the gambler-第4部分

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then　taking　notes　merely　in　order　to　be　able　to　give　you　a
description　of　roulette；　but　in　order　to　get　my　bearings　as　to
my　behaviour　when　I　myself　should　begin　to　play。　For　example；　I
noticed　that　nothing　was　more　common　than　for　another's　hand　to
stretch　out　and　grab　one's　winnings　whenever　one　had　won。　Then
there　would　arise　a　dispute；　and　frequently　an　uproar；　and　it
would　be　a　case　of　〃I　beg　of　you　to　prove；　and　to　produce
witnesses　to　the　fact；　that　the　stake　is　yours。〃

At　first　the　proceedings　were　pure　Greek　to　me。　I　could　only
divine　and　distinguish　that　stakes　were　hazarded　on　numbers；　on
〃odd〃　or　〃even；〃　and　on　colours。　Polina's　money　I　decided　to
risk；　that　evening；　only　to　the　amount　of　100　gulden。　The
thought　that　I　was　not　going　to　play　for　myself　quite　unnerved
me。　It　was　an　unpleasant　sensation；　and　I　tried　hard　to　banish
it。　I　had　a　feeling　that；　once　I　had　begun　to　play　for　Polina；　I
should　wreck　my　own　fortunes。　Also；　I　wonder　if　any　one　has　EVER
approached　a　gaming…table　without　falling　an　immediate　prey　to
superstition？　I　began　by　pulling　out　fifty　gulden；　and　staking
them　on　〃even。〃　The　wheel　spun　and　stopped　at　13。　I　had　lost！
With　a　feeling　like　a　sick　qualm；　as　though　I　would　like　to　make
my　way　out　of　the　crowd　and　go　home；　I　staked　another　fifty
guldenthis　time　on　the　red。　The　red　turned　up。　Next　time　I
staked　the　100　gulden　just　where　they　layand　again　the　red
turned　up。　Again　I　staked　the　whole　sum；　and　again　the　red
turned　up。　Clutching　my　400　gulden；　I　placed　200　of　them　on
twelve　figures；　to　see　what　would　come　of　it。　The　result　was
that　the　croupier　paid　me　out　three　times　my　total　stake！　Thus
from　100　gulden　my　store　had　grown　to　800！　Upon　that　such　a
curious；　such　an　inexplicable；　unwonted　feeling　overcame　me　that
I　decided　to　depart。　Always　the　thought　kept　recurring　to　me
that　if　I　had　been　playing　for　myself　alone　I　should　never　have
had　such　luck。　Once　more　I　staked　the　whole　800　gulden　on　the　
〃even。〃　The　wheel　stopped　at　4。　I　was　paid　out　another　800
gulden；　and；　snatching　up　my　pile　of　1600；　departed　in　search　of
Polina　　Alexandrovna。　

I　found　the　whole　party　walking　in　the　park；　and　was　able　to　get
an　interview　with　her　only　after　supper。　This　time　the　Frenchman
was　absent　from　the　meal；　and　the　General　seemed　to　be　in　a　more
expansive　vein。　Among　other　things；　he　thought　it　necessary　to
remind　me　that　he　would　be　sorry　to　see　me　playing　at　the
gaming…tables。　In　his　opinion；　such　conduct　would　greatly
compromise　himespecially　if　I　were　to　lose　much。　〃　And　even　if
you　were　to　WIN　much　I　should　be　compromised；〃　he　added　in　a
meaning　sort　of　way。　〃Of　course　I　have　no　RIGHT　to　order　your
actions；　but　you　yourself　will　agree　that。。。〃　As　usual；　he　did　not
finish　his　sentence。　I　answered　drily　that　I　had　very　little
money　in　my　possession；　and　that；　consequently；　I　was　hardly　in
a　position　to　indulge　in　any　conspicuous　play；　even　if　I　did
gamble。　At　last；　when　ascending　to　my　own　room；　I　succeeded　in
handing　Polina　her　winnings；　and　told　her　that；　next　time；　I
should　not　play　for　her。

〃Why　not？〃　she　asked　excitedly。

〃Because　I　wish　to　play　FOR　MYSELF；〃　I　replied　with　a　feigned
glance　of　astonishment。　〃That　is　my　sole　reason。〃

〃Then　are　you　so　certain　that　your　roulette…playing　will　get　us
out　of　our　difficulties？〃　she　inquired　with　a　quizzical　smile。

I　said　very　seriously；　〃Yes；〃　and　then　added：　〃Possibly　my　
certainty　about　winning　may　seem　to　you　ridiculous；
yet；　pray　leave　me　in　peace。〃

Nonetheless　she　insisted　that　I　ought　to　go　halves　with　her　in
the　day's　winnings；　and　offered　me　800　gulden　on　condition　that
henceforth；　I　gambled　only　on　those　terms；　but　I　refused　to　do
so；　once　and　for　allstating；　as　my　reason；　that　I　found　myself
unable　to　play　on　behalf　of　any　one　else；　〃I　am　not　unwilling
so　to　do；〃　I　added；　〃but　in　all　probability　I　should　lose。〃

〃Well；　absurd　though　it　be；　I　place　great　hopes　on　your　playing
of　roulette；〃　she　remarked　musingly；　〃wherefore；　you　ought　to
play　as　my　partner　and　on　equal　shares；　wherefore；　of　course；
you　will　do　as　I　wish。〃

Then　she　left　me　without　listening　to　any　further　protests　on　my
part。

III

On　the　morrow　she　said　not　a　word　to　me　about　gambling。　In　fact；
she　purposely　avoided　me；　although　her　old　manner　to　me　had　not
changed：　the　same　serene　coolness　was　hers　on　meeting　me　　a
coolness　that　was　mingled　even　with　a　spice　of　contempt　and
dislike。　In　short；　she　was　at　no　pains　to　conceal　her　aversion
to　me。　That　I　could　see　plainly。　Also；　she　did　not　trouble　to
conceal　from　me　the　fact　that　I　was　necessary　to　her；　and　that
she　was　keeping　me　for　some　end　which　she　had　in　view。
Consequently　there　became　established　between　us　relations
which；　to　a　large　extent；　were　incomprehensible　to　me；
considering　her　general　pride　and　aloofness。　For　example；
although　she　knew　that　I　was　madly　in　love　with　her；　she　allowed
me　to　speak　to　her　of　my　passion　（though　she　could　not　well　have
showed　her　contempt　for　me　more　than　by　permitting　me；
unhindered　and　unrebuked；　to　mention　to　her　my　love）。

〃You　see；〃　her　attitude　expressed；　〃how　little　I　regard　your
feelings；　as　well　as　how　little　I　care　for　what　you　say　to　me；
or　for　what　you　feel　for　me。〃　Likewise；　though　she　spoke　as
before　concerning　her　affairs；　it　was　never　with　complete
frankness。　In　her　contempt　for　me　there　were　refinements。
Although　she　knew　well　that　I　was　aware　of　a　certain
circumstance　in　her　life　of　something　which　might　one　day　cause
her　trouble；　she　would　speak　to　me　about　her　affairs　（whenever
she　had　need　of　me　for　a　given　end）　as　though　I　were　a　slave　or
a　passing　acquaintanceyet　tell　them　me　only　in　so　far　as　one
would　need　to　know　them　if　one　were　going　to　be　made　temporary
use　of。　Had　I　not　known　the　whole　chain　of　events；　or　had　she
not　seen　how　much　I　was　pained　and　disturbed　by　her　teasing
insistency；　she　would　never　have　thought　it　worthwhile　to
soothe　me　with　this　franknesseven　though；　since　she　not
infrequently　used　me　to　execute　commissions　that　were　not　only
troublesome；　but　risky；　she　ought；　in　my　opinion；　to　have　been
frank　in　ANY　case。　But；　forsooth；　it　was　not　worth　her　while　to
trouble　about　MY　feelingsabout　the　fact　that　I　was　uneasy；　and；
perhaps；　thrice　as　put　about　by　her　cares　and　misfortunes　as　she
was　herself！

For　three　weeks　I　had　known　of　her　intention　to　take　to
roulette。　She　had　even　warned　me　that　she　would　like　me　to　play
on　her　behalf；　since　it　was　unbecoming　for　her　to　play　in
person；　and；　from　the　tone　of　her　words　I　had　gathered　that　there
was　something　on　her　mind　besides　a　mere　desire　to　win　money。　As
if　money　could　matter　to　HER！　No；　she　had　some　end　in　view；　and
there　were　circumstances　at　which　I　could　guess；　but　which　I　did
not　know　for　certain。　True；　the　slavery　and　abasement　in　which
she　held　me　might　have　given　me　（such　things　often　do　so）　the
power　to　question　her　with　abrupt　directness　（seeing　that；；
inasmuch　as　I　figured　in　her　eyes　as　a　mere　slave　and　nonentity；
she　could　not　very　well　have　taken　offence　at　any　rude
curiosity）；　but　the　fact　was　that；　though　she　let　me　question
her；　she　never　returned　me　a　single　answer；　and　at　times　did　not
so　much　as　notice　me。　That　is　how　matters　stood。

Next　day　there　was　a　good　deal　of　talk　about　a　telegram　which；
four　days　ago；　had　been　sent　to　St。　Petersburg；　but　to　which
there　had　come　no　answer。　The　General　was　visibly　disturbed　and
moody；　for　the　matter　concerned　his　mother。　The　Frenchman；　too；
was　excited；　and　after　dinner　the　whole　party　talked　long　and
seriously　togetherthe　Frenchman's　tone　being　extraordinarily
presumptuous　and　offhand　to　everybody。　It　almost　reminded　one　of
the　proverb；　〃Invite　a　man　to　your　table；　and　soon　he　will
place　his　feet　upon　it。〃　Even　to　Polina　he　was　brusque　almost　to
the　point　of　rudeness。　Yet　still　he　seemed　glad　to　join　us　in
our　walks　in　the　Casino；　or　in　our　rides　and　drives　about　the
town。　I　had　long　been　aware　of　certain　circumstances　which　bound
the　General　to　him；　I　had　long　been　aware　that　in　Russia　they
had　hatched　some　scheme　together　although　I　did　not　know　whether
the　plot　had　come　to　anything；　or　whether　it　was　still　only　in
the　stage　of　being　talked　of。　Likewise　I　was　aware；　in　part；　of
a　family　secretnamely；　that；　last　year；　the　Frenchman　had
bailed　the　General　out　of　debt；　and　given　him　30；000　roubles
wherewith　to　pay　his　Treasury　dues　on　retiring　from　the　service。
And　now；　of　course；　the　General　was　in　a　vice　　although　the
chief　part　in　the　affair　was　being　played　by　Mlle。　Blanche。　Yes；
of　this　last　I　had　no　doubt。

But　WHO　was　this　Mlle。　Blanche？　It　was　said　of　her　that　she　was
a　Frenchwoman　of　good　birth　who；　living　with　her　mother；
possessed　a　colossal　fortune。　It　was　also　said　that　she　was　some
relation　to　the　Marquis；　but　only　a　distant　one　a　cousin；　or
cousin…german；　or　something　of　the　sort。　Likewise　I　knew　that；
up　to　the　time　of　my　journey　to　Paris；　she　and　the　Frenchman　had
been　more　ceremonious　towards　our　partythey　had　stood　on　a　much
more　precise　and　delicate　footing　with　them；　but　that　now　their
acquaintanceshiptheir　friendship；　their　intimacyhad　taken　on　a
much　more　off…hand　and　rough…and…ready　air。　Perhaps　they　thought
that　our　means　were　too　modest　for　them；　and；　therefore；　unworthy
of　politeness　or　reticence。　Also；　for　the　last　three　days　I　had
noticed　certain　looks　which　Astley　had　kept　throwing　at　Mlle。
Blanche　and　her　mother；　and　it　had　occurred　to　me　that　he　must
have　had　some　previous　acquaintance　with　the　pair。　I　had　even
surmised　that　the　Frenchman　too　must　have　met　Mr。　Astley　before。
Astley　was　a　man　so　shy；　reserved；　and　taciturn　in　his　manner
that　one　might　have　looked　for　anything　from　him。　At　all　events
the　Frenchman　accorded　him　only　the　slightest　of　greetings；　and
scarcely　even　looked　at　him。　Certainly　he　did　not　seem　to　be
afraid　of　him；　which　was　intelligible　enough。　But　why　did　Mlle。
Blanche　also　never　look　at　the　Englishman？particularly　since；
a　propos　of　something　or　another；　the　Marquis　had　declared　the
Englishman　to　be　immensely　and　indubitably　rich？　Was　not　that　a
sufficient　reason　to　make　Mlle。　Blanche　look　at　the　Englishman？
Any