain　what　the　correspondence　was　about。　To　think　that　
HE　should　be　her　confidant！　〃My　friend；　mine　own　familiar　
friend！〃　passed　through　my　mind。　Yet　WAS　there　any　love　in　
the　matter？　〃Of　course　not；〃　reason　whispered　to　me。　But　
reason　goes　for　little　on　such　occasions。　I　felt　that　the　
matter　must　be　cleared　up；　for　it　was　becoming　unpleasantly　
complex。

I　had　scarcely　set　foot　in　the　hotel　when　the　commissionaire　
and　the　landlord　（the　latter　issuing　from　his　room　for　the　
purpose）　alike　informed　me　that　I　was　being　searched　for　high　
and　lowthat　three　separate　messages　to　ascertain　my　
whereabouts　had　come　down　from　the　General。　When　I　entered　his　
study　I　was　feeling　anything　but　kindly　disposed。　I　found　
there　the　General　himself；　De　Griers；　and　Mlle。　Blanche；　but　
not　Mlle。's　mother；　who　was　a　person　whom　her　reputed　
daughter　used　only　for　show　purposes；　since　in　all　matters　of　
business　the　daughter　fended　for　herself；　and　it　is　unlikely　
that　the　mother　knew　anything　about　them。

Some　very　heated　discussion　was　in　progress；　and　meanwhile　the　
door　of　the　study　was　openan　unprecedented　circumstance。　As　
I　approached　the　portals　I　could　hear　loud　voices　raised；　for　
mingled　with　the　pert；　venomous　accents　of　De　Griers　were　
Mlle。　Blanche's　excited；　impudently　abusive　tongue　and　the　
General's　plaintive　wail　as；　apparently；　he　sought　to　justify　
himself　in　something。　But　on　my　appearance　every　one　stopped　
speaking；　and　tried　to　put　a　better　face　upon　matters。　De　
Griers　smoothed　his　hair；　and　twisted　his　angry　face　into　a　
smileinto　the　mean；　studiedly　polite　French　smile　which　I　so　
detested；　while　the　downcast；　perplexed　General　assumed　an　air　
of　dignitythough　only　in　a　mechanical　way。　On　the　other　hand；　
Mlle。　Blanche　did　not　trouble　to　conceal　the　wrath　that　was　
sparkling　in　her　countenance；　but　bent　her　gaze　upon　me　with　
an　air　of　impatient　expectancy。　I　may　remark　that　hitherto　
she　had　treated　me　with　absolute　superciliousness；　and；　so　far　
from　answering　my　salutations；　had　always　ignored　them。

〃Alexis　Ivanovitch；〃　began　the　General　in　a　tone　of　
affectionate　upbraiding；　〃may　I　say　to　you　that　I　find　it　
strange；　exceedingly　strange；　thatIn　short；　your　conduct　
towards　myself　and　my　familyIn　a　word；　your…er…extremely〃

〃　Eh！　Ce　n'est　pas　ca；〃　interrupted　De　Griers　in　a　tone　of　
impatience　and　contempt　（evidently　he　was　the　ruling　spirit　
of　the　conclave）。　〃Mon　cher　monsieur；　notre　general　se　
trompe。　What　he　means　to　say　is　that　he　warns　youhe　begs　of　
you　most　eamestlynot　to　ruin　him。　I　use　the　expression　
because〃

〃Why？　Why？〃　I　interjected。

〃Because　you　have　taken　upon　yourself　to　act　as　guide　to　this；　
to　thishow　shall　I　express　it？to　this　old　lady；　a　cette　
pauvre　terrible　vieille。　But　she　will　only　gamble　away　all　
that　she　hasgamble　it　away　like　thistledown。　You　yourself　have　
seen　her　play。　Once　she　has　acquired　the　taste　for　gambling；　
she　will　never　leave　the　roulette…table；　but；　of　sheer　
perversity　and　temper；　will　stake　her　all；　and　lose　it。　In　
cases　such　as　hers　a　gambler　can　never　be　torn　away　from　the　
game；　and　thenand　then〃

〃And　then；〃　asseverated　the　General；　〃you　will　have　ruined　
my　whole　family。　I　and　my　family　are　her　heirs；　for　she　has　
no　nearer　relatives　than　ourselves。　I　tell　you　frankly　that　
my　affairs　are　in　greatvery　great　disorder；　how　much　they　are　
so　you　yourself　are　partially　aware。　If　she　should　lose　a　
large　sum；　or；　maybe；　her　whole　fortune；　what　will　become　of　
usof　my　children〃　（here　the　General　exchanged　a　glance　
with　De　Griers）〃　or　of　me？　〃（here　he　looked　at　Mlle。　
Blanche；　who　turned　her　head　contemptuously　away）。　〃Alexis　
Ivanovitch；　I　beg　of　you　to　save　us。〃

〃Tell　me；　General；　how　am　I　to　do　so？　On　what　footing　do　I　
stand　here？〃

〃Refuse　to　take　her　about。　Simply　leave　her　alone。〃

〃But　she　would　soon　find　some　one　else　to　take　my　place？〃

〃Ce　n'est　pas　ca；　ce　n'est　pas　ca；〃　again　interrupted　De　
Griers。　〃Que　diable！　Do　not　leave　her　alone　so　much　as　
advise　her；　persuade　her；　draw　her　away。　In　any　case　do　not　
let　her　gamble；　find　her　some　counter…attraction。〃

〃And　how　am　I　to　do　that？　If　only　you　would　undertake　the　
task；　Monsieur　de　Griers！　〃　I　said　this　last　as　innocently　as　
possible；　but　at　once　saw　a　rapid　glance　of　excited　
interrogation　pass　from　Mlle。　Blanche　to　De　Griers；　while　in　
the　face　of　the　latter　also　there　gleamed　something　which　he　
could　not　repress。

〃Well；　at　the　present　moment　she　would　refuse　to　accept　my　
services；〃　said　he　with　a　gesture。　〃But　if；　later〃

Here　he　gave　Mlle。　Blanche　another　glance　which　was　full　of　
meaning；　whereupon　she　advanced　towards　me　with　a　bewitching　
smile；　and　seized　and　pressed　my　hands。　Devil　take　it；　but　how　
that　devilish　visage　of　hers　could　change！　At　the　present　
moment　it　was　a　visage　full　of　supplication；　and　as　gentle　in　
its　expression　as　that　of　a　smiling；　roguish　infant。　
Stealthily；　she　drew　me　apart　from　the　rest　as　though　the　more　
completely　to　separate　me　from　them；　and；　though　no　harm　came　
of　her　doing　sofor　it　was　merely　a　stupid　manoeuvre；　and　no　
moreI　found　the　situation　very　unpleasant。

The　General　hastened　to　lend　her　his　support。

〃Alexis　Ivanovitch；〃　he　began；　〃pray　pardon　me　for　having　
said　what　I　did　just