the gambler-第2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！


going　to　SPIT　into　that　coffee！　Yes；　and　if　you　do　not　get　me　my
passport　visaed　this　very　minute；　I　shall　take　it　to　Monsignor
myself。〃

〃What？　While　he　is　engaged　with　a　Cardinal？　screeched　the
sacristan；　again　shrinking　back　in　horror。　Then；　rushing　to　the
door；　he　spread　out　his　arms　as　though　he　would　rather　die　than
let　me　enter。

Thereupon　I　declared　that　I　was　a　heretic　and　a　barbarian〃Je
suis　heretique　et　barbare；〃　I　said；　〃and　that　these　archbishops
and　cardinals　and　monsignors；　and　the　rest　of　them；　meant
nothing　at　all　to　me。　In　a　word；　I　showed　him　that　I　was　not
going　to　give　way。　He　looked　at　me　with　an　air　of　infinite
resentment。　Then　he　snatched　up　my　passport；　and　departed　with
it　upstairs。　A　minute　later　the　passport　had　been　visaed！　Here
it　is　now；　if　you　care　to　see　it；〃and　I　pulled　out　the
document；　and　exhibited　the　Roman　visa。

〃But〃　the　General　began。

〃What　really　saved　you　was　the　fact　that　you　proclaimed
yourself　a　heretic　and　a　barbarian；〃　remarked　the　Frenchman　with
a　smile。　〃Cela　n'etait　pas　si　bete。〃

〃But　is　that　how　Russian　subjects　ought　to　be　treated？　Why；
when　they　settle　here　they　dare　not　utter　even　a　wordthey　are
ready　even　to　deny　the　fact　that　they　are　Russians！　At　all
events；　at　my　hotel　in　Paris　I　received　far　more　attention　from
the　company　after　I　had　told　them　about　the　fracas　with　the
sacristan。　A　fat　Polish　nobleman；　who　had　been　the　most
offensive　of　all　who　were　present　at　the　table　d'hote；　at　once
went　upstairs；　while　some　of　the　Frenchmen　were　simply　disgusted
when　I　told　them　that　two　years　ago　I　had　encountered　a　man　at
whom；　in　1812；　a　French　'hero'　fired　for　the　mere　fun　of
discharging　his　musket。　That　man　was　then　a　boy　of　ten　and　his
family　are　still　residing　in　Moscow。〃

〃Impossible！〃　the　Frenchman　spluttered。　〃No　French　soldier
would　fire　at　a　child！〃

〃Nevertheless　the　incident　was　as　I　say；〃　I　replied。　〃A　very　respected　
ex…captain　told　me　the　story；　and　I　myself　could　see　the　scar　left　on　
his　cheek。〃

The　Frenchman　then　began　chattering　volubly；　and　the　General
supported　him；　but　I　recommended　the　former　to　read；　for
example；　extracts　from　the　memoirs　of　General　Perovski；　who；　in
1812；　was　a　prisoner　in　the　hands　of　the　French。　Finally　Maria
Philipovna　said　something　to　interrupt　the　conversation。　The
General　was　furious　with　me　for　having　started　the　altercation
with　the　Frenchman。　On　the　other　hand；　Mr。　Astley　seemed　to　take
great　pleasure　in　my　brush　with　Monsieur；　and；　rising　from　the
table；　proposed　that　we　should　go　and　have　a　drink　together。　The
same　afternoon；　at　four　o'clock；　I　went　to　have　my　customary
talk　with　Polina　Alexandrovna；　and；　the　talk　soon　extended　to　a
stroll。　We　entered　the　Park；　and　approached　the　Casino；　where
Polina　seated　herself　upon　a　bench　near　the　fountain；　and　sent
Nadia　away　to　a　little　distance　to　play　with　some　other
children。　Mischa　also　I　dispatched　to　play　by　the　fountain；　and
in　this　fashion　wethat　is　to　say；　Polina　and　myselfcontrived
to　find　ourselves　alone。

Of　course；　we　began　by　talking　on　business　matters。　Polina
seemed　furious　when　I　handed　her　only　700　gulden；　for　she　had
thought　to　receive　from　Paris；　as　the　proceeds　of　the　pledging
of　her　diamonds；　at　least　2000　gulden；　or　even　more。

〃Come　what　may；　I　MUST　have　money；〃　she　said。　〃And　get　it　somehow
I　willotherwise　I　shall　be　ruined。〃

I　asked　her　what　had　happened　during　my　absence。

〃Nothing；　except　that　two　pieces　of　news　have　reached　us　from
St。　Petersburg。　In　the　first　place；　my　grandmother　is　very　ill；
and　unlikely　to　last　another　couple　of　days。　We　had　this　from
Timothy　Petrovitch　himself；　and　he　is　a　reliable　person。　Every
moment　we　are　expecting　to　receive　news　of　the　end。〃

〃All　of　you　are　on　the　tiptoe　of　expectation？　〃　I　queried。

〃Of　courseall　of　us；　and　every　minute　of　the　day。　For　a
year…and…a…half　now　we　have　been　looking　for　this。〃

〃Looking　for　it？〃

〃Yes；　looking　for　it。　I　am　not　her　blood　relation；　
you　knowI　am　merely　the　General's　step…daughter。　　Yet　I　am
certain　that　the　old　lady　has　remembered　me　in　her　will。〃

〃Yes；　I　believe　that　you　WILL　come　in　for　a　good　deal；〃　I　said
with　some　assurance。

〃Yes；　for　she　is　fond　of　me。　But　how　come　you　to　think　so？〃

I　answered　this　question　with　another　one。　〃That　Marquis　of
yours；〃　I　said；　〃is　HE　also　familiar　with　your　family　secrets？〃

〃And　why　are　you　yourself　so　interested　in　them？〃　was　her　retort
as　she　eyed　me　with　dry　grimness。

〃Never　mind。　If　I　am　not　mistaken；　the　General　has　succeeded　in
borrowing　money　of　the　Marquis。〃

〃It　may　be　so。〃

〃Is　it　likely　that　the　Marquis　would　have　lent　the　money　if　he
had　not　known　something　or　other　about　your　grandmother？　Did　you
notice；　too；　that　three　times　during　luncheon；　when　speaking　of
her；　he　called　her　'La　Baboulenka'？　＇Dear　little　Grandmother＇。　
What　loving；　friendly　behaviour；　to　be　sure！〃

〃Yes；　that　is　true。　As　soon　as　ever　he　learnt　that　I　was　likely
to　inherit　something　from　her　he　began　to　pay　me　his　addresses。
I　thought　you　ought　to　know　that。〃

〃Then　he　has　only　just　begun　his　courting？　Why；　I　thought　he
had　been　doing　so　a　long　while！〃

〃You　KNOW　he　has　not；〃　retorted　Polina　angrily。　〃But　where　on　
earth　did　you　pick　up　this　Englishman？〃　She　said　this　after　a　pause。

〃I　KNEW　you　would　ask　about　him！〃　Whereupon　I　told　her　of　my
previous　encounters　with　Astley　while　travelling。

〃He　is　very　shy；〃　I　said；　〃and　susceptible。　Also；　he　is　in
love　with　you。〃

〃Yes；　he　is　in　love　with　me；〃　she　replied。

〃And　he　is　ten　times　richer　than　the　Frenchman。　In　fact；　what
does　the　Frenchman　possess？　To　me　it　seems　at　least　doubtful
that　he　possesses　anything　at　all。〃

〃Oh；　no；　there　is　no　doubt　about　it。　He　does　possess　
some　chateau　or　other。　Last　night　the　General　told　me　that　for
certain。　NOW　are　you　satisfied？　〃

〃Nevertheless；　in　your　place　I　should　marry　the　Englishman。〃

〃And　why？〃　asked　Polina。

〃Because；　though　the　Frenchman　is　the　handsomer　of　the　two；　he
is　also　the　baser；　whereas　the　Englishman　is　not　only　a　man　of
honour；　but　ten　times　the　wealthier　of　the　pair。〃

〃Yes？　But　then　the　Frenchman　is　a　marquis；　and　the　cleverer　of
the　two；〃　remarked　Polina　imperturbably。

〃Is　that　so？〃　I　repeated。

〃Yes；　absolutely。〃

Polina　was　not　at　all　pleased　at　my　questions；　I　could　see　that
she　was　doing　her　best　to　irritate　me　with　the　brusquerie　of　her
answers。　But　I　took　no　notice　of　this。

〃It　amuses　me　to　see　you　grow　angry；〃　she　continued。　〃However；
inasmuch　as　I　allow　you　to　indulge　in　these　questions　and
conjectures；　you　ought　to　pay　me　something　for　the　privilege。〃

〃I　consider　that　I　have　a　perfect　right　to　put　these　questions
to　you；〃　was　my　calm　retort；　〃for　the　reason　that　I　am　ready　to
pay　for　them；　and　also　care　little　what　becomes　of　me。〃

Polina　giggled。

〃Last　time　you　told　mewhen　on　the　Shlangenbergthat　at　a
word　from　me　you　would　be　ready　to　jump　down　a　thousand　feet
into　the　abyss。　Some　day　I　may　remind　you　of　that　saying；　in
order　to　see　if　you　will　be　as　good　as　your　word。　Yes；　you　may
depend　upon　it　that　I　shall　do　so。　I　hate　you　because　I　have
allowed　you　to　go　to　such　lengths；　and　I　also　hate　you　and　still
morebecause　you　are　so　necessary　to　me。　For　the　time　being　I
want　you；　so　I　must　keep　you。〃

Then　she　made　a　movement　to　rise。　Her　tone　had　sounded　very
angry。　Indeed；　of　late　her　talks　with　me　had　invariably　ended　on
a　note　of　temper　and　irritationyes；　of　real　temper。

〃May　I　ask　you　who　is　this　Mlle。　Blanche？〃　I　inquired　（since　I
did　not　wish　Polina　to　depart　without　an　explanation）。

〃You　KNOW　who　she　isjust　Mlle。　Blanche。　Nothing　further　has
transpired。　Probably　she　will　soon　be　Madame　Generalthat　is　to
say；　if　the　rumours　that　Grandmamma　is　nearing　her　end　should
prove　true。　Mlle。　Blanche；　with　her　mother　and　her　cousin；　the
Marquis；　know　very　well　that；　as　things　now　stand；　we　are
ruined。〃

〃And　is　the　General　at　last　in　love？〃

〃That　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　Listen　to　me。　Take　these　700
florins；　and　go　and　play　roulette　with　them。　Win　as　much　for　me
as　you　can；　for　I　am　badly　in　need　of　money。

So　saying；　she　called　Nadia　back　to　her　side；　and　entered　the
Casino；　where　she　joined　the　rest　of　our　party。　For　myself；　I
took；　in　musing　astonishment；　the　first　path　to　the　left。
Something　had　seemed　to　strike　my　brain　when　she　told　me　to　go
and　play　roulette。　Strangely　enough；　that　something　had　also
seemed　to　make　me　hesitate；　and　to　set　me　analysing　my　feelings
with　regard　to　her。　In　fact；　during　the　two　weeks　of　my　absence
I　had　felt　far　more　at　my　ease　than　I　did　now；　on　the　day　of　my
return；　although；　while　travelling；　I　had　moped　like　an
imbecile；　rushed　about　like　a　man　in　a　fever；　and　actually
beheld　her　in　my　dreams。　Indeed；　on　one　occasion　（this　happened
in　Switzerland；　when　I　was　asleep　in　the　train）　I　had　spoken
aloud　to　her；　and　set　all　my　fellow…travellers　laughing。　Again；
therefore；　I　put　to　myself　the　question：　〃Do　I；　or　do　I　not
love　her？〃　and　again　I　could　return　myself　no　answer　or；
rather；　for　the　hundredth　time　I　told　myself　that　I　detested
her。　Yes；　I　detested　her；　there　were　moments　（more　especially　at
the　close　of　our　talks　together）　when　I　would　gladly　have　given
half　my　life　to　have　strangled　her！　I　swear　that；　had　there；　at
such　moments；　been　a　sharp　knife　ready　to　my　hand；　I　would　have
seized　that　knife　with　pleasure；　and　plunged　it　into　her　breast。
Yet　I　also　swear　that　if；　on　the　Shlangenberg；　she　had　REALLY
said　to　me；　〃Leap　into　that　abyss；〃　I　should　have　leapt　into
it；　and　with　equal　pleasure。　Yes；　this　I　knew　well。　One　way　or
the　other；　the　thing　must　soon　be　ended。　She；　too；　knew　it　in
some　curious　way；　the　thought　that　I　was　fully　conscious　of　her
inaccessibility；　and　of　the　impossibility　of　my　ever　realising
my　dreams；　afforded　her；　I　am　certain；　the　keenest　possible
pleasure。　Otherwise；　is　it　likely　that　she；　the　cautious　and
clever　woman　that　she　was；　would　have　indulged　in　this
familiarity　and　openness　with　me？　Hitherto　（I　concluded）　she　had
looked　upon　me　in　the　same　light　that　the　old　Empress　did　upon
her　servantthe　Empress　who　hesitated　not　to　unrobe　herself
before　her　slave；