the gambler-第13部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


she　appears　in　public　arm　in　arm　with　the　General　or　with　Mlle。
Polina。　NOW　do　you　understand？〃

〃No；　I　do　not！〃　I　shouted　as　I　banged　my　fist　down　upon　the
tablebanged　it　with　such　violence　that　a　frightened　waiter　came
running　towards　us。　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Astley；　why；　if　you　knew　this
history　all　along；　and；　consequently；　always　knew　who　this　Mlle。
Blanche　is；　you　never　warned　either　myself　or　the　General；　nor；
most　of　all；　Mlle。　Polina〃　（who　is　accustomed　to　appear　in　the
Casino　　in　public　everywhere　with　Mlle。　Blanche）。〃　How　could　you
do　it？〃

〃It　would　have　done　no　good　to　warn　you；〃　he　replied　quietly；　
〃for　the　reason　that　you　could　have　effected　nothing。　Against
what　was　I　to　warn　you？　As　likely　as　not；　the　General　knows　more
about　Mlle。　Blanche　even　than　I　do；　yet　the　unhappy　man　still
walks　about　with　her　and　Mlle。　Polina。　Only　yesterday　I　saw　this
Frenchwoman　riding；　splendidly　mounted；　with　De　Griers；　while
the　General　was　careering　in　their　wake　on　a　roan　horse。　He　had
said；　that　morning；　that　his　legs　were　hurting　him；　yet　his
riding…seat　was　easy　enough。　As　he　passed　I　looked　at　him；　and
the　thought　occurred　to　me　that　he　was　a　man　lost　for　ever。
However；　it　is　no　affair　of　mine；　for　I　have　only　recently　had
the　happiness　to　make　Mlle。　Polina's　acquaintance。　Also〃he
added　this　as　an　afterthought〃I　have　already　told　you　that　I
do　not　recognise　your　right　to　ask　me　certain　questions；　however
sincere　be　my　liking　for　you。〃

〃Enough；〃　I　said；　rising。　〃To　me　it　is　as　clear　as　day　that
Mlle。　Polina　knows　all　about　this　Mlle。　Blanche；　but　cannot
bring　herself　to　part　with　her　Frenchman；　wherefore；　she　consents
also　to　be　seen　in　public　with　Mlle。　Blanche。　You　may　be　sure
that　nothing　else　would　ever　have　induced　her　either　to　walk
about　with　this　Frenchwoman　or　to　send　me　a　note　not　to　touch
the　Baron。　Yes；　it　is　THERE　that　the　influence　lies　before　which
everything　in　the　world　must　bow！　Yet　she　herself　it　was　who
launched　me　at　the　Baron！　The　devil　take　it；　but　I　was　left　no
choice　in　the　matter。〃

〃You　forget；　in　the　first　place；　that　this　Mlle。　de　Cominges　is
the　General's　inamorata；　and；　in　the　second　place；　that　Mlle。
Polina；　the　General's　step…daughter；　has　a　younger　brother　and
sister　who；　though　they　are　the　General's　own　children；　are
completely　neglected　by　this　madman；　and　robbed　as　well。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　that　is　so。　For　me　to　go　and　desert　the　children　now
would　mean　their　total　abandonment；　whereas；　if　I　remain；　I
should　be　able　to　defend　their　interests；　and；　perhaps；　to　save
a　moiety　of　their　property。　Yes；　yes；　that　is　quite　true。　And
yet；　and　yetOh；　I　can　well　understand　why　they　are　all　so
interested　in　the　General's　mother！〃

〃In　whom？　〃　asked　Mr。　Astley。

〃In　the　old　woman　of　Moscow　who　declines　to　die；　yet　concerning
whom　they　are　for　ever　expecting　telegrams　to　notify　the　fact　of
her　death。〃

〃Ah；　then　of　course　their　interests　centre　around　her。　It　is　a
question　of　succession。　Let　that　but　be　settled；　and　the　General
will　marry；　Mlle。　Polina　will　be　set　free；　and　De　Griers〃

〃Yes；　and　De　Griers？〃

〃Will　be　repaid　his　money；　which　is　what　he　is　now　waiting　for。〃

〃What？　You　think　that　he　is　waiting　for　that？〃

〃I　know　of　nothing　else；〃　asserted　Mr。　Astley　doggedly。

〃But；　I　do；　I　do！〃　I　shouted　in　my　fury。　〃He　is　waiting　also
for　the　old　woman's　will；　for　the　reason　that　it　awards　Mlle。
Polina　a　dowry。　As　soon　as　ever　the　money　is　received；　she　will
throw　herself　upon　the　Frenchman's　neck。　All　women　are　like
that。　Even　the　proudest　of　them　become　abject　slaves　where
marriage　is　concerned。　What　Polina　is　good　for　is　to　fall　head
over　ears　in　love。　That　is　MY　opinion。　Look　at　herespecially
when　she　is　sitting　alone；　and　plunged　in　thought。　All　this　was
pre…ordained　and　foretold；　and　is　accursed。　Polina　could
perpetrate　any　mad　act。　ShesheBut　who　called　me　by　name？〃　I
broke　off。　〃Who　is　shouting　for　me？　I　heard　some　one　calling　in
Russian；　'Alexis　Ivanovitch！'　It　was　a　woman's　voice。　Listen！〃

At　the　moment；　we　were　approaching　my　hotel。　We　had　left　the　cafe
long　ago；　without　even　noticing　that　we　had　done　so。

〃Yes；　I　DID　hear　a　woman's　voice　calling；　but　whose　I　do　not
know。　The　someone　was　calling　you　in　Russian。　Ah！　NOW　I　can　see
whence　the　cries　come。　They　come　from　that　lady　therethe　one
who　is　sitting　on　the　settee；　the　one　who　has　just　been　escorted
to　the　verandah　by　a　crowd　of　lacqueys。　Behind　her　see　that　pile
of　luggage！　She　must　have　arrived　by　train。〃

〃But　why　should　she　be　calling　ME？　Hear　her　calling　again！　See！
She　is　beckoning　to　us！〃

〃Yes；　so　she　is；〃　assented　Mr。　Astley。

〃Alexis　Ivanovitch；　Alexis　Ivanovitch！　Good　heavens；　what　a
stupid　fellow！〃　came　in　a　despairing　wail　from　the　verandah。

We　had　almost　reached　the　portico；　and　I　was　just　setting　foot
upon　the　space　before　it；　when　my　hands　fell　to　my　sides　in　limp
astonishment；　and　my　feet　glued　themselves　to　the　pavement！

IX

For　on　the　topmost　tier　of　the　hotel　verandah；　after　being
carried　up　the　steps　in　an　armchair　amid　a　bevy　of　footmen；
maid…servants；　and　other　menials　of　the　hotel；　headed　by　the
landlord　（that　functionary　had　actually　run　out　to　meet　a
visitor　who　arrived　with　so　much　stir　and　din；　attended　by　her
own　retinue；　and　accompanied　by　so　great　a　pile　of　trunks　and
portmanteaux）on　the　topmost　tier　of　the　verandah；　I　say；　there
was　sittingTHE　GRANDMOTHER！　Yes；　it　was　sherich；　and　imposing；
and　seventy…five　years　of　ageAntonida　Vassilievna　Tarassevitcha；　
landowner　and　grande　dame　of　Moscowthe　〃La　Baboulenka〃　who　had　
caused　so　many　telegrams　to　be　sent　off　and　receivedwho　had　been　
dying；　yet　not　dyingwho　had；　in　her　own　person；　descended　upon　
us　even　as　snow　might　fall　from　the　clouds！　Though　unable　to　walk；　
she　had　arrived　borne　aloft　in　an　armchair　（her　mode　of　conveyance　
for　the　last　five　years）；　as　brisk；　aggressive；　self…satisfied；
bolt…upright；　loudly　imperious；　and　generally　abusive　as　ever。
In　fact；　she　looked　exactly　as　she　had　on　the　only　two
occasions　when　I　had　seen　her　since　my　appointment　to　the
General's　household。　　Naturally　enough；　I　stood　petrified　with
astonishment。　She　had　sighted　me　a　hundred　paces　off！　Even　while
she　was　being　carried　along　in　her　chair　she　had　recognised　me；
and　called　me　by　name　and　surname　（which；　as　usual；　after
hearing　once；　she　had　remembered　ever　afterwards）。

〃And　this　is　the　woman　whom　they　had　thought　to　see　in　her
grave　after　making　her　will！〃　I　thought　to　myself。　〃Yet　she
will　outlive　us；　and　every　one　else　in　the　hotel。　Good　Lord！
what　is　going　to　become　of　us　now？　What　on　earth　is　to　happen　to
the　General？　She　will　turn　the　place　upside　down！〃

〃My　good　sir；〃　the　old　woman　continued　in　a　stentorian　voice；　
〃what　are　you　standing　THERE　for；　with　your　eyes　almost　falling
out　of　your　head？　Cannot　you　come　and　say　how…do…you…do？　Are　you
too　proud　to　shake　hands？　Or　do　you　not　recognise　me？　Here；
Potapitch！〃　she　cried　to　an　old　servant　who；　dressed　in　a　frock
coat　and　white　waistcoat；　had　a　bald；　red　head　（he　was　the
chamberlain　who　always　accompanied　her　on　her　journeys）。　〃Just
think！　Alexis　Ivanovitch　does　not　recognise　me！　They　have　buried
me　for　good　and　all！　Yes；　and　after　sending　hosts　of　telegrams
to　know　if　I　were　dead　or　not！　Yes；　yes；　I　have　heard　the　whole
story。　I　am　very　much　alive；　though；　as　you　may　see。〃

〃Pardon　me；　Antonida　Vassilievna；〃　I　replied　good　humouredly　as
I　recovered　my　presence　of　mind。　〃I　have　no　reason　to　wish　you
ill。　I　am　merely　rather　astonished　to　see　you。　Why　should　I　not
be　so；　seeing　how　unexpected〃

〃WHY　should　you　be　astonished？　I　just　got　into　my　chair；　and
came。　Things　are　quiet　enough　in　the　train；　for　there　is　no　one
there　to　chatter。　Have　you　been　out　for　a　walk？〃

〃Yes。　I　have　just　been　to　the　Casino。〃

〃Oh？　Well；　it　is　quite　nice　here；〃　she　went　on　as　she　looked
about　her。　〃The　place　seems　comfortable；　and　all　the　trees　are
out。　I　like　it　very　well。　Are　your　people　at　home？　Is　the
General；　for　instance；　indoors？〃

〃Yes；　and　probably　all　of　them。〃

〃Do　they　observe　the　convenances；　and　keep　up　appearances？　Such
things　always　give　one　tone。　I　have　heard　that　they　are　keeping
a　carriage；　even　as　Russian　gentlefolks　ought　to　do。　When
abroad；　our　Russian　people　always　cut　a　dash。　Is　Prascovia　here
too　？〃

〃Yes。　Polina　Alexandrovna　is　here。〃

〃And　the　Frenchwoman？　However；　I　will　go　and　look　for　them
myself。　Tell　me　the　nearest　way　to　their　rooms。　Do　you　like
being　here？〃

〃Yes；　I　thank　you；　Antonida　Vassilievna。〃

〃And　you；　Potapitch；　you　go　and　tell　that　fool　of　a　landlord　to
reserve　me　a　suitable　suite　of　rooms。　They　must　be　handsomely
decorated；　and　not　too　high　up。　Have　my　luggage　taken　up　to
them。　But　what　are　you　tumbling　over　yourselves　for？　Why　are　you
all　tearing　about？　What　scullions　these　fellows　are！Who　is　that
with　you？〃　she　added　to　myself。

〃A　Mr。　Astley；〃　I　replied。

〃And　who　is　Mr。　Astley？〃

〃A　fellow…traveller；　and　my　very　good　friend；　as　well　as　an
acquaintance　of　the　General's。〃

〃Oh；　an　Englishman？　Then　that　is　why　he　stared　at　me　without
even　opening　his　lips。　However；　I　like　Englishmen。　Now；　take　me
upstairs；　direct　to　their　rooms。　Where　are　they　lodging？〃

Madame　was　lifted　up　in　her　chair　by　the　lacqueys；　and　I
preceded　her　up　the　grand　staircase。　Our　progress　was
exceedingly　effective；　for　everyone　whom　we　met　stopped　to　stare
at　the　cortege。　It　happened　that　the　hotel　had　the　reputation　of
being　the　best；　the　most　expensive；　and　the　most　aristocratic　in
all　the　spa；　and　at　every　turn　on　the　staircase　or　in　the
corridors　we　encountered　fine　ladies　and　important…looking
Englishmenmore　than　one　of　whom　hastened　downstairs　to　inquire
of　the　awestruck　landlord　who　the　newcomer　was。　To　all　such
questions　he　returned　the　same　answernamely；　that　the　old　lady
was　an　influential　foreigner；　a　Russian；　a　Countess；　and　a
grande　dame；　and　that　she　had　taken　the　suite　which；　during　the
previous　week；　had　been　tenanted　by　the　Grande　Duchesse　de　N。

Meanwhile　the　cause　of　the　sensationthe　Grandmotherwas　being
borne　aloft　in　her　armchair。　Every　person　whom　she　met　she
scanned　with　an　inquisitive　eye；　after　first　of　a