the gambler-第23部分

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works　I　cannot　abide；　yet　I　read　them；　and　find　myself　
marvelling　that　I　should　be　doing　so。　Somehow　I　seem　to　be　
afraid　of　any　SERIOUS　bookafraid　of　permitting　any　SERIOUS　
preoccupation　to　break　the　spell　of　the　passing　moment。　So　
dear　to　me　is　the　formless　dream　of　which　I　have　spoken；　so　
dear　to　me　are　the　impressions　which　it　has　left　behind　it；　
that　I　fear　to　touch　the　vision　with　anything　new；　lest　it　
should　dissolve　in　smoke。　But　is　it　so　dear　to　me？　Yes；　it　IS　
dear　to　me；　and　will　ever　be　fresh　in　my　recollectionseven　
forty　years　hence。　。　。　。

So　let　me　write　of　it；　but　only　partially；　and　in　a　more　
abridged　form　than　my　full　impressions　might　warrant。

First　of　all；　let　me　conclude　the　history　of　the　Grandmother。
Next　day　she　lost　every　gulden　that　she　possessed。　Things　were
bound　to　happen　so；　for　persons　of　her　type　who　have　once
entered　upon　that　road　descend　it　with　ever…increasing　rapidity；
even　as　a　sledge　descends　a　toboggan…slide。　All　day　until　eight
o'clock　that　evening　did　she　play；　and；　though　I　personally　did
not　witness　her　exploits；　I　learnt　of　them　later　through　report。

All　that　day　Potapitch　remained　in　attendance　upon　her；　but　the
Poles　who　directed　her　play　she　changed　more　than　once。　As　a
beginning　she　dismissed　her　Pole　of　the　previous　daythe　Pole
whose　hair　she　had　pulledand　took　to　herself　another　one；　but
the　latter　proved　worse　even　than　the　former；　and　incurred
dismissal　in　favour　of　the　first　Pole；　who；　during　the　time　of
his　unemployment；　had　nevertheless　hovered　around　the
Grandmother's　chair；　and　from　time　to　time　obtruded　his　head
over　her　shoulder。　At　length　the　old　lady　became　desperate；　for
the　second　Pole；　when　dismissed；　imitated　his　predecessor　by
declining　to　go　away；　with　the　result　that　one　Pole　remained
standing　on　the　right　of　the　victim；　and　the　other　on　her　left；
from　which　vantage　points　the　pair　quarrelled；　abused　each　other
concerning　the　stakes　and　rounds；　and　exchanged　the　epithet　
〃laidak　〃　＇Rascal＇　and　other　Polish　terms　of　endearment。　Finally；　they
effected　a　mutual　reconciliation；　and；　tossing　the　money　about
anyhow；　played　simply　at　random。　Once　more　quarrelling；　each　of
them　staked　money　on　his　own　side　of　the　Grandmother's　chair
（for　instance；　the　one　Pole　staked　upon　the　red；　and　the　other
one　upon　the　black）；　until　they　had　so　confused　and　browbeaten
the　old　lady　that；　nearly　weeping；　she　was　forced　to　appeal　to
the　head　croupier　for　protection；　and　to　have　the　two　Poles
expelled。　No　time　was　lost　in　this　being　done；　despite　the
rascals'　cries　and　protestations　that　the　old　lady　was　in　their
debt；　that　she　had　cheated　them；　and　that　her　general　behaviour
had　been　mean　and　dishonourable。　The　same　evening　the
unfortunate　Potapitch　related　the　story　to　me　with　tears
complaining　that　the　two　men　had　filled　their　pockets　with
money　（he　himself　had　seen　them　do　it）　which　had　been
shamelesslly　pilfered　from　his　mistress。　For　instance；　one　Pole
demanded　of　the　Grandmother　fifty　gulden　for　his　trouble；　and
then　staked　the　money　by　the　side　of　her　stake。　She　happened　to
win；　whereupon　he　cried　out　that　the　winning　stake　was　his；　and
hers　the　loser。　As　soon　as　the　two　Poles　had　been　expelled；
Potapitch　left　the　room；　and　reported　to　the　authorities　that
the　men's　pockets　were　full　of　gold；　and；　on　the　Grandmother
also　requesting　the　head　croupier　to　look　into　the　affair；　the
police　made　their　appearance；　and；　despite　the　protests　of　the
Poles　（who；　indeed；　had　been　caught　redhanded）；　their　pockets
were　turned　inside　out；　and　the　contents　handed　over　to　the
Grandmother。　In　fact；　in；　view　of　the　circumstance　that　she　lost
all　day；　the　croupiers　and　other　authorities　of　the　Casino
showed　her　every　attention；　and　on　her　fame　spreading　through
the　town；　visitors　of　every　nationalityeven　the　most　knowing　of
them；　the　most　distinguishedcrowded　to　get　a　glimpse　of　〃la
vieille　comtesse　russe；　tombee　en　enfance；〃　who　had　lost　〃so
many　millions。〃

Yet　with　the　money　which　the　authorities　restored　to　her　from
the　pockets　of　the　Poles　the　Grandmother　effected　very；　very
little；　for　there　soon　arrived　to　take　his　countrymen's　place；　a
third　Polea　man　who　could　speak　Russian　fluently；　was　dressed
like　a　gentleman　（albeit　in　lacqueyish　fashion）；　and　sported　a
huge　moustache。　Though　polite　enough　to　the　old　lady；　he　took　a
high　hand　with　the　bystanders。　In　short；　he　offered　himself　less
as　a　servant　than　as　an　ENTERTAINER。　After　each　round　he　would
turn　to　the　old　lady；　and　swear　terrible　oaths　to　the　effect
that　he　was　a　〃Polish　gentleman　of　honour〃　who　would　scorn　to
take　a　kopeck　of　her　money；　and；　though　he　repeated　these　oaths
so　often　that　at　length　she　grew　alarmed；　he　had　her　play　in
hand；　and　began　to　win　on　her　behalf；　wherefore；　she　felt　that
she　could　not　well　get　rid　of　him。　An　hour　later　the　two　Poles
who；　earlier　in　the　day；　had　been　expelled　from　the　Casino；　made
a　reappearance　behind　the　old　lady's　chair；　and　renewed　their
offers　of　serviceeven　if　it　were　only　to　be　sent　on　messages；　
but　from　Potapitch　I　subsequently　had　it　that　between　these　rascals　
and　the　said　〃gentleman　of　honour〃　there　passed　a　wink；　as　well　as
that　the　latter　put　something　into　their　hands。　Next；　since　the
Grandmother　had　not　yet　lunchedshe　had　scarcely　for　a　moment
left　her　chairone　of　the　two　Poles　ran　to　the　restaurant　of　the
Casino；　and　brought　her　thence　a　cup　of　soup；　and　afterwards
some　tea。　In　fact；　BOTH　the　Poles　hastened　to　perform　this
office。　Finally；　towards　the　close　of　the　day；　when　it　was　clear
that　the　Grandmother　was　about　to　play　her　last　bank…note；　there
could　be　seen　standing　behind　her　chair　no　fewer　than　six
natives　of　Polandpersons　who；　as　yet；　had　been　neither　audible
nor　visible；　and　as　soon　as　ever　the　old　lady　played　the　note　in
question；　they　took　no　further　notice　of　her；　but　pushed　their
way　past　her　chair　to　the　table；　seized　the　money；　and　staked
itshouting　and　disputing　the　while；　and　arguing　with　the　
〃gentleman　of　honour〃　（who　also　had　forgotten　the　Grandmother's
existence）；　as　though　he　were　their　equal。　Even　when　the
Grandmother　had　lost　her　all；　and　was　returning　（about　eight
o'clock）　to　the　hotel；　some　three　or　four　Poles　could　not　bring
themselves　to　leave　her；　but　went　on　running　beside　her　chair
and　volubly　protesting　that　the　Grandmother　had　cheated　them；
and　that　she　ought　to　be　made　to　surrender　what　was　not　her　own。
Thus　the　party　arrived　at　the　hotel；　whence；　presently；　the　gang
of　rascals　was　ejected　neck　and　crop。

According　to　Potapitch's　calculations；　the　Grandmother　lost；
that　day；　a　total　of　ninety　thousand　roubles；　in　addition　to　the
money　which　she　had　lost　the　day　before。　Every　paper　security
which　she　had　brought　with　herfive　percent　bonds；　internal
loan　scrip；　and　what　notshe　had　changed　into　cash。　Also；　I
could　not　but　marvel　at　the　way　in　which；　for　seven　or　eight
hours　at　a　stretch；　she　sat　in　that　chair　of　hers；　almost　never
leaving　the　table。　Again；　Potapitch　told　me　that　there　were
three　occasions　on　which　she　really　began　to　win；　but　that；　led
on　by　false　hopes；　she　was　unable　to　tear　herself　away　at　the
right　moment。　Every　gambler　knows　how　a　person　may　sit　a　day　and
a　night　at　cards　without　ever　casting　a　glance　to　right　or　to
left。

Meanwhile；　that　day　some　other　very　important　events　were
passing　in　our　hotel。　As　early　as　eleven　o'clockthat　is　to　say；
before　the　Grandmother　had　quitted　her　roomsthe　General　and　De
Griers　decided　upon　their　last　stroke。　In　other　words；　on
learning　that　the　old　lady　had　changed　her　mind　about　departing；
and　was　bent　on　setting　out　for　the　Casino　again；　the　whole　of
our　gang　（Polina　only　excepted）　proceeded　en　masse　to　her　rooms；
for　the　purpose　of　finally　and　frankly　treating　with　her。　But
the　General；　quaking　and　greatly　apprehensive　as　to　his　possible
future；　overdid　things。　After　half　an　hour's　prayers　and
entreaties；　coupled　With　a　full　confession　of　his　debts；　and
even　of　his　passion　for　Mlle。　Blanche　（yes；　he　had　quite　lost
his　head）；　he　suddenly　adopted　a　tone　of　menace；　and　started　to
rage　at　the　old　ladyexclaiming　that　she　was　sullying　the　family
honour；　that　she　was　making　a　public　scandal　of　herself；　and
that　she　was　smirching　the　fair　name　of　Russia。　The　upshot　was
that　the　Grandmother　turned　him　out　of　the　room　with　her　stick
（it　was　a　real　stick；　too！）。　Later　in　the　morning　he　held
several　consultations　with　De　Griersthe　question　which　occupied
him　being：　Is　it　in　any　way　possible　to　make　use　of　the
policeto　tell　them　that　〃this　respected；　but　unfortunate；　old
lady　has　gone　out　of　her　mind；　and　is　squandering　her　last
kopeck；〃　or　something　of　the　kind？　In　short；　is　it　in　any　way
possible　to　engineer　a　species　of　supervision　over；　or　of
restraint　upon；　the　old　lady？　De　Griers；　however；　shrugged　his
shoulders　at　this；　and　laughed　in　the　General's　face；　while　the
old　warrior　went　on　chattering　volubly；　and　running　up　and　down
his　study。　Finally　De　Griers　waved　his　hand；　and　disappeared
from　view；　and　by　evening　it　became　known　that　he　had　left　the
hotel；　after　holding　a　very　secret　and　important　conference　with
Mlle。　Blanche。　As　for　the　latter；　from　early　morning　she　had
taken　decisive　measures；　by　completely　excluding　the　General
from　her　presence；　and　bestowing　upon　him　not　a　glance。　Indeed；
even　when　the　General　pursued　her　to　the　Casino；　and　met　her
walking　arm　in　arm　with　the　Prince；　he　（the　General）　received
from　her　and　her　mother　not　the　slightest　recognition。　Nor　did
the　Prince　himself　bow。　The　rest　of　the　day　Mlle。　spent　in
probing　the　Prince；　and　trying　to　make　him　declare　himself；　but
in　this　she　made　a　woeful　mistake。　The　little　incident　occurred
in　the　evening。　Suddenly　Mlle。　Blanche　realised　that　the　Prince
had　not　even　a　copper　to　his　name；　but；　on　the　contrary；　was
minded　to　borrow　of　her　money　wherewith　to　play　at　roulette。　In
high　displeasure　she　drove　him　from　her　presence；　and　shut
herself　up　in　her　room。

The　same　morning　I　went　to　seeor；　rather；　to　look　forMr。
Astley；　but　was　unsuccessful　in　my　quest。　Neither　in　his　rooms
nor　in　the　Casino　nor　in　the　Park　was　he　to　be　found；　nor　did
he；　that　day；　lun