the gambler-第8部分

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whomsoever　I　wish？　I　desire　to　see　if　you　were　speaking
seriously　just　now。〃

She　awaited　my　reply　with　such　gravity　and　impatience　that　I
found　the　situation　unpleasant。

〃Do　YOU；　rather；　tell　me；〃　I　said；　〃what　is　going　on　here？　Why
do　you　seem　half…afraid　of　me？　I　can　see　for　myself　what　is
wrong。　You　are　the　step…daughter　of　a　ruined　and　insensate　man
who　is　smitten　with　love　for　this　devil　of　a　Blanche。　And　there
is　this　Frenchman；　too；　with　his　mysterious　influence　over　you。　
Yet；　you　actually　ask　me　such　a　question！　If　you　do　not　tell　me　
how　things　stand；　I　shall　have　to　put　in　my　oar　and　do　something。　
Are　you　ashamed　to　be　frank　with　me？　Are　you　shy　of　me？　〃

〃I　am　not　going　to　talk　to　you　on　that　subject。　I　have　asked
you　a　question；　and　am　waiting　for　an　answer。〃

〃Well；　thenI　will　kill　whomsoever　you　wish；〃　I　said。　〃But　are
you　REALLY　going　to　bid　me　do　such　deeds？〃

〃Why　should　you　think　that　I　am　going　to　let　you　off？　I　shall
bid　you　do　it；　or　else　renounce　me。　Could　you　ever　do　the
latter？　No；　you　know　that　you　couldn't。　You　would　first　kill
whom　I　had　bidden　you；　and　then　kill　ME　for　having　dared　to　send
you　away！〃

Something　seemed　to　strike　upon　my　brain　as　I　heard　these　words。
Of　course；　at　the　time　I　took　them　half　in　jest　and　half　as　a
challenge；　yet；　she　had　spoken　them　with　great　seriousness。　I
felt　thunderstruck　that　she　should　so　express　herself；　that　she
should　assert　such　a　right　over　me；　that　she　should　assume　such
authority　and　say　outright：　〃Either　you　kill　whom　I　bid　you；　or
I　will　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　you。〃　Indeed；　in　what　she
had　said　there　was　something　so　cynical　and　unveiled　as　to　pass
all　bounds。　For　how　could　she　ever　regard　me　as　the　same　after
the　killing　was　done？　This　was　more　than　slavery　and　abasement；
it　was　sufficient　to　bring　a　man　back　to　his　right　senses。　Yet；
despite　the　outrageous　improbability　of　our　conversation；　my
heart　shook　within　me。

Suddenly；　she　burst　out　laughing。　We　were　seated　on　a　bench　near
the　spot　where　the　children　were　playingjust　opposite　the　point
in　the　alley…way　before　the　Casino　where　the　carriages　drew　up
in　order　to　set　down　their　occupants。

〃Do　you　see　that　fat　Baroness？〃　she　cried。　〃It　is　the　Baroness
Burmergelm。　She　arrived　three　days　ago。　Just　look　at　her
husbandthat　tall；　wizened　Prussian　there；　with　the　stick　in　his
hand。　Do　you　remember　how　he　stared　at　us　the　other　day？　Well；
go　to　the　Baroness；　take　off　your　hat　to　her；　and　say　something
in　French。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　you　have　sworn　that　you　would　leap　from　the
Shlangenberg　for　my　sake；　and　that　you　would　kill　any　one　whom　I
might　bid　you　kill。　Well；　instead　of　such　murders　and　tragedies；
I　wish　only　for　a　good　laugh。　Go　without　answering　me；　and　let
me　see　the　Baron　give　you　a　sound　thrashing　with　his　stick。〃

〃Then　you　throw　me　out　a　challenge？you　think　that　I　will　not
do　it？〃

〃Yes；　I　do　challenge　you。　Go；　for　such　is　my　will。〃

〃Then　I　WILL　go；　however　mad　be　your　fancy。　Only；　look　here：
shall　you　not　be　doing　the　General　a　great　disservice；　as　well
as；　through　him；　a　great　disservice　to　yourself？　It　is　not　about
myself　I　am　worrying　it　is　about　you　and　the　General。　Why；　for
a　mere　fancy；　should　I　go　and　insult　a　woman？〃

〃Ah！　Then　I　can　see　that　you　are　only　a　trifler；〃　she　said
contemptuously。　〃Your　eyes　are　swimming　with　bloodbut　only
because　you　have　drunk　a　little　too　much　at　luncheon。　Do　I　not
know　that　what　I　have　asked　you　to　do　is　foolish　and　wrong；　and
that　the　General　will　be　angry　about　it？　But　I　want　to　have　a
good　laugh；　all　the　same。　I　want　that；　and　nothing　else。　Why
should　you　insult　a　woman；　indeed？　Well；　you　will　be　given　a
sound　thrashing　for　so　doing。〃

I　turned　away；　and　went　silently　to　do　her　bidding。　Of　course
the　thing　was　folly；　but　I　could　not　get　out　of　it。　I　remember
that；　as　I　approached　the　Baroness；　I　felt　as　excited　as　a
schoolboy。　I　was　in　a　frenzy；　as　though　I　were　drunk。

VI

Two　days　have　passed　since　that　day　of　lunacy。　What　a　noise　and
a　fuss　and　a　chattering　and　an　uproar　there　was！　And　what　a
welter　of　unseemliness　and　disorder　and　stupidity　and　bad
manners！　And　I　the　cause　of　it　all！　Yet　part　of　the　scene　was
also　ridiculousat　all　events　to　myself　it　was　so。　I　am　not　
quite　sure　what　was　the　matter　with　mewhether　I　was　merely　
stupefied　or　whether　I　purposely　broke　loose　and　ran　amok。　
At　times　my　mind　seems　all　confused；　while　at　other　times　
I　seem　almost　to　be　back　in　my　childhood；　at　the　school　desk；　
and　to　have　done　the　deed　simply　out　of　mischief。

It　all　came　of　Polinayes；　of　Polina。　But　for　her；　there　might
never　have　been　a　fracas。　Or　perhaps　I　did　the　deed　in　a　fit　of
despair　（though　it　may　be　foolish　of　me　to　think　so）？　What　there
is　so　attractive　about　her　I　cannot　think。　Yet　there　IS
something　attractive　about　hersomething　passing　fair；　it　would
seem。　Others　besides　myself　she　has　driven　to　distraction。　She
is　tall　and　straight；　and　very　slim。　Her　body　looks　as　though　it
could　be　tied　into　a　knot；　or　bent　double；　like　a　cord。　The
imprint　of　her　foot　is　long　and　narrow。　It　is；　a　maddening
imprintyes；　simply　a　maddening　one！　And　her　hair　has　a　reddish
tint　about　it；　and　her　eyes　are　like　cat's　eyesthough　able　also
to　glance　with　proud；　disdainful　mien。　On　the　evening　of　my
first　arrival；　four　months　ago；　I　remember　that　she　was　sitting
and　holding　an　animated　conversation　with　De　Griers　in　the
salon。　And　the　way　in　which　she　looked　at　him　was　such　that
later；　when　I　retired　to　my　own　room　upstairs；　I　kept　fancying
that　she　had　smitten　him　in　the　facethat　she　had　smitten　him
right　on　the　cheek；　so　peculiar　had　been　her　look　as　she　stood
confronting　him。　Ever　since　that　evening　I　have　loved　her。

But　to　my　tale。

I　stepped　from　the　path　into　the　carriage…way；　and　took　my　stand
in　the　middle　of　it。　There　I　awaited　the　Baron　and　the　Baroness。
When　they　were　but　a　few　paces　distant　from　me　I　took　off　my
hat；　and　bowed。

I　remember　that　the　Baroness　was　clad　in　a　voluminous　silk
dress；　pale　grey　in　colour；　and　adorned　with　flounces　and　a
crinoline　and　train。　Also；　she　was　short　and　inordinately　stout；
while　her　gross；　flabby　chin　completely　concealed　her　neck。　Her
face　was　purple；　and　the　little　eyes　in　it　had　an　impudent；
malicious　expression。　Yet　she　walked　as　though　she　were
conferring　a　favour　upon　everybody　by　so　doing。　As　for　the
Baron；　he　was　tall；　wizened；　bony…faced　after　the　German
fashion；　spectacled；　and；　apparently；　about　forty…five　years　of
age。　Also；　he　had　legs　which　seemed　to　begin　almost　at　his
chestor；　rather；　at　his　chin！　Yet；　for　all　his　air　of
peacock…like　conceit；　his　clothes　sagged　a　little；　and　his　face
wore　a　sheepish　air　which　might　have　passed　for　profundity。

These　details　I　noted　within　a　space　of　a　few　seconds。

At　first　my　bow　and　the　fact　that　I　had　my　hat　in　my　hand　barely
caught　their　attention。　The　Baron　only　scowled　a　little；　and　the
Baroness　swept　straight　on。

〃Madame　la　Baronne；〃　said　I；　loudly　and　distinctlyembroidering
each　word；　as　it　were〃j'ai　l'honneur　d'etre　votre　esclave。〃

Then　I　bowed　again；　put　on　my　hat；　and　walked　past　the　Baron
with　a　rude　smile　on　my　face。

Polina　had　ordered　me　merely　to　take　off　my　hat：　the　bow　and　the
general　effrontery　were　of　my　own　invention。　God　knows　what
instigated　me　to　perpetrate　the　outrage！　In　my　frenzy　I　felt　as
though　I　were　walking　on　air；

〃Hein！〃　ejaculatedor；　rather；　growledthe　Baron　as　he　turned
towards　me　in　angry　surprise。

I　too　turned　round；　and　stood　waiting　in　pseudo…courteous
expectation。　Yet　still　I　wore　on　my　face　an　impudent　smile　as　I
gazed　at　him。　He　seemed　to　hesitate；　and　his　brows　contracted　to
their　utmost　limits。　Every　moment　his　visage　was　growing　darker。
The　Baroness　also　turned　in　my　direction；　and　gazed　at　me　in
wrathful　perplexity；　while　some　of　the　passers…by　also　began　to
stare　at　us；　and　others　of　them　halted　outright。

〃Hein！〃　the　Baron　vociferated　again；　with　a　redoubled　growl
and　a　note　of　growing　wrath　in　his　voice。

〃Ja　wohl！〃　I　replied；　still　looking　him　in　the　eyes。

〃Sind　sie　rasend？〃　he　exclaimed；　brandishing　his　stick；　and；
apparently；　beginning　to　feel　nervous。　Perhaps　it　was　my　costume
which　intimidated　him；　for　I　was　well　and　fashionably　dressed；
after　the　manner　of　a　man　who　belongs　to　indisputably　good
society。

〃Ja　wo…o…ohl！〃　cried　I　again　with　all　my　might　with　a
longdrawn　rolling　of　the　〃　ohl　〃　sound　after　the　fashion　of　the
Berliners　（who　constantly　use　the　phrase　〃Ja　wohl！〃　in
conversation；　and　more　or　less　prolong　the　syllable　〃ohl〃
according　as　they　desire　to　express　different　shades　of　meaning
or　of　mood）。

At　this　the　Baron　and　the　Baroness　faced　sharply　about；　and
almost　fled　in　their　alarm。　Some　of　the　bystanders　gave　vent　to
excited　exclamations；　and　others　remained　staring　at　me　in
astonishment。　But　I　do　not　remember　the　details　very　well。

Wheeling　quietly　about；　I　returned　in　the　direction　of　Polina
Alexandrovna。　But；　when　I　had　got　within　a　hundred　paces　of　her
seat；　I　saw　her　rise　and　set　out　with　the　children　towards　the
hotel。

At　the　portico　I　caught　up　to　her。

〃I　have　perpetrated　thethe　piece　of　idiocy；〃　I　said　as　I　came
level　with　her。

〃Have　you？　Then　you　can　take　the　consequences；〃　she　replied
without　so　much　as　looking　at　me。　Then　she　moved　towards　the
staircase。

I　spent　the　rest　of　the　evening　walking　in　the　park。　Thence　I
passed　into　the　forest；　and　walked　on　until　I　found　myself　in　a
neighbouring　principality。　At　a　wayside　restaurant　I　partook　of
an　omelette　and　some　wine；　and　was　charged　for　the　idyllic
repast　a　thaler　and　a　half。

Not　until　eleven　o'clock　did　I　return　hometo　find　a　summons
awaiting　me　from　the　General。

Our　party　occupied　two　suites　in　the　hotel；　each　of　which
contained　two　rooms。　The　first　（the　larger　suite）　comprised　a
salon　and　a　smoking…room；　with；　adjoining　the　latter；　the
General's　study。　It　was　here　that　he　was　awaiting　me　as　he　stood
posed　in　a　majestic　attitude　beside　his　writing…table。　Lolling
on　a　divan　close　by　was　De　Griers。

〃My　good　sir；〃　the　General　began；　〃may　I　ask　you　what　this　is
that　you　have　gone　and　done？〃

〃I　should　be　glad；〃　I