the gambler-第9部分

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

〃I　should　be　glad；〃　I　replied；　〃if　we　could　come　straight　to
the　point。　Probably　you　are　referring　to　my　encounter　of　today
with　a　German？〃

〃With　a　German？　Why；　the　German　was　the　Baron　Burmergelma　most
important　personage！　I　hear　that　you　have　been　rude　both　to　him
and　to　the　Baroness？〃

〃No；　I　have　not。〃

〃But　I　understand　that　you　simply　terrified　them；　my　good　sir？〃
shouted　the　General。

〃Not　in　the　least；〃　I　replied。　〃You　must　know　that　when　I　was
in　Berlin　I　frequently　used　to　hear　the　Berliners　repeat；　and
repellently　prolong；　a　certain　phrasenamely；　'Ja　wohl！'；　and；
happening　to　meet　this　couple　in　the　carriage…drive；　I　found；
for　some　reason　or　another；　that　this　phrase　suddenly　recurred
to　my　memory；　and　exercised　a　rousing　effect　upon　my　spirits。
Moreover；　on　the　three　previous　occasions　that　I　have　met　the
Baroness　she　has　walked　towards　me　as　though　I　were　a　worm　which
could　easily　be　crushed　with　the　foot。　Not　unnaturally；　I　too
possess　a　measure　of　self…respect；　wherefore；　on　THIS　occasion　I
took　off　my　hat；　and　said　politely　（yes；　I　assure　you　it　was
said　politely）：　'Madame；　j'ai　l'honneur　d'etre　votre　esclave。'
Then　the　Baron　turned　round；　and　said　'Hein！'；　whereupon　I
felt　moved　to　ejaculate　in　answer　'Ja　wohl！'　Twice　I　shouted
it　at　himthe　first　time　in　an　ordinary　tone；　and　the　second
time　with　the　greatest　prolonging　of　the　words　of　which　I　was
capable。　That　is　all。〃

I　must　confess　that　this　puerile　explanation　gave　me　great
pleasure。　I　felt　a　strong　desire　to　overlay　the　incident　with　an
even　added　measure　of　grossness；　so；　the　further　I　proceeded；
the　more　did　the　gusto　of　my　proceeding　increase。

〃You　are　only　making　fun　of　me！　〃　vociferated　the　General　as；
turning　to　the　Frenchman；　he　declared　that　my　bringing　about　of
the　incident　had　been　gratuitous。　De　Griers　smiled
contemptuously；　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Do　not　think　THAT；〃　I　put　in。　〃It　was　not　so　at　all。　I　grant
you　that　my　behaviour　was　badI　fully　confess　that　it　was　so；
and　make　no　secret　of　the　fact。　I　would　even　go　so　far　as　to
grant　you　that　my　behaviour　might　well　be　called　stupid　and
indecent　tomfoolery；　but；　MORE　than　that　it　was　not。　Also；　let　me
tell　you　that　I　am　very　sorry　for　my　conduct。　Yet　there　is　one
circumstance　which；　in　my　eyes；　almost　absolves　me　from　regret
in　the　matter。　Of　latethat　is　to　say；　for　the　last　two　or　three
weeksI　have　been　feeling　not　at　all　well。　That　is　to　say；　I
have　been　in　a　sick；　nervous；　irritable；　fanciful　condition；　so
that　I　have　periodically　lost　control　over　myself。　For　instance；
on　more　than　one　occasion　I　have　tried　to　pick　a　quarrel　even
with　Monsieur　le　Marquise　here；　and；　under　the　circumstances；　he
had　no　choice　but　to　answer　me。　In　short；　I　have　recently　been
showing　signs　of　ill…health。　Whether　the　Baroness　Burmergelm
will　take　this　circumstance　into　consideration　when　I　come　to
beg　her　pardon　（for　I　do　intend　to　make　her　amends）　I　do　not
know；　but　I　doubt　if　she　will；　and　the　less　so　since；　so　far　as
I　know；　the　circumstance　is　one　which；　of　late；　has　begun　to　be
abused　in　the　legal　world；　in　that　advocates　in　criminal　cases
have　taken　to　justifying　their　clients　on　the　ground　that；　at
the　moment　of　the　crime；　they　（the　clients）　were　unconscious　of
what　they　were　doingthat；　in　short；　they　were　out　of　health。　
'My　client　committed　the　murderthat　is　true；　but　he　has　no
recollection　of　having　committed　it。'　And　doctors　actually
support　these　advocates　by　affirming　that　there　really　is　such　a
maladythat　there　really　can　arise　temporary　delusions　which
make　a　man　remember　nothing　of　a　given　deed；　or　only　a　half　or　a
quarter　of　it！　But　the　Baron　and　Baroness　are　members　of　an
older　generation；　as　well　as　Prussian　Junkers　and　landowners。　To
them　such　a　process　in　the　medico…judicial　world　will　be
unknown；　and　therefore；　they　are　the　more　unlikely　to　accept　any
such　explanation。　What　is　YOUR　opinion　about　it；　General？〃

〃Enough；　sir！　〃　he　thundered　with　barely　restrained　fury。　
〃Enough；　I　say！　Once　and　for　all　I　must　endeavour　to　rid　myself
of　you　and　your　impertinence。　To　justify　yourself　in　the　eyes　of
the　Baron　and　Baroness　will　be　impossible。　Any　intercourse　with
you；　even　though　it　be　confined　to　a　begging　of　their　pardons；
they　would　look　upon　as　a　degradation。　I　may　tell　you　that；　on
learning　that　you　formed　part　of；　my　household；　the　Baron
approached　me　in　the　Casino；　and　demanded　of　me　additional
satisfaction。　Do　you　understand；　then；　what　it　is　that　you　have
entailed　upon　meupon　ME；　my　good　sir？　You　have　entailed　upon　me
the　fact　of　my　being　forced　to　sue　humbly　to　the　Baron；　and　to
give　him　my　word　of　honour　that　this　very　day　you　shall　cease　to
belong　to　my　establishment！〃

〃Excuse　me；　General；〃　I　interrupted；　〃but　did　he　make　an
express　point　of　it　that　I　should　'cease　to　belong　to　your
establishment；'　as　you　call　it？〃

〃No；　I；　of　my　own　initiative；　thought　that　I　ought　to　afford　him
that　satisfaction；　and；　with　it　he　was　satisfied。　So　we　must
part；　good　sir。　It　is　my　duty　to　hand　over　to　you　forty　gulden；
three　florins；　as　per　the　accompanying　statement。　Here　is　the
money；　and　here　the　account；　which　you　are　at　liberty　to　verify。
Farewell。　From　henceforth　we　are　strangers。　From　you　I　have
never　had　anything　but　trouble　and　unpleasantness。　I　am　about　to
call　the　landlord；　and　explain　to　him　that　from　tomorrow　onwards
I　shall　no　longer　be　responsible　for　your　hotel　expenses。　Also　I
have　the　honour　to　remain　your　obedient　servant。〃

I　took　the　money　and　the　account　（which　was　indicted　in　pencil）；
and；　bowing　low　to　the　General；　said　to　him　very　gravely：

〃The　matter　cannot　end　here。　I　regret　very　much　that　you　should
have　been　put　to　unpleasantness　at　the　Baron's　hands；　but；　the
fault　（pardon　me）　is　your　own。　How　came　you　to　answer　for　me　to
the　Baron？　And　what　did　you　mean　by　saying　that　I　formed　part　of
your　household？　I　am　merely　your　family　tutornot　a　son　of
yours；　nor　yet　your　ward；　nor　a　person　of　any　kind　for　whose
acts　you　need　be　responsible。　I　am　a　judicially　competent
person；　a　man　of　twenty…five　years　of　age；　a　university
graduate；　a　gentleman；　and；　until　I　met　yourself；　a　complete
stranger　to　you。　Only　my　boundless　respect　for　your　merits
restrains　me　from　demanding　satisfaction　at　your　hands；　as　well
as　a　further　explanation　as　to　the　reasons　which　have　led　you　to
take　it　upon　yourself　to　answer　for　my　conduct。〃

So　struck　was　he　with　my　words　that；　spreading　out　his　hands；　he
turned　to　the　Frenchman；　and　interpreted　to　him　that　I　had
challenged　himself　（the　General）　to　a　duel。　The　Frenchman
laughed　aloud。

〃Nor　do　I　intend　to　let　the　Baron　off；〃　I　continued　calmly；　but
with　not　a　little　discomfiture　at　De　Griers'　merriment。　〃And
since　you；　General；　have　today　been　so　good　as　to　listen　to　the
Baron's　complaints；　and　to　enter　into　his　concernssince　you
have　made　yourself　a　participator　in　the　affairI　have　the
honour　to　inform　you　that；　tomorrow　morning　at　the　latest；　I
shall；　in　my　own　name；　demand　of　the　said　Baron　a　formal
explanation　as　to　the　reasons　which　have　led　him　to　disregard
the　fact　that　the　matter　lies　between　him　and　myself　alone；　and
to　put　a　slight　upon　me　by　referring　it　to　another　person；　as
though　I　were　unworthy　to　answer　for　my　own　conduct。〃

Then　there　happened　what　I　had　foreseen。　The　General　on　hearing
of　this　further　intended　outrage；　showed　the　white　feather。

〃What？　〃　he　cried。　〃Do　you　intend　to　go　on　with　this　damned
nonsense？　Do　you　not　realise　the　harm　that　it　is　doing　me？　I　beg
of　you　not　to　laugh　at　me；　sirnot　to　laugh　at　me；　for　we　have
police　authorities　here　who；　out　of　respect　for　my　rank；　and　for
that　of　the　Baron。。。　　In　short；　sir；　I　swear　to　you　that　I　will
have　you　arrested；　and　marched　out　of　the　place；　to　prevent　any
further　brawling　on　your　part。　Do　you　understand　what　I　say？〃
He　was　almost　breathless　with　anger；　as　well　as　in　a　terrible
fright。

〃General；〃　I　replied　with　that　calmness　which　he　never　could
abide；　〃one　cannot　arrest　a　man　for　brawling　until　he　has
brawled。　I　have　not　so　much　as　begun　my　explanations　to　the
Baron；　and　you　are　altogether　ignorant　as　to　the　form　and　time
which　my　intended　procedure　is　likely　to　assume。　I　wish　but　to
disabuse　the　Baron　of　what　is；　to　me；　a　shameful
suppositionnamely；　that　I　am　under　the　guardianship　of　a　person
who　is　qualified　to　exercise　control　over　my　free　will。　It　is
vain　for　you　to　disturb　and　alarm　yourself。〃

〃For　God's　sake；　Alexis　Ivanovitch；　do　put　an　end　to　this
senseless　scheme　of　yours！〃　he　muttered；　but　with　a　sudden
change　from　a　truculent　tone　to　one　of　entreaty　as　he　caught　me
by　the　hand。　〃Do　you　know　what　is　likely　to　come　of　it？　Merely
further　unpleasantness。　You　will　agree　with　me；　I　am　sure；　that
at　present　I　ought　to　move　with　especial　careyes；　with　very
especial　care。　You　cannot　be　fully　aware　of　how　I　am　situated。
When　we　leave　this　place　I　shall　be　ready　to　receive　you　back
into　my　household；　but；　for　the　time　being　I　Well；　I　cannot　tell
you　all　my　reasons。〃　With　that　he　wound　up　in　a　despairing
voice：　〃　O　Alexis　Ivanovitch；　Alexis　Ivanovitch！〃

I　moved　towards　the　doorbegging　him　to　be　calm；　and　promising
that　everything　should　be　done　decently　and　in　order；　whereafter
I　departed。

Russians；　when　abroad；　are　over…apt　to　play　the　poltroon；　to
watch　all　their　words；　and　to　wonder　what　people　are　thinking　of
their　conduct；　or　whether　such　and　such　a　thing　is　'comme　il
faut。'　In　short；　they　are　over…apt　to　cosset　themselves；　and　to
lay　claim　to　great　importance。　Always　they　prefer　the　form　of
behaviour　which　has　once　and　for　all　become　accepted　and
established。　This　they　will　follow　slavishly　whether　in　hotels；
on　promenades；　at　meetings；　or　when　on　a　journey。　But　the
General　had　avowed　to　me　that；　over　and　above　such
considerations　as　these；　there　were　circumstances　which
compelled　him　to　〃move　with　especial　care　at　present〃；　and　that　the
fact　had　actually　made　him　poor…spirited　and　a　cowardit　had　made
him　altogether　change　his　tone　towards　me。　This　fact　I　took　into
my　calculations；　and　d