the gambler-第6部分

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to　give　me　an　explanation　to…night；　and　to　reveal　to　me
something　or　another。〃

Although　the　General　appeared　to　be　taking　stock　of　me；　he　said
nothing。　Yet　I　could　see　uneasiness　and　annoyance　in　his　face。
Perhaps　his　straitened　circumstances　made　it　hard　for　him　to
have　to　hear　of　piles　of　gold　passing　through　the　hands　of　an
irresponsible　fool　like　myself　within　the　space　of　a　quarter　of
an　hour。　Now；　I　have　an　idea　that；　last　night；　he　and　the
Frenchman　had　a　sharp　encounter　with　one　another。　At　all　events
they　closeted　themselves　together；　and　then　had　a　long　and　vehement
discussion；　after　which　the　Frenchman　departed　in　what　appeared　to　be
a　passion；　but　returned；　early　this　morning；　to　renew　the　combat。　
On　hearing　of　my　losses；　however；　he　only　remarked　with　a　sharp；　
and　even　a　malicious；　air　that　〃a　man　ought　to　go　more　carefully。〃　
Next；　for　some　reason　or　another；　he　added　that；　〃though　a　great　many
Russians　go　in　for　gambling；　they　are　no　good　at　the　game。〃

〃I　think　that　roulette　was　devised　specially　for　Russians；〃　I
retorted；　and　when　the　Frenchman　smiled　contemptuously　at　my
reply　I　further　remarked　that　I　was　sure　I　was　right；　also　that；
speaking　of　Russians　in　the　capacity　of　gamblers；　I　had　far　more
blame　for　them　than　praiseof　that　he　could　be　quite　sure。

〃Upon　what　do　you　base　your　opinion？〃　he　inquired。

〃Upon　the　fact　that　to　the　virtues　and　merits　of　the　civilised
Westerner　there　has　become　historically　addedthough　this　is
not　his　chief　pointa　capacity　for　acquiring　capital；　whereas；
not　only　is　the　Russian　incapable　of　acquiring　capital；　but　also
he　exhausts　it　wantonly　and　of　sheer　folly。　None　the　less　we
Russians　often　need　money；　wherefore；　we　are　glad　of；　and　greatly
devoted　to；　a　method　of　acquisition　like　roulettewhereby；　in　a
couple　of　hours；　one　may　grow　rich　without　doing　any　work。　This
method；　I　repeat；　has　a　great　attraction　for　us；　but　since　we
play　in　wanton　fashion；　and　without　taking　any　trouble；　we
almost　invariably　lose。〃

〃To　a　certain　extent　that　is　true；〃　assented　the　Frenchman　with
a　self…satisfied　air。

〃Oh　no；　it　is　not　true；〃　put　in　the　General　sternly。　〃And　you；〃
he　added　to　me；　〃you　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself　for
traducing　your　own　country！〃

〃I　beg　pardon；〃　I　said。　〃Yet　it　would　be　difficult　to　say
which　is　the　worst　of　the　twoRussian　ineptitude　or　the　German
method　of　growing　rich　through　honest　toil。〃

〃What　an　extraordinary　idea；〃　cried　the　General。

〃And　what　a　RUSSIAN　idea！〃　added　the　Frenchman。

I　smiled；　for　I　was　rather　glad　to　have　a　quarrel　with　them。

〃I　would　rather　live　a　wandering　life　in　tents；〃　I　cried；　
〃than　bow　the　knee　to　a　German　idol！〃

〃To　WHAT　idol？〃　exclaimed　the　General；　now　seriously　angry。

〃To　the　German　method　of　heaping　up　riches。　I　have　not　been
here　very　long；　but　I　can　tell　you　that　what　I　have　seen　and
verified　makes　my　Tartar　blood　boil。　Good　Lord！　I　wish　for　no
virtues　of　that　kind。　Yesterday　I　went　for　a　walk　of　about　ten
versts；　and；　everywhere　I　found　that　things　were　even　as　we　read
of　them　in　good　German　picture…books　　that　every　house　has　its
'Fater；'　who　is　horribly　beneficent　and　extraordinarily
honourable。　So　honourable　is　he　that　it　is　dreadful　to　have
anything　to　do　with　him；　and　I　cannot　bear　people　of　that　sort。
Each　such　'Fater'　has　his　family；　and　in　the　evenings　they
read　improving　books　aloud。　Over　their　roof…trees　there　murmur
elms　and　chestnuts；　the　sun　has　sunk　to　his　rest；　a　stork　is
roosting　on　the　gable；　and　all　is　beautifully　poetic　and
touching。　Do　not　be　angry；　General。　Let　me　tell　you　something
that　is　even　more　touching　than　that。　I　can　remember　how；　of　an
evening；　my　own　father；　now　dead；　used　to　sit　under　the　lime
trees　in　his　little　garden；　and　to　read　books　aloud　to　myself
and　my　mother。　Yes；　I　know　how　things　ought　to　be　done。　Yet
every　German　family　is　bound　to　slavery　and　to　submission　to　its
'Fater。'　They　work　like　oxen；　and　amass　wealth　like　Jews。
Suppose　the　'Fater'　has　put　by　a　certain　number　of　gulden
which　he　hands　over　to　his　eldest　son；　in　order　that　the　said
son　may　acquire　a　trade　or　a　small　plot　of　land。　Well；　one
result　is　to　deprive　the　daughter　of　a　dowry；　and　so　leave　her
among　the　unwedded。　For　the　same　reason；　the　parents　will　have
to　sell　the　younger　son　into　bondage　or　the　ranks　of　the　army；
in　order　that　he　may　earn　more　towards　the　family　capital。　Yes；
such　things　ARE　done；　for　I　have　been　making　inquiries　on　the
subject。　It　is　all　done　out　of　sheer　rectitudeout　of　a
rectitude　which　is　magnified　to　the　point　of　the　younger　son
believing　that　he　has　been　RIGHTLY　sold；　and　that　it　is　simply
idyllic　for　the　victim　to　rejoice　when　he　is　made　over　into
pledge。　What　more　have　I　to　tell？　Well；　thisthat　matters　bear
just　as　hardly　upon　the　eldest　son。　Perhaps　he　has　his　Gretchen
to　whom　his　heart　is　bound；　but　he　cannot　marry　her；　for　the
reason　that　he　has　not　yet　amassed　sufficient　gulden。　So；　the
pair　wait　on　in　a　mood　of　sincere　and　virtuous　expectation；　and
smilingly　deposit　themselves　in　pawn　the　while。　Gretchen's
cheeks　grow　sunken；　and　she　begins　to　wither；　until　at　last；
after　some　twenty　years；　their　substance　has　multiplied；　and
sufficient　gulden　have　been　honourably　and　virtuously
accumulated。　Then　the　'Fater'　blesses　his　forty…year…old　heir　and
the　thirty…five…year…old　Gretchen　with　the　sunken　bosom　and　the
scarlet　nose；　after　which　he　bursts；　into　tears；　reads　the　pair
a　lesson　on　morality；　and　dies。　In　turn　the　eldest　son　becomes　a
virtuous　'Fater；'　and　the　old　story　begins　again。　In　fifty　or
sixty　years'　time　the　grandson　of　the　original　'Fater'　will
have　amassed　a　considerable　sum；　and　that　sum　he　will　hand　over
to；　his　son；　and　the　latter　to　HIS　son；　and　so　on　for　several
generations；　until　at　length　there　will　issue　a　Baron
Rothschild；　or　a　'Hoppe　and　Company；'　or　the　devil　knows　what！
Is　it　not　a　beautiful　spectaclethe　spectacle　of　a　century　or
two　of　inherited　labour；　patience；　intellect；　rectitude；
character；　perseverance；　and　calculation；　with　a　stork　sitting
on　the　roof　above　it　all？　What　is　more；　they　think　there　can
never　be　anything　better　than　this；　wherefore；　from　their　point
of　view　they　begin　to　judge　the　rest　of　the　world；　and　to
censure　all　who　are　at　faultthat　is　to　say；　who　are　not　exactly
like　themselves。　Yes；　there　you　have　it　in　a　nutshell。　For　my
own　part；　I　would　rather　grow　fat　after　the　Russian　manner；　or
squander　my　whole　substance　at　roulette。　I　have　no　wish　to　be　
'Hoppe　and　Company'　at　the　end　of　five　generations。　I　want　the
money　for　MYSELF；　for　in　no　way　do　I　look　upon　my　personality
as　necessary　to；　or　meet　to　be　given　over　to；　capital。　I　may　be
wrong；　but　there　you　have　it。　Those　are　MY　views。〃

〃How　far　you　may　be　right　in　what　you　have　said　I　do　not　know；〃
remarked　the　General　moodily；　〃but　I　DO　know　that　you　are
becoming　an　insufferable　farceur　whenever　you　are　given　the
least　chance。〃

As　usual；　he　left　his　sentence　unfinished。　Indeed；　whenever　he
embarked　upon　anything　that　in　the　least　exceeded　the　limits　of
daily　small…talk；　he　left　unfinished　what　he　was　saying。　The
Frenchman　had　listened　to　me　contemptuously；　with　a　slight
protruding　of　his　eyes；　but；　he　could　not　have　understood　very
much　of　my　harangue。　As　for　Polina；　she　had　looked　on　with
serene　indifference。　She　seemed　to　have　heard　neither　my　voice
nor　any　other　during　the　progress　of　the　meal。

V

Yes；　she　had　been　extraordinarily　meditative。　Yet；　on　leaving
the　table；　she　immediately　ordered　me　to　accompany　her　for　a
walk。　We　took　the　children　with　us；　and　set　out　for　the　fountain
in　the　Park。

I　was　in　such　an　irritated　frame　of　mind　that　in　rude　and　abrupt
fashion　I　blurted　out　a　question　as　to　〃why　our　Marquis　de
Griers　had　ceased　to　accompany　her　for　strolls；　or　to　speak　to
her　for　days　together。〃

〃Because　he　is　a　brute；〃　she　replied　in　rather　a　curious　way。
It　was　the　first　time　that　I　had　heard　her　speak　so　of　De
Griers：　consequently；　I　was　momentarily　awed　into　silence　by　this
expression　of　resentment。

〃Have　you　noticed；　too；　that　today　he　is　by　no　means　on　good
terms　with　the　General？〃　I　went　on。

〃Yes　and　I　suppose　you　want　to　know　why；〃　she　replied　with　dry
captiousness。　〃You　are　aware；　are　you　not；　that　the　General　is
mortgaged　to　the　Marquis；　with　all　his　property？　Consequently；
if　the　General's　mother　does　not　die；　the　Frenchman　will　become
the　absolute　possessor　of　everything　which　he　now　holds　only　in
pledge。〃

〃Then　it　is　really　the　case　that　everything　is　mortgaged？　I
have　heard　rumours　to　that　effect；　but　was　unaware　how　far　they
might　be　true。〃

〃Yes；　they　ARE　true。　What　then？〃

〃Why；　it　will　be　a　case　of　'Farewell；　Mlle。　Blanche；'〃　I
remarked；　〃for　in　such　an　event　she　would　never　become　Madame
General。　Do　you　know；　I　believe　the　old　man　is　so　much　in　love
with　her　that　he　will　shoot　himself　if　she　should　throw　him
over。　At　his　age　it　is　a　dangerous　thing　to　fall　in　love。〃

〃Yes；　something；　I　believe；　WILL　happen　to　him；〃　assented
Polina　thoughtfully。

〃And　what　a　fine　thing　it　all　is！〃　I　continued。　〃Could　anything　
be　more　abominable　than　the　way　in　which　she　has　agreed　to　marry　
for　money　alone？　Not　one　of　the　decencies　has
been　observed；　the　whole　affair　has　taken　place　without　the
least　ceremony。　And　as　for　the　grandmother；　what　could　be　more
comical；　yet　more　dastardly；　than　the　sending　of　telegram　after
telegram　to　know　if　she　is　dead？　What　do　you　think　of　it；　Polina
Alexandrovna？〃

〃Yes；　it　is　very　horrible；〃　she　interrupted　with　a　shudder。　
〃Consequently；　I　am　the　more　surprised　that　YOU　should　be　so
cheerful。　What　are　YOU　so　pleased　about？　About　the　fact　that　you
have　gone　and　lost　my　money？〃

〃What？　The　money　that　you　gave　me　to　lose？　I　told　you　I　should
never　win　for　other　peopleleast　of　all　for　you。　I　obeyed　you
simply　because　you　ordered　me　to；　but　you　must　not　blame　me　for
the　result。　I　warned　you　that　no　good　would　ever　come　of　it。　You
seem　much　depressed　at　having　lost　your　money。　Why　do　you　need
it　so　greatly？〃

〃Why　do　YOU　ask　me　these　questions？〃

〃Because　you　promised　to　explain　matters　to　me。　Listen。　I　am
certain　that；　as　soon　as　ever　I　'beg