the gambler-第25部分

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tea　and　forced　her　to　drink　it；　yet；　even　then　I　could　detect　in
the　old　lady's　tone　and　manner　a　great　change。

〃Good　evening；　Alexis　Ivanovitch；〃　she　said　slowly；　with　her
head　drooping。　〃Pardon　me　for　disturbing　you　again。　Yes；　you
must　pardon　an　old；　old　woman　like　myself；　for　I　have　left
behind　me　all　that　I　possessnearly　a　hundred　thousand　roubles！
You　did　quite　right　in　declining　to　come　with　me　this　evening。
Now　I　am　without　moneywithout　a　single　groat。　But　I　must　not
delay　a　moment；　I　must　leave　by　the　9：30　train。　I　have　sent　for
that　English　friend　of　yours；　and　am　going　to　beg　of　him　three
thousand　francs　for　a　week。　Please　try　and　persuade　him　to　think
nothing　of　it；　nor　yet　to　refuse　me；　for　I　am　still　a　rich　woman
who　possesses　three　villages　and　a　couple　of　mansions。　Yes；　the
money　shall　be　found；　for　I　have　not　yet　squandered　EVERYTHING。
I　tell　you　this　in　order　that　he　may　have　no　doubts　aboutAh；
but　here　he　is！　Clearly　he　is　a　good　fellow。〃

True　enough；　Astley　had　come　hot…foot　on　receiving　the
Grandmother's　appeal。　Scarcely　stopping　even　to　reflect；　and
with　scarcely　a　word；　he　counted　out　the　three　thousand　francs
under　a　note　of　hand　which　she　duly　signed。　Then；　his　business
done；　he　bowed；　and　lost　no　time　in　taking　his　departure。

〃You　too　leave　me；　Alexis　Ivanovitch；〃　said　the　Grandmother。　
〃All　my　bones　are　aching；　and　I　still　have　an　hour　in　which　to
rest。　Do　not　be　hard　upon　me；　old　fool　that　I　am。　Never　again
shall　I　blame　young　people　for　being　frivolous。　I　should　think　
it　wrong　even　to　blame　that　unhappy　General　of　yours。　Nevertheless；　
I　do　not　mean　to　let　him　have　any　of　my　money　（which　is　all　that　
he　desires）；　for　the　reason　that　I　look　upon　him　as　a　perfect　
blockhead；　and　consider　myself；　simpleton　though　I　be；　at　least　
wiser　than　HE　is。　How　surely　does　God　visit　old　age；　and　punish　
it　for　its　presumption！　Well；　good…bye。　Martha；　come　and　lift　
me　up。〃

However；　I　had　a　mind　to　see　the　old　lady　off；　and；　moreover；　I
was　in　an　expectant　frame　of　mindsomehow　I　kept　thinking　that
SOMETHING　was　going　to　happen；　wherefore；　I　could　not　rest
quietly　in　my　room；　but　stepped　out　into　the　corridor；　and　then
into　the　Chestnut　Avenue　for　a　few　minutes'　stroll。　My　letter　to
Polina　had　been　clear　and　firm；　and　in　the　present　crisis；　I　felt
sure；　would　prove　final。　I　had　heard　of　De　Griers'　departure；
and；　however　much　Polina　might　reject　me　as　a　FRIEND；　she　might
not　reject　me　altogether　as　a　SERVANT。　She　would　need　me　to
fetch　and　carry　for　her；　and　I　was　ready　to　do　so。　How　could　it
have　been　otherwise？

Towards　the　hour　of　the　train's　departure　I　hastened　to　the
station；　and　put　the　Grandmother　into　her　compartmentshe　and
her　party　occupying　a　reserved　family　saloon。

〃Thanks　for　your　disinterested　assistance；〃　she　said　at
parting。　〃Oh；　and　please　remind　Prascovia　of　what　I　said　to　her
last　night。　I　expect　soon　to　see　her。〃

Then　I　returned　home。　As　I　was　passing　the　door　of　the　General's
suite；　I　met　the　nursemaid；　and　inquired　after　her　master。　
〃There　is　nothing　new　to　report；　sir；〃　she　replied　quietly。
Nevertheless　I　decided　to　enter；　and　was　just　doing　so　when　I
halted　thunderstruck　on　the　threshold。　For　before　me　I　beheld
the　General　and　Mlle。　Blanchelaughing　gaily　at　one　another！
while　beside　them；　on　the　sofa；　there　was　seated　her　mother。
Clearly　the　General　was　almost　out　of　his　mind　with　joy；　for　he
was　talking　all　sorts　of　nonsense；　and　bubbling　over　with　a
long…drawn；　nervous　laugha　laugh　which　twisted　his　face　into
innumerable　wrinkles；　and　caused　his　eyes　almost　to　disappear。

Afterwards　I　learnt　from　Mlle。　Blanche　herself　that；　after
dismissing　the　Prince　and　hearing　of　the　General's　tears；　she
bethought　her　of　going　to　comfort　the　old　man；　and　had　just
arrived　for　the　purpose　when　I　entered。　Fortunately；　the　poor
General　did　not　know　that　his　fate　had　been　decidedthat　Mlle。
had　long　ago　packed　her　trunks　in　readiness　for　the　first
morning　train　to　Paris！

Hesitating　a　moment　on　the　threshold　I　changed　my　mind　as　to
entering；　and　departed　unnoticed。　Ascending　to　my　own　room；　and
opening　the　door；　I　perceived　in　the　semi…darkness　a　figure
seated　on　a　chair　in　the　corner　by　the　window。　The　figure　did
not　rise　when　I　entered；　so　I　approached　it　swiftly；　peered　at
it　closely；　and　felt　my　heart　almost　stop　beating。　The　figure
was　Polina！

XIV

The　shock　made　me　utter　an　exclamation。

〃What　is　the　matter？　What　is　the　matter？〃　she　asked　in　a
strange　voice。　She　was　looking　pale；　and　her　eyes　were　dim。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　I　re…echoed。　〃Why；　the　fact　that　you
are　HERE！〃

〃If　I　am　here；　I　have　come　with　all　that　I　have　to　bring；〃　she
said。　〃Such　has　always　been　my　way；　as　you　shall　presently　see。
Please　light　a　candle。〃

I　did　so；　whereupon　she　rose；　approached　the　table；　and　laid
upon　it　an　open　letter。

〃Read　it；〃　she　added。

〃It　is　De　Griers'　handwriting！〃　I　cried　as　I　seized　the
document。　My　hands　were　so　tremulous　that　the　lines　on　the　pages
danced　before　my　eyes。　Although；　at　this　distance　of　time；　I
have　forgotten　the　exact　phraseology　of　the　missive；　I　append；
if　not　the　precise　words；　at　all　events　the　general　sense。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　the　document　ran；　〃certain　untoward
circumstances　compel　me　to　depart　in　haste。　Of　course；　you　have
of　yourself　remarked　that　hitherto　I　have　always　refrained　from
having　any　final　explanation　with　you；　for　the　reason　that　I
could　not　well　state　the　whole　circumstances；　and　now　to　my
difficulties　the　advent　of　the　aged　Grandmother；　coupled　with
her　subsequent　proceedings；　has　put　the　final　touch。　Also；　the
involved　state　of　my　affairs　forbids　me　to　write　with　any
finality　concerning　those　hopes　of　ultimate　bliss　upon　which；
for　a　long　while　past；　I　have　permitted　myself　to　feed。　I　regret
the　past；　but　at　the　same　time　hope　that　in　my　conduct　you　have
never　been　able　to　detect　anything　that　was　unworthy　of　a
gentleman　and　a　man　of　honour。　Having　lost；　however；　almost　the
whole　of　my　money　in　debts　incurred　by　your　stepfather；　I　find
myself　driven　to　the　necessity　of　saving　the　remainder；
wherefore；　I　have　instructed　certain　friends　of　mine　in　St。
Petersburg　to　arrange　for　the　sale　of　all　the　property　which　has
been　mortgaged　to　myself。　At　the　same　time；　knowing　that；　in
addition；　your　frivolous　stepfather　has　squandered　money　which
is　exclusively　yours；　I　have　decided　to　absolve　him　from　a
certain　moiety　of　the　mortgages　on　his　property；　in　order　that
you　may　be　in　a　position　to　recover　of　him　what　you　have　lost；
by　suing　him　in　legal　fashion。　I　trust；　therefore；　that；　as
matters　now　stand；　this　action　of　mine　may　bring　you　some
advantage。　I　trust　also　that　this　same　action　leaves　me　in　the
position　of　having　fulfilled　every　obligation　which　is　incumbent
upon　a　man　of　honour　and　refinement。　Rest　assured　that　your
memory　will　for　ever　remain　graven　in　my　heart。〃

〃All　this　is　clear　enough；〃　I　commented。　〃Surely　you　did　not
expect　aught　else　from　him？〃　Somehow　I　was　feeling　annoyed。

〃I　expected　nothing　at　all　from　him；〃　she　repliedquietly
enough；　to　all　outward　seeming；　yet　with　a　note　of　irritation　in
her　tone。　〃Long　ago　I　made　up　my　mind　on　the　subject；　for　I
could　read　his　thoughts；　and　knew　what　he　was　thinking。　He
thought　that　possibly　I　should　sue　himthat　one　day　I　might
become　a　nuisance。〃　Here　Polina　halted　for　a　moment；　and　stood
biting　her　lips。　〃So　of　set　purpose　I　redoubled　my　contemptuous
treatment　of　him；　and　waited　to　see　what　he　would　do。　If　a
telegram　to　say　that　we　had　become　legatees　had　arrived　from；
St。　Petersburg；　I　should　have　flung　at　him　a　quittance　for　my
foolish　stepfather's　debts；　and　then　dismissed　him。　For　a　long
time　I　have　hated　him。　Even　in　earlier　days　he　was　not　a　man；
and　now！　Oh；　how　gladly　I　could　throw　those　fifty　thousand
roubles　in　his　face；　and　spit　in　it；　and　then　rub　the　spittle　in！〃

〃But　the　document　returning　the　fifty…thousand　rouble
mortgagehas　the　General　got　it？　If　so；　possess　yourself　of　it；
and　send　it　to　De　Griers。〃

〃No；　no；　the　General　has　not　got　it。〃

〃Just　as　I　expected！　Well；　what　is　the　General　going　to　do？〃
Then　an　idea　suddenly　occurred　to　me。　〃What　about　the
Grandmother？〃　I　asked。

Polina　looked　at　me　with　impatience　and　bewilderment。

〃What　makes　you　speak　of　HER？〃　was　her　irritable　inquiry。　〃I
cannot　go　and　live　with　her。　Nor；〃　she　added　hotly；　〃will　I　go
down　upon　my　knees　to　ANY　ONE。〃

〃Why　should　you？〃　I　cried。　〃Yet　to　think　that　you　should　have
loved　De　Griers！　The　villain；　the　villain！　But　I　will　kill　him
in　a　duel。　Where　is　he　now？〃

〃In　Frankfort；　where　he　will　be　staying　for　the　next　three
days。〃

〃Well；　bid　me　do　so；　and　I　will　go　to　him　by　the　first　train
tomorrow；〃　I　exclaimed　with　enthusiasm。

She　smiled。

〃If　you　were　to　do　that；〃　she　said；　〃he　would　merely
tell　you　to　be　so　good　as　first　to　return　him　the　fifty
thousand　francs。　What；　then；　would　be　the　use　of
having　a　quarrel　with　him？　You　talk　sheer　nonsense。〃

I　ground　my　teeth。

〃The　question；〃　I　went　on；　〃is　how　to　raise　the　fifty　thousand
francs。　We　cannot　expect　to　find　them　lying　about　on　the　floor。
Listen。　What　of　Mr。　Astley？〃　Even　as　I　spoke　a　new　and　strange
idea　formed　itself　in　my　brain。

Her　eyes　flashed　fire。

〃What？　YOU　YOURSELF　wish　me　to　leave　you　for　him？〃　she　cried
with　a　scornful　look　and　a　proud　smile。　Never　before　had　she
addressed　me　thus。

Then　her　head　must　have　turned　dizzy　with　emotion；　for　suddenly
she　seated　herself　upon　the　sofa；　as　though　she　were　powerless
any　longer　to　stand。

A　flash　of　lightning　seemed　to　strike　me　as　I　stood　there。　I
could　scarcely　believe　my　eyes　or　my　ears。　She　DID　love　me；
then！　It　WAS　to　me；　and　not　to　Mr。　Astley；　that　she　had　turned！
Although　she；　an　unprotected　girl；　had　come　to　me　in　my　roomin
an　hotel　roomand　had　probably　compromised　herself　thereby；　I
had　not　understood！

Then　a　second　mad　idea　flashed　into　my　brain。

〃Polina；〃　I　said；　〃give　me　but　an　hour。　Wait　here　just　one
hour　until　I　return。　Yes；　you　MUST　do　so。　Do　you　not　see　what　I
mean？　Just　stay　here　for　that　time。〃

And　I　rushed　from　the　room　without　so　much　as　answering　her　look
of　inquiry。　She　called　som