the gambler-第26部分

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mean？　Just　stay　here　for　that　time。〃

And　I　rushed　from　the　room　without　so　much　as　answering　her　look
of　inquiry。　She　called　something　after　me；　but　I　did　not　return。

Sometimes　it　happens　that　the　most　insane　thought；　the　most
impossible　conception；　will　become　so　fixed　in　one's　head　that
at　length　one　believes　the　thought　or　the　conception　to　be
reality。　Moreover；　if　with　the　thought　or　the　conception　there
is　combined　a　strong；　a　passionate；　desire；　one　will　come　to
look　upon　the　said　thought　or　conception　as　something　fated；
inevitable；　and　foreordainedsomething　bound　to　happen。　Whether
by　this　there　is　connoted　something　in　the　nature　of　a
combination　of　presentiments；　or　a　great　effort　of　will；　or　a
self…annulment　of　one's　true　expectations；　and　so　on；　I　do　not
know；　but；　at　all　events　that　night　saw　happen　to　me　（a　night
which　I　shall　never　forget）　something　in　the　nature　of　the
miraculous。　Although　the　occurrence　can　easily　be　explained　by
arithmetic；　I　still　believe　it　to　have　been　a　miracle。　Yet　why
did　this　conviction　take　such　a　hold　upon　me　at　the　time；　and
remain　with　me　ever　since？　Previously；　I　had　thought　of　the　idea；
not　as　an　occurrence　which　was　ever　likely　to　come　about；　but　as
something　which　NEVER　could　come　about。

The　time　was　a　quarter　past　eleven　o'clock　when　I　entered　the
Casino　in　such　a　state　of　hope　（though；　at　the　same　time；　of
agitation）　as　I　had　never　before　experienced。　In　the
gaming…rooms　there　were　still　a　large　number　of　people；　but　not
half　as　many　as　had　been　present　in　the　morning。

At　eleven　o'clock　there　usually　remained　behind　only　the　real；
the　desperate　gamblerspersons　for　whom；　at　spas；　there　existed
nothing　beyond　roulette；　and　who　went　thither　for　that　alone。
These　gamesters　took　little　note　of　what　was　going　on　around
them；　and　were　interested　in　none　of　the　appurtenances　of　the
season；　but　played　from　morning　till　night；　and　would　have　been
ready　to　play　through　the　night　until　dawn　had　that　been
possible。　As　it　was；　they　used　to　disperse　unwillingly　when；　at
midnight；　roulette　came　to　an　end。　Likewise；　as　soon　as　ever
roulette　was　drawing　to　a　close　and　the　head　croupier　had　called
〃Les　trois　derniers　coups；〃　most　of　them　were　ready　to　stake　on
the　last　three　rounds　all　that　they　had　in　their　pocketsand；
for　the　most　part；　lost　it。　For　my　own　part　I　proceeded　towards
the　table　at　which　the　Grandmother　had　lately　sat；　and；　since　the
crowd　around　it　was　not　very　large；　I　soon　obtained　standing
room　among　the　ring　of　gamblers；　while　directly　in　front　of　me；
on　the　green　cloth；　I　saw　marked　the　word　〃Passe。〃

〃Passe〃　was　a　row　of　numbers　from　19　to　36　inclusive；　while　a
row　of　numbers　from　1　to　18　inclusive　was　known　as　〃Manque。〃
But　what　had　that　to　do　with　me？　I　had　not　noticedI　had　not　so
much　as　heard　the　numbers　upon　which　the　previous　coup　had
fallen；　and　so　took　no　bearings　when　I　began　to　play；　as；　in　my
place；　any　SYSTEMATIC　gambler　would　have　done。　No；　I　merely
extended　my　stock　of　twenty　ten…gulden　pieces；　and　threw　them
down　upon　the　space　〃Passe〃　which　happened　to　be　confronting
me。

〃Vingt…deux！〃　called　the　croupier。

I　had　won！　I　staked　upon　the　same　againboth　my　original　stake
and　my　winnings。

〃Trente…et…un！〃　called　the　croupier。

Again　I　had　won；　and　was　now　in　possession　of　eighty　ten…gulden
pieces。　Next；　I　moved　the　whole　eighty　on　to　twelve　middle
numbers　（a　stake　which；　if　successful；　would　bring　me　in　a
triple　profit；　but　also　involved　a　risk　of　two　chances　to　one）。
The　wheel　revolved；　and　stopped　at　twenty…four。　Upon　this　I　was
paid　out　notes　and　gold　until　I　had　by　my　side　a　total　sum　of
two　thousand　gulden。

It　was　as　in　a　fever　that　I　moved　the　pile；　en　bloc；　on　to　the
red。　Then　suddenly　I　came　to　myself　（though　that　was　the　only
time　during　the　evening's　play　when　fear　cast　its　cold　spell
over　me；　and　showed　itself　in　a　trembling　of　the　hands　and
knees）。　For　with　horror　I　had　realised　that　I　MUST　win；　and　that
upon　that　stake　there　depended　all　my　life。

〃Rouge！〃　called　the　croupier。　I　drew　a　long　breath；　and　hot
shivers　went　coursing　over　my　body。　I　was　paid　out　my　winnings
in　bank…notesamounting；　of　course；　to　a　total　of　four　thousand
florins；　eight　hundred　gulden　（I　could　still　calculate　the
amounts）。

After　that；　I　remember；　I　again　staked　two　thousand　florins　upon
twelve　middle　numbers；　and　lost。　Again　I　staked　the　whole　of
my　gold；　with　eight　hundred　gulden；　in　notes；　and　lost。　Then
madness　seemed　to　come　upon　me；　and　seizing　my　last　two　thousand
florins；　I　staked　them　upon　twelve　of　the　first　numberswholly
by　chance；　and　at　random；　and　without　any　sort　of　reckoning。
Upon　my　doing　so　there　followed　a　moment　of　suspense　only
comparable　to　that　which　Madame　Blanchard　must　have　experienced
when；　in　Paris；　she　was　descending　earthwards　from　a　balloon。

〃Quatre！〃　called　the　croupier。

Once　more；　with　the　addition　of　my　original　stake；　I　was　in
possession　of　six　thousand　florins！　Once　more　I　looked　around　me
like　a　conqueroronce　more　I　feared　nothing　as　I　threw　down　four
thousand　of　these　florins　upon　the　black。　The　croupiers　glanced
around　them；　and　exchanged　a　few　words；　the　bystanders
murmured　expectantly。

The　black　turned　up。　After　that　I　do　not　exactly　remember
either　my　calculations　or　the　order　of　my　stakings。　I　only
remember　that；　as　in　a　dream；　I　won　in　one　round　sixteen
thousand　florins；　that　in　the　three　following　rounds；　I　lost
twelve　thousand；　that　I　moved　the　remainder　（four　thousand）　on
to　〃Passe〃　（though　quite　unconscious　of　what　I　was　doingI　was
merely　waiting；　as　it　were；　mechanically；　and　without
reflection；　for　something）　and　won；　and　that；　finally；　four
times　in　succession　I　lost。　Yes；　I　can　remember　raking　in　money
by　thousandsbut　most　frequently　on　the　twelve；　middle　numbers；
to　which　I　constantly　adhered；　and　which　kept　appearing　in　a
sort　of　regular　orderfirst；　three　or　four　times　running；　and
then；　after　an　interval　of　a　couple　of　rounds；　in　another　break
of　three　or　four　appearances。　Sometimes；　this　astonishing
regularity　manifested　itself　in　patches；　a　thing　to　upset　all
the　calculations　of　notetaking　gamblers　who　play　with　a
pencil　and　a　memorandum　book　in　their　hands　Fortune　perpetrates
some　terrible　jests　at　roulette！

Since　my　entry　not　more　than　half　an　hour　could　have　elapsed。
Suddenly　a　croupier　informed　me　that　I　had；　won　thirty　thousand
florins；　as　well　as　that；　since　the　latter　was　the　limit　for
which；　at　any　one　time；　the　bank　could　make　itself　responsible；
roulette　at　that　table　must　close　for　the　night。　Accordingly；　I
caught　up　my　pile　of　gold；　stuffed　it　into　my　pocket；　and；
grasping　my　sheaf　of　bank…notes；　moved　to　the　table　in　an
adjoining　salon　where　a　second　game　of　roulette　was　in
progress。　The　crowd　followed　me　in　a　body；　and　cleared　a　place
for　me　at　the　table；　after　which；　I　proceeded　to　stake　as
beforethat　is　to　say；　at　random　and　without　calculating。　What
saved　me　from　ruin　I　do　not　know。

Of　course　there　were　times　when　fragmentary　reckonings　DID　come
flashing　into　my　brain。　For　instance；　there　were　times　when　I
attached　myself　for　a　while　to　certain　figures　and　coupsthough
always　leaving　them；　again　before　long；　without　knowing　what　I
was　doing。

In　fact；　I　cannot　have　been　in　possession　of　all　my　faculties；
for　I　can　remember　the　croupiers　correcting　my　play　more　than
once；　owing　to　my　having　made　mistakes　of　the　gravest　order。　My
brows　were　damp　with　sweat；　and　my　hands　were　shaking。　Also；
Poles　came　around　me　to　proffer　their　services；　but　I　heeded
none　of　them。　Nor　did　my　luck　fail　me　now。　Suddenly；　there　arose
around　me　a　loud　din　of　talking　and　laughter。　〃　Bravo；　bravo！　〃
was　the　general　shout；　and　some　people　even　clapped　their　hands。
I　had　raked　in　thirty　thousand　florins；　and　again　the　bank　had
had　to　close　for　the　night！

〃Go　away　now；　go　away　now；〃　a　voice　whispered　to　me　on　my
right。　The　person　who　had　spoken　to　me　was　a　certain　Jew　of
Frankfurta　man　who　had　been　standing　beside　me　the　whole　while；
and　occasionally　helping　me　in　my　play。

〃Yes；　for　God's　sake　go；〃　whispered　a　second　voice　in　my　left
ear。　Glancing　around；　I　perceived　that　the　second　voice　had　come
from　a　modestly；　plainly　dressed　lady　of　rather　less　than
thirtya　woman　whose　face；　though　pale　and　sickly…looking；　bore
also　very　evident　traces　of　former　beauty。　At　the　moment；　I　was
stuffing　the　crumpled　bank…notes　into　my　pockets　and　collecting
all　the　gold　that　was　left　on　the　table。　Seizing　up　my　last　note
for　five　hundred　gulden；　I　contrived　to　insinuate　it；
unperceived；　into　the　hand　of　the　pale　lady。　An　overpowering
impulse　had　made　me　do　so；　and　I　remember　how　her　thin　little
fingers　pressed　mine　in　token　of　her　lively　gratitude。　The　whole
affair　was　the　work　of　a　moment。

Then；　collecting　my　belongings；　I　crossed　to　where　trente　et
quarante　was　being　playeda　game　which　could　boast　of　a　more
aristocratic　public；　and　was　played　with　cards　instead　of　with　a
wheel。　At　this　diversion　the　bank　made　itself　responsible　for　a
hundred　thousand　thalers　as　the　limit；　but　the　highest　stake
allowable　was；　as　in　roulette；　four　thousand　florins。　Although　I
knew　nothing　of　the　gameand　I　scarcely　knew　the　stakes；
except　those　on　black　and　redI　joined　the　ring　of　players；
while　the　rest　of　the　crowd　massed　itself　around　me。　At　this
distance　of　time　I　cannot　remember　whether　I　ever　gave　a　thought
to　Polina；　I　seemed　only　to　be　conscious　of　a　vague　pleasure　in
seizing　and　raking　in　the　bank…notes　which　kept　massing
themselves　in　a　pile　before　me。

But；　as　ever；　fortune　seemed　to　be　at　my　back。　As　though　of　set
purpose；　there　came　to　my　aid　a　circumstance　which　not
infrequently　repeats　itself　in　gaming。　The　circumstance　is　that
not　infrequently　luck　attaches　itself　to；　say；　the　red；　and　does
not　leave　it　for　a　space　of　say；　ten；　or　even　fifteen；　rounds
in　succession。　Three　days　ago　I　had　heard　that；　during　the
previous　week　there　had　been　a　run　of　twenty…two　coups　on　the
redan　occurrence　never　before　known　at　roulette　so　that　men
spoke　of　it　with　astonishment。　Naturally　enough；　many　deserted
the　red　after　a　dozen　rounds；　and　practically　no　one　could　now
be　foun