the gambler-第21部分

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which　soon　necessitated　my　return　to　the　Grandmother　for　
instructions。

〃The　thieves！〃　she　exclaimed　as　she　clapped　her　hands　
together。　〃Never　mind；　though。　Get　the　documents　cashedNo；　
send　the　banker　out　to　me；〃　she　added　as　an　afterthought。

〃Would　one　of　the　clerks　do；　Madame？〃

〃Yes；　one　of　the　clerks。　The　thieves！〃

The　clerk　consented　to　come　out　when　he　perceived　that　he　was　
being　asked　for　by　an　old　lady　who　was　too　infirm　to　walk；　
after　which　the　Grandmother　began　to　upbraid　him　at　length；　
and　with　great　vehemence；　for　his　alleged　usuriousness；　and　
to　bargain　with　him　in　a　mixture　of　Russian；　French；　and　
GermanI　acting　as　interpreter。　Meanwhile；　the　grave…faced　
official　eyed　us　both；　and　silently　nodded　his　head。　At　the　
Grandmother；　in　particular；　he　gazed　with　a　curiosity　which　
almost　bordered　upon　rudeness。　At　length；　too；　he　smiled。

〃Pray　recollect　yourself！〃　cried　the　old　lady。　〃And　may　my　
money　choke　you！　Alexis　Ivanovitch；　tell　him　that　we　can　
easily　repair　to　someone　else。〃

〃The　clerk　says　that　others　will　give　you　even　less　than　he。〃

Of　what　the　ultimate　calculations　consisted　I　do　not　exactly　
remember；　but　at　all　events　they　were　alarming。　Receiving　
twelve　thousand　florins　in　gold；　I　took　also　the　statement　of　
accounts；　and　carried　it　out　to　the　Grandmother。

〃Well；　well；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　no　accountant。　Let　us　hurry　
away；　hurry　away。〃　And　she　waved　the　paper　aside。

〃Neither　upon　that　accursed　zero；　however；　nor　upon　that　
equally　accursed　red　do　I　mean　to　stake　a　cent；〃　I　muttered　to　
myself　as　I　entered　the　Casino。

This　time　I　did　all　I　could　to　persuade　the　old　lady　to　stake　
as　little　as　possiblesaying　that　a　turn　would　come　in　the　
chances　when　she　would　be　at　liberty　to　stake　more。　But　she　
was　so　impatient　that；　though　at　first　she　agreed　to　do　as　I　
suggested；　nothing　could　stop　her　when　once　she　had　begun。　By　
way　of　prelude　she　won　stakes　of　a　hundred　and　two　hundred　
gulden。

〃There　you　are！〃　she　said　as　she　nudged　me。　〃See　what　we　
have　won！　Surely　it　would　be　worth　our　while　to　stake　four　
thousand　instead　of　a　hundred；　for　we　might　win　another　four　
thousand；　and　then！　Oh；　it　was　YOUR　fault　beforeall　your　
fault！〃

I　felt　greatly　put　out　as　I　watched　her　play；　but　I　decided　to　
hold　my　tongue；　and　to　give　her　no　more　advice。

Suddenly　De　Griers　appeared　on　the　scene。　It　seemed　that　all　
this　while　he　and　his　companions　had　been　standing　beside　us　
though　I　noticed　that　Mlle。　Blanche　had　withdrawn　a　little　
from　the　rest；　and　was　engaged　in　flirting　with　the　Prince。　
Clearly　the　General　was　greatly　put　out　at　this。　Indeed；　he　
was　in　a　perfect　agony　of　vexation。　But　Mlle。　was　careful　
never　to　look　his　way；　though　he　did　his　best　to　attract　her　
notice。　Poor　General！　By　turns　his　face　blanched　and　reddened；　
and　he　was　trembling　to　such　an　extent　that　he　could　scarcely　
follow　the　old　lady's　play。　At　length　Mlle。　and　the　Prince　
took　their　departure；　and　the　General　followed　them。

〃Madame；　Madame；〃　sounded　the　honeyed　accents　of　De　Griers　as　
he　leant　over　to　whisper　in　the　Grandmother's　ear。　〃That　
stake　will　never　win。　No；　no；　it　is　impossible；〃　he　added　in　
Russian　with　a　writhe。　〃No；　no！〃

〃But　why　not？〃　asked　the　Grandmother；　turning　round。　〃Show　
me　what　I　ought　to　do。〃

Instantly　De　Griers　burst　into　a　babble　of　French　as　he　
advised；　jumped　about；　declared　that　such　and　such　chances　
ought　to　be　waited　for；　and　started　to　make　calculations　of　
figures。　All　this　he　addressed　to　me　in　my　capacity　as　
translatortapping　the　table　the　while　with　his　finger；　and　
pointing　hither　and　thither。　At　length　he　seized　a　pencil；　and　
began　to　reckon　sums　on　paper　until　he　had　exhausted　the　
Grandmother's　patience。

〃Away　with　you！〃　she　interrupted。　〃You　talk　sheer　nonsense；　
for；　though　you　keep　on　saying　'Madame；　Madame；'　you　haven't　
the　least　notion　what　ought　to　be　done。　Away　with　you；　I　say！〃

〃Mais；　Madame；〃　cooed　De　Griersand　straightway　started　
afresh　with　his　fussy　instructions。

〃Stake　just　ONCE；　as　he　advises；〃　the　Grandmother　said　to　me；　
〃and　then　we　shall　see　what　we　shall　see。　Of　course；　his　
stake　MIGHT　win。〃

As　a　matter　of　fact；　De　Grier's　one　object　was　to　distract　the　
old　lady　from　staking　large　sums；　wherefore；　he　now　suggested　
to　her　that　she　should　stake　upon　certain　numbers；　singly　and　
in　groups。　Consequently；　in　accordance　with　his　instructions；　I　
staked　a　ten…gulden　piece　upon　several　odd　numbers　in　the　
first　twenty；　and　five　ten…gulden　pieces　upon　certain　groups　
of　numbers…groups　of　from　twelve　to　eighteen；　and　from　
eighteen　to　twenty…four。　The　total　staked　amounted　to　160　
gulden。

The　wheel　revolved。　〃Zero！〃　cried　the　croupier。

We　had　lost　it　all！

〃The　fool！〃　cried　the　old　lady　as　she　turned　upon　De　Griers。　
〃You　infernal　Frenchman；　to　think　that　you　should　advise！　
Away　with　you！　Though　you　fuss　and　fuss；　you　don't　even　know　
what　you're　talking　about。〃

Deeply　offended；　De　Griers　shrugged　his　shoulders；　favoured　
the　Grandmother　with　a　look　of　contempt；　and　departed。　For　
some　time　past　he　had　been　feeling　ashamed　of　being　seen　in　
such　company；　and　this　had　proved　the　last　straw。

An　hour　later　we　had　lost　everything　in　hand。

〃Home！〃　cried　the　Grandmother。

Not　until　we　had　turned　into　the　Avenue　did　she　utter　a　word；　
but　from　that　point　onwards；　until　we　arrived　at　the　hotel；　
she　kept　venting　exclamations　of　〃What　a　fool　I　am！　What　a　
silly　old　fool　I　am；　to　be　sure！〃

Arrived　at　the　hotel；　she　called　for　tea；　and　then　gave　orders　
for　her　luggage　to　be　packed。

〃We　are　off　again；〃　she　announced。

〃But　whither；　Madame？〃　inquired　Martha。

〃What　business　is　that　of　YOURS？　Let　the　cricket　stick　to　
its　hearth。　＇The　Russian　form　of　〃Mind　your　own　business。〃＇　
Potapitch；　have　everything　packed；　for　we　are　returning　to　
Moscow　at　once。　I　have　fooled　away　fifteen　thousand　roubles。〃

〃Fifteen　thousand　roubles；　good　mistress？　My　God！〃　And　
Potapitch　spat　upon　his　handsprobably　to　show　that　he　was　
ready　to　serve　her　in　any　way　he　could。

〃Now　then；　you　fool！　At　once　you　begin　with　your　weeping　and　
wailing！　Be　quiet；　and　pack。　Also；　run　downstairs；　and　get　my　
hotel　bill。〃

〃The　next　train　leaves　at　9：30；　Madame；〃　I　interposed；　with　a　
view　to　checking　her　agitation。

〃And　what　is　the　time　now？〃

〃Half…past　eight。〃

〃How　vexing！　But；　never　mind。　Alexis　Ivanovitch；　I　have　not　a　
kopeck　left；　I　have　but　these　two　bank　notes。　Please　run　to　
the　office　and　get　them　changed。　Otherwise　I　shall　have　
nothing　to　travel　with。〃

Departing　on　her　errand；　I　returned　half　an　hour　later　to　find　
the　whole　party　gathered　in　her　rooms。　It　appeared　that　the　
news　of　her　impending　departure　for　Moscow　had　thrown　the　
conspirators　into　consternation　even　greater　than　her　losses　
had　done。　For；　said　they；　even　if　her　departure　should　save　
her　fortune；　what　will　become　of　the　General　later？　And　who　
is　to　repay　De　Griers？　Clearly　Mlle。　Blanche　would　never　
consent　to　wait　until　the　Grandmother　was　dead；　but　would　at　
once　elope　with　the　Prince　or　someone　else。　So　they　had　all　
gathered　togetherendeavouring　to　calm　and　dissuade　the　
Grandmother。　Only　Polina　was　absent。　For　her　pad　the　
Grandmother　had　nothing　for　the　party　but　abuse。

〃Away　with　you；　you　rascals！〃　she　was　shouting。　〃What　have　my　
affairs　to　do　with　you？　Why；　in　particular；　do　you〃here　
she　indicated　De　Griers〃come　sneaking　here　with　your　goat's　
beard？　And　what　do　YOU〃here　she　turned　to　Mlle。　Blanche　
〃want　of　me？　What　are　YOU　finicking　for？〃

〃Diantre！〃　muttered　Mlle。　under　her　breath；　but　her　eyes　
were　flashing。　Then　all　at　once　she　burst　into　a　laugh　and　
left　the　roomcrying　to　the　General　as　she　did　so：　〃Elle　
vivra　cent　ans！〃

〃So　you　have　been　counting　upon　my　death；　have　you？〃　fumed　
the　old　lady。　〃Away　with　you！　Clear　them　out　of　the　room；　
Alexis　Ivanovitch。　What　business　is　it　of　THEIRS？　It　is　not　
THEIR　money　that　I　have　been　squandering；　but　my　own。〃

The　General　shrugged　his　shoulders；　bowed；　and　withdrew；　with　
De　Griers　behind　him。

〃Call　Prascovia；〃　commanded　the　Grandmother；　and　in　five　
minutes　Martha　reappeared　with　Polina；　who　had　been　sitting　
with　the　children　in　her　own　room　（having　purposely　
determined　not　to　leave　it　that　day）。　Her　face　looked　grave　
and　careworn。

〃Prascovia；〃　began　the　Grandmother；　〃is　what　I　have　just　
heard　through　a　side　wind　truenamely；　that　this　fool　of　a　
stepfather　of　yours　is　going　to　marry　that　silly　whirligig　of　
a　Frenchwomanthat　actress；　or　something　worse？　Tell　me；　is　
it　true？〃

〃I　do　not　know　FOR　CERTAIN；　Grandmamma；〃　replied　Polina；　〃but　
from　Mlle。　Blanche's　account　（for　she　does　not　appear　to　think　
it　necessary　to　conceal　anything）　I　conclude　that〃

〃You　need　not　say　any　more；〃　interrupted　the　Grandmother　
energetically。　〃I　understand　the　situation。　I　always　thought　
we　should　get　something　like　this　from　him；　for　I　always　
looked　upon　him　as　a　futile；　frivolous　fellow　who　gave　himself　
unconscionable　airs　on　the　fact　of　his　being　a　general　（though　
he　only　became　one　because　he　retired　as　a　colonel）。　Yes；　I　
know　all　about　the　sending　of　the　telegrams　to　inquire　
whether　'the　old　woman　is　likely　to　turn　up　her　toes　soon。'　Ah；　
they　were　looking　for　the　legacies！　Without　money　that　
wretched　woman　（what　is　her　name？Oh；　De　Cominges）　would　
never　dream　of　accepting　the　General　and　his　false　teethno；　
not　even　for　him　to　be　her　lacqueysince　she　herself；　they　
say；　possesses　a　pile　of　money；　and　lends　it　on　interest；　and　
makes　a　good　thing　out　of　it。　However；　it　is　not　you；　
Prascovia；　that　I　am　blaming；　it　was　not　you　who　sent　those　
telegrams。　Nor；　for　that　matter；　do　I　wish　to　recall　old　
scores。　True；　I　know　that　you　are　a　vixen　by　naturethat　you　
are　a　wasp　which　will　sting　one　if　one　touches　it　yet；　my　
heart　is　sore　for　you；　for　I　loved　your　mother；　Katerina。　Now；　
will　you　leave　everything　here；　and　come　away　with　me？　
Otherwise；　I　do　not　know　what　is　to　become　of　you；　and　it　is　
not　right　that　you　should　continue　living　with　these　people。　
Nay；〃　she　interposed；　the　moment　that　Polina　attempted　to　
speak；　〃I　have　no