the gambler-第5部分

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Englishman　to　be　immensely　and　indubitably　rich？　Was　not　that　a
sufficient　reason　to　make　Mlle。　Blanche　look　at　the　Englishman？
Anyway　the　General　seemed　extremely　uneasy；　and；　one　could　well
understand　what　a　telegram　to　announce　the　death　of　his　mother
would　mean　for　him！

Although　I　thought　it　probable　that　Polina　was　avoiding　me　for　a
definite　reason；　I　adopted　a　cold　and　indifferent　air；　for　I
felt　pretty　certain　that　it　would　not　be　long　before　she　
herself　approached　me。　For　two　days；　therefore；　I　devoted　my
attention　to　Mlle。　Blanche。　The　poor　General　was　in　despair！　To
fall　in　love　at　fifty…five；　and　with　such　vehemence；　is　indeed　a
misfortune！　And　add　to　that　his　widowerhood；　his　children；　his
ruined　property；　his　debts；　and　the　woman　with　whom　he　had
fallen　in　love！　Though　Mlle。　Blanche　was　extremely　good…looking；
I　may　or　may　not　be　understood　when　I　say　that　she　had　one　of
those　faces　which　one　is　afraid　of。　At　all　events；　I　myself　have
always　feared　such　women。　Apparently　about　twenty…five　years　of
age；　she　was　tall　and　broad…shouldered；　with　shoulders　that
sloped；　yet　though　her　neck　and　bosom　were　ample　in　their
proportions；　her　skin　was　dull　yellow　in　colour；　while　her　hair
（which　was　extremely　abundantsufficient　to　make　two
coiffures）　was　as　black　as　Indian　ink。　Add　to　that　a　pair　of
black　eyes　with　yellowish　whites；　a　proud　glance；　gleaming
teeth；　and　lips　which　were　perennially　pomaded　and　redolent　of
musk。　As　for　her　dress；　it　was　invariably　rich；　effective；　and
chic；　yet　in　good　taste。　Lastly；　her　feet　and　hands　were
astonishing；　and　her　voice　a　deep　contralto。　Sometimes；　when　she
laughed；　she　displayed　her　teeth；　but　at　ordinary　times　her　air
was　taciturn　and　haughtyespecially　in　the　presence　of　Polina
and　Maria　Philipovna。　Yet　she　seemed　to　me　almost　destitute　of
education；　and　even　of　wits；　though　cunning　and　suspicious。
This；　apparently；　was　not　because　her　life　had　been　lacking　in
incident。　Perhaps；　if　all　were　known；　the　Marquis　was　not　her
kinsman　at　all；　nor　her　mother；　her　mother；　but　there　was
evidence　that；　in　Berlin；　where　we　had　first　come　across　the
pair；　they　had　possessed　acquaintances　of　good　standing。　As　for
the　Marquis　himself；　I　doubt　to　this　day　if　he　was　a
Marquisalthough　about　the　fact　that　he　had　formerly　belonged　to
high　society　（for　instance；　in　Moscow　and　Germany）　there　could
be　no　doubt　whatever。　What　he　had　formerly　been　in　France　I　had
not　a　notion。　All　I　knew　was　that　he　was　said　to　possess　a
chateau。　During　the　last　two　weeks　I　had　looked　for　much　to　
transpire；　but　am　still　ignorant　whether　at　that　time　anything
decisive　ever　passed　between　Mademoiselle　and　the　General。
Everything　seemed　to　depend　upon　our　meansupon　whether　the
General　would　be　able　to　flourish　sufficient　money　in　her　face。
If　ever　the　news　should　arrive　that　the　grandmother　was　not
dead；　Mlle。　Blanche；　I　felt　sure；　would　disappear　in　a
twinkling。　Indeed；　it　surprised　and　amused　me　to　observe　what　a
passion　for　intrigue　I　was　developing。　But　how　I　loathed　it　all！
With　what　pleasure　would　I　have　given　everybody　and　everything
the　go…by！　OnlyI　could　not　leave　Polina。　How；　then；　could　I
show　contempt　for　those　who　surrounded　her？　Espionage　is　a　base
thing；　butwhat　have　I　to　do　with　that？

Mr。　Astley；　too；　I　found　a　curious　person。　I　was　only　sure　that
he　had　fallen　in　love　With　Polina。　A　remarkable　and　diverting
circumstance　is　the　amount　which　may　lie　in　the　mien　of　a　shy
and　painfully　modest　man　who　has　been　touched　with　the　divine
passionespecially　when　he　would　rather　sink　into　the　earth　than
betray　himself　by　a　single　word　or　look。　Though　Mr。　Astley
frequently　met　us　when　we　were　out　walking；　he　would　merely　take
off　his　hat　and　pass　us　by；　though　I　knew　he　was　dying　to　join
us。　Even　when　invited　to　do　so；　he　would　refuse。　Again；　in
places　of　amusementin　the　Casino；　at　concerts；　or　near　the
fountainhe　was　never　far　from　the　spot　where　we　were　sitting。
In　fact；　WHEREVER　we　were　in　the　Park；　in　the　forest；　or　on　the
Shlangenbergone　needed　but　to　raise　one's　eyes　and　glance
around　to　catch　sight　of　at　least　a　PORTION　of　Mr。　Astley's
frame　sticking　outwhether　on　an　adjacent　path　or　behind　a　bush。
Yet　never　did　he　lose　any　chance　of　speaking　to　myself；　and；　one
morning　when　we　had　met；　and　exchanged　a　couple　of　words；　he
burst　out　in　his　usual　abrupt　way；　without　saying　〃Good…morning。〃

〃That　Mlle。　Blanche；〃　he　said。　〃Well；　I　have　seen　a　good　many
women　like　her。〃

After　that　he　was　silent　as　he　looked　me　meaningly　in　the　face。
What　he　meant　I　did　not　know；　but　to　my　glance　of　inquiry　he
returned　only　a　dry　nod；　and　a　reiterated　〃It　is　so。〃
Presently；　however；　he　resumed：

〃Does　Mlle。　Polina　like　flowers？〃

〃　I　really　cannot　say；〃　was　my　reply。

〃What？　You　cannot　say？〃　he　cried　in　great　astonishment。

〃No；　I　have　never　noticed　whether　she　does　so　or　not；〃　I
repeated　with　a　smile。

〃Hm！　Then　I　have　an　idea　in　my　mind；〃　he　concluded。　Lastly；
with　a　nod；　he　walked　away　with　a　pleased　expression　on　his
face。　The　conversation　had　been　carried　on　in　execrable　French。

IV

Today　has　been　a　day　of　folly；　stupidity；　and　ineptness。　The
time　is　now　eleven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　and　I　am　sitting　in
my　room　and　thinking。　It　all　began；　this　morning；　with　my　being
forced　to　go　and　play　roulette　for　Polina　Alexandrovna。　When　she
handed　me　over　her　store　of　six　hundred　gulden　I　exacted　two
conditions　namely；　that　I　should　not　go　halves　with　her　in　her
winnings；　if　any　（that　is　to　say；　I　should　not　take　anything　for
myself）；　and　that　she　should　explain　to　me；　that　same　evening；
why　it　was　so　necessary　for　her　to　win；　and　how　much　was　the　sum
which　she　needed。　For；　I　could　not　suppose　that　she　was　doing　all
this　merely　for　the　sake　of　money。　Yet　clearly　she　did　need　some
money；　and　that　as　soon　as　possible；　and　for　a　special　purpose。
Well；　she　promised　to　explain　matters；　and　I　departed。　There　was
a　tremendous　crowd　in　the　gaming…rooms。　What　an　arrogant；　greedy
crowd　it　was！　I　pressed　forward　towards　the　middle　of　the　room
until　I　had　secured　a　seat　at　a　croupier's　elbow。　Then　I　began
to　play　in　timid　fashion；　venturing　only　twenty　or　thirty　gulden
at　a　time。　Meanwhile；　I　observed　and　took　notes。　It　seemed　to　me
that　calculation　was　superfluous；　and　by　no　means　possessed　of
the　importance　which　certain　other　players　attached　to　it；　even
though　they　sat　with　ruled　papers　in　their　hands；　whereon　they
set　down　the　coups；　calculated　the　chances；　reckoned；　staked；
andlost　exactly　as　we　more　simple　mortals　did　who　played
without　any　reckoning　at　all。　

However；　I　deduced　from　the　scene　one　conclusion　which　seemed　to　me　
reliable　namely；　that　in　the　flow　of　fortuitous　chances　there　is；　
if　not　a　system；　at　all　events　a　sort　of　order。　This；　of　course；　
is　a　very　strange　thing。　For　instance；　after　a　dozen　middle　figures　
there　would　always　occur　a　dozen　or　so　outer　ones。　Suppose　the　ball　
stopped　twice　at　a　dozen　outer　figures；　it　would　then　pass　to　a　dozen　of
the　first　ones；　and　then；　again；　to　a　dozen　of　the　middle
ciphers；　and　fall　upon　them　three　or　four　times；　and　then　revert
to　a　dozen　outers；　whence；　after　another　couple　of　rounds；　the
ball　would　again　pass　to　the　first　figures；　strike　upon　them
once；　and　then　return　thrice　to　the　middle　seriescontinuing
thus　for　an　hour　and　a　half；　or　two　hours。　One；　three；　two：　one；
three；　two。　It　was　all　very　curious。　Again；　for　the　whole　of　a
day　or　a　morning　the　red　would　alternate　with　the　black；　but
almost　without　any　order；　and　from　moment　to　moment；　so　that
scarcely　two　consecutive　rounds　would　end　upon　either　the　one　or
the　other。　Yet；　next　day；　or；　perhaps；　the　next　evening；　the　red
alone　would　turn　up；　and　attain　a　run　of　over　two　score；　and
continue　so　for　quite　a　length　of　timesay；　for　a　whole　day。　Of
these　circumstances　the　majority　were　pointed　out　to　me　by　Mr。
Astley；　who　stood　by　the　gaming…table　the　whole　morning；　yet
never　once　staked　in　person。　

For　myself；　I　lost　all　that　I　had　on　me；　and　with　great　speed。　
To　begin　with；　I　staked　two　hundred　gulden　on　〃　even；〃　and　won。　
Then　I　staked　the　same　amount　again；　and　won：　and　so　on　some　two　or
three　times。　At　one　moment　I　must　have　had　in　my　handsgathered　there
within　a　space　of　five　minutesabout　4000　gulden。　That；　of　course；　
was　the　proper　moment　for　me　to　have　departed；　but　there　arose　in　me　a　
strange　sensation　as　of　a　challenge　to　Fateas　of　a　wish　to　deal　her　a
blow　on　the　cheek；　and　to　put　out　my　tongue　at　her。　Accordingly
I　set　down　the　largest　stake　allowed　by　the　rulesnamely；　4000
guldenand　lost。　Fired　by　this　mishap；　I　pulled　out　all　the
money　left　to　me；　staked　it　all　on　the　same　venture；　andagain
lost！　Then　I　rose　from　the　table；　feeling　as　though　I　were
stupefied。　What　had　happened　to　me　I　did　not　know；　　but；　before
luncheon　I　told　Polina　of　my　losses　until　which　time　I　walked
about　the　Park。

At　luncheon　I　was　as　excited　as　I　had　been　at　the　meal　three
days　ago。　Mlle。　Blanche　and　the　Frenchman　were　lunching　with　us；
and　it　appeared　that　the　former　had　been　to　the　Casino　that
morning；　and　had　seen　my　exploits　there。　So　now　she　showed　me
more　attention　when　talking　to　me；　while；　for　his　part；　the
Frenchman　approached　me；　and　asked　outright　if　it　had　been　my
own　money　that　I　had　lost。　He　appeared　to　be　suspicious　as　to
something　being　on　foot　between　Polina　and　myself；　but　I　merely
fired　up；　and　replied　that　the　money　had　been　all　my　own。

At　this　the　General　seemed　extremely　surprised；　and　asked　me
whence　I　had　procured　it；　whereupon　I　replied　that；　though　I
had　begun　only　with　100　gulden；　six　or　seven　rounds　had
increased　my　capital　to　5000　or　6000　gulden；　and　that
subsequently　I　had　lost　the　whole　in　two　rounds。

All　this；　of　course；　was　plausible　enough。　During　my　recital　I
glanced　at　Polina；　but　nothing　was　to　be　discerned　on　her　face。
However；　she　had　allowed　me　to　fire　up　without　correcting　me；
and　from　that　I　concluded　that　it　was　my　cue　to　fire　up；　and　to
conceal　the　fact　that　I　had　been　playing　on　her　behalf。　〃At　all
events；〃　I　thought　to　myself；　〃she；　in　her　turn；　has　promised
to　give　me　an　explanation　to…night；　and　to　reveal　to　me
something