the gambler-第11部分

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his　household〃　（of　set　purpose　I　was　trying　to　talk　as
senselessly　as　possible）。　〃But　is　it　quite　settled　that　Mlle。
is　to　marry　the　General？　What　are　they　waiting　for？　Why　should
they　conceal　such　a　matterat　all　events　from　ourselves；　the
General's　own　party？〃

〃I　cannot　tell　you。　The　marriage　is　not　yet　a　settled　affair；
for　they　are　awaiting　news　from　Russia。　The　General　has　business
transactions　to　arrange。〃

〃Ah！　Connected；　doubtless；　with　madame　his　mother？〃

De　Griers　shot　at　me　a　glance　of　hatred。

〃To　cut　things　short；〃　he　interrupted；　〃I　have　complete
confidence　in　your　native　politeness；　as　well　as　in　your　tact
and　good　sense。　I　feel　sure　that　you　will　do　what　I　suggest；
even　if　it　is　only　for　the　sake　of　this　family　which　has
received　you　as　a　kinsman　into　its　bosom　and　has　always　loved
and　respected　you。〃

〃Be　so　good　as　to　observe；〃　I　remarked；　〃that　the　same　family
has　just　EXPELLED　me　from　its　bosom。　All　that　you　are　saying　you
are　saying　but　for　show；　but；　when　people　have　just　said　to　you；
'Of　course　we　do　not　wish　to　turn　you　out；　yet；　for　the　sake　of
appearance's；　you　must　PERMIT　yourself　to　be　turned　out；'
nothing　can　matter　very　much。〃

〃Very　well；　then；〃　he　said；　in　a　sterner　and　more　arrogant
tone。　〃Seeing　that　my　solicitations　have　had　no　effect　upon
you；　it　is　my　duty　to　mention　that　other　measures　will　be　taken。
There　exist　here　police；　you　must　remember；　and　this　very　day
they　shall　send　you　packing。　Que　diable！　To　think　of　a　blanc　bec
like　yourself　challenging　a　person　like　the　Baron　to　a　duel！　Do
you　suppose　that　you　will　be　ALLOWED　to　do　such　things？　Just　try
doing　them；　and　see　if　any　one　will　be　afraid　of　you！　The　reason
why　I　have　asked　you　to　desist　is　that　I　can　see　that　your
conduct　is　causing　the　General　annoyance。　Do　you　believe　that
the　Baron　could　not　tell　his　lacquey　simply　to　put　you　out　of
doors？〃

〃Nevertheless　I　should　not　GO　out　of　doors；〃　I　retorted　with
absolute　calm。　〃You　are　labouring　under　a　delusion；　Monsieur　de
Griers。　The　thing　will　be　done　in　far　better　trim　than　you
imagine。　I　was　just　about　to　start　for　Mr。　Astley's；　to　ask　him
to　be　my　intermediaryin　other　words；　my　second。　He　has　a　strong
liking　for　me；　and　I　do　not　think　that　he　will　refuse。　He　will
go　and　see　the　Baron　on　MY　behalf；　and　the　Baron　will　certainly
not　decline　to　receive　him。　Although　I　am　only　a　tutora　kind　of
subaltern；　Mr。　Astley　is　known　to　all　men　as　the　nephew　of　a
real　English　lord；　the　Lord　Piebroch；　as　well　as　a　lord　in　his
own　right。　Yes；　you　may　be　pretty　sure　that　the　Baron　will　be
civil　to　Mr。　Astley；　and　listen　to　him。　Or；　should　he　decline　to
do　so；　Mr。　Astley　will　take　the　refusal　as　a　personal　affront　to
himself　（for　you　know　how　persistent　the　English　are？）　and
thereupon　introduce　to　the　Baron　a　friend　of　his　own　（and　he　has
many　friends　in　a　good　position）。　That　being　so；　picture　to
yourself　the　issue　of　the　affairan　affair　which　will　not　quite
end　as　you　think　it　will。〃

This　caused　the　Frenchman　to　bethink　him　of　playing　the　coward。
〃Really　things　may　be　as　this　fellow　says；〃　he　evidently
thought。　〃Really　he　MIGHT　be　able　to　engineer　another　scene。〃

〃Once　more　I　beg　of　you　to　let　the　matter　drop；〃　he　continued
in　a　tone　that　was　now　entirely　conciliatory。　〃One　would　think
that　it　actually　PLEASED　you　to　have　scenes！　Indeed；　it　is　a
brawl　rather　than　genuine　satisfaction　that　you　are　seeking。　I
have　said　that　the　affair　may　prove　to　be　diverting；　and　even
clever；　and　that　possibly　you　may　attain　something　by　it；　yet
none　the　less　I　tell　you〃　（he　said　this　only　because　he　saw　me
rise　and　reach　for　my　hat）　〃that　I　have　come　hither　also　to
hand　you　these　few　words　from　a　certain　person。　Read　them；
please；　for　I　must　take　her　back　an　answer。〃

So　saying；　he　took　from　his　pocket　a　small；　compact；
wafer…sealed　note；　and　handed　it　to　me。　In　Polina's　handwriting
I　read：

〃I　hear　that　you　are　thinking　of　going　on　with　this　affair。　You
have　lost　your　temper　now；　and　are　beginning　to　play　the　fool！
Certain　circumstances；　however；　I　may　explain　to　you　later。　Pray
cease　from　your　folly；　and　put　a　check　upon　yourself。　For　folly
it　all　is。　I　have　need　of　you；　and；　moreover；　you　have　promised
to　obey　me。　Remember　the　Shlangenberg。　　I　ask　you　to　be
obedient。　If　necessary；　I　shall　even　BID　you　be　obedient。Your
own　 POLINA。

〃P。S。If　so　be　that　you　still　bear　a　grudge　against　me　for　what
happened　last　night；　pray　forgive　me。〃

Everything；　to　my　eyes；　seemed　to　change　as　I　read　these　words。
My　lips　grew　pale；　and　I　began　to　tremble。　Meanwhile；　the　cursed
Frenchman　was　eyeing　me　discreetly　and　askance；　as　though　he
wished　to　avoid　witnessing　my　confusion。　It　would　have　been
better　if　he　had　laughed　outright。

〃Very　well；〃　I　said；　〃you　can　tell　Mlle。　not　to　disturb
herself。　But；〃　I　added　sharply；　〃I　would　also　ask　you　why　you
have　been　so　long　in　handing　me　this　note？　Instead　of　chattering
about　trifles；　you　ought　to　have　delivered　me　the　missive　at
onceif　you　have　really　come　commissioned　as　you　say。〃

〃Well；　pardon　some　natural　haste　on　my　part；　for　the　situation
is　so　strange。　I　wished　first　to　gain　some　personal　knowledge　of
your　intentions；　and；　moreover；　I　did　not　know　the　contents　of
the　note；　and　thought　that　it　could　be　given　you　at　any　time。〃

〃I　understand；〃　I　replied。　〃So　you　were　ordered　to　hand　me　the
note　only　in　the　last　resort；　and　if　you　could　not　otherwise
appease　me？　Is　it　not　so？　Speak　out；　Monsieur　de　Griers。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　he；　assuming　a　look　of　great　forbearance；　but
gazing　at　me　in　a　meaning　way。

I　reached　for　my　hat；　whereupon　he　nodded；　and　went　out。　Yet　on
his　lips　I　fancied　that　I　could　see　a　mocking　smile。　How　could
it　have　been　otherwise？

〃You　and　I　are　to　have　a　reckoning　later；　Master　Frenchman；〃　I
muttered　as　I　descended　the　stairs。　〃Yes；　we　will　measure　our
strength　together。〃　Yet　my　thoughts　were　all　in　confusion；　for
again　something　seemed　to　have　struck　me　dizzy。　Presently　the
air　revived　me　a　little；　and；　a　couple　of　minutes　later；　my
brain　had　sufficiently　cleared　to　enable　two　ideas　in　particular
to　stand　out　in　it。　Firstly；　I　asked　myself；　which　of　the
absurd；　boyish；　and　extravagant　threats　which　I　had　uttered　at
random　last　night　had　made　everybody　so　alarmed？　Secondly；　what
was　the　influence　which　this　Frenchman　appeared　to　exercise　over
Polina？　He　had　but　to　give　the　word；　and　at　once　she　did　as　he
desiredat　once　she　wrote　me　a　note　to　beg　of　me　to　forbear！　Of
course；　the　relations　between　the　pair　had；　from　the　first；　been
a　riddle　to　methey　had　been　so　ever　since　I　had　first　made
their　acquaintance。　　But　of　late　I　had　remarked　in　her　a　strong
aversion　for；　even　a　contempt　forhim；　while；　for　his　part；　he
had　scarcely　even　looked　at　her；　but　had　behaved　towards　her
always　in　the　most　churlish　fashion。　Yes；　I　had　noted　that。
Also；　Polina　herself　had　mentioned　to　me　her　dislike　for　him；
and　delivered　herself　of　some　remarkable　confessions　on　the
subject。　Hence；　he　must　have　got　her　into　his　power
somehowsomehow　he　must　be　holding　her　as　in　a　vice。

VIII

All　at　once；　on　the　Promenade；　as　it　was　calledthat　is　to　say；
in　the　Chestnut　AvenueI　came　face　to　face　with　my　Englishman。

〃I　was　just　coming　to　see　you；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　appear　to　be
out　on　a　similar　errand。　So　you　have　parted　with　your　employers？〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　I　asked　in　astonishment。　〃Is　EVERY　ONE　
aware　of　the　fact？　〃

〃By　no　means。　Not　every　one　would　consider　such　a　fact　to　be　of
moment。　Indeed；　I　have　never　heard　any　one　speak　of　it。〃

〃Then　how　come　you　to　know　it？〃

〃Because　I　have　had　occasion　to　do　so。　Whither　are　you　bound？　I
like　you；　and　was　therefore　coming　to　pay　you　a　visit。〃

〃What　a　splendid　fellow　you　are；　Mr。　Astley！〃　I　cried；　though
still　wondering　how　he　had　come　by　his　knowledge。　〃And　since　I
have　not　yet　had　my　coffee；　and　you　have；　in　all　probability；
scarcely　tasted　yours；　let　us　adjourn　to　the　Casino　Cafe；　where
we　can　sit　and　smoke　and　have　a　talk。〃

The　cafe　in　question　was　only　a　hundred　paces　away；　so；　when
coffee　had　been　brought；　we　seated　ourselves；　and　I　lit　a
cigarette。　Astley　was　no　smoker；　but；　taking　a　seat　by　my　side；
he　prepared　himself　to　listen。

〃I　do　not　intend　to　go　away；〃　was　my　first　remark。　〃I　intend；　
on　the　contrary；　to　remain　here。〃

〃That　I　never　doubted；〃　he　answered　good…humouredly。

It　is　a　curious　fact　that；　on　my　way　to　see　him；　I　had　never
even　thought　of　telling　him　of　my　love　for　Polina。　In　fact；　I
had　purposely　meant　to　avoid　any　mention　of　the　subject。　Nor；
during　our　stay　in　the　place；　had　I　ever　made　aught　but　the
scantiest　reference　to　it。　You　see；　not　only　was　Astley　a　man　of
great　reserve；　but　also　from　the　first　I　had　perceived　that
Polina　had　made　a　great　impression　upon　him；　although　he　never
spoke　of　her。　But　now；　strangely　enough；　he　had　no　sooner　seated
himself　and　bent　his　steely　gaze　upon　me；　than；　for　some　reason
or　another；　I　felt　moved　to　tell　him　everythingto　speak　to　him
of　my　love　in　all　its　phases。　For　an　hour　and　a　half　did　I
discourse　on　the　subject；　and　found　it　a　pleasure　to　do　so；　even
though　this　was　the　first　occasion　on　which　I　had　referred　to
the　matter。　Indeed；　when；　at　certain　moments；　I　perceived　that
my　more　ardent　passages　confused　him；　I　purposely　increased　my
ardour　of　narration。　Yet　one　thing　I　regret：　and　that　is　that　I
made　references　to　the　Frenchman　which　were　a　little
over…personal。

Mr。　Astley　sat　without　moving　as　he　listened　to　me。　Not　a　word
nor　a　sound　of　any　kind　did　he　utter　as　he　stared　into　my　eyes。
Suddenly；　however；　on　my　mentioning　the　Frenchman；　he
interrupted　me；　and　inquired　sternly　whether　I　did　right　to
speak　of　an　extraneous　matter　（he　had　always　been　a　strange　man
in　his　mode　of　propounding　questions）。

〃No；　I　fear　not；〃　I　replied。

〃And　concerning　this　Marquis　and　Mlle。　Polina　you　know　nothing
beyond　surmise？〃

Again　I　was　surprised　that　such　a　categorical　question　should
come　from　such　a　reserved　individual。

〃No；　I　know　nothing　FOR　CERTAIN　about　them〃　was　my　reply。　
〃Nonothing。〃

〃Then　you　have　done　very　wrong　to　speak　of　them　to　me；　or　even
to　imagine　things　about　them