Chapter 11 - The Gambler

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Chapter eleven. The chair, withthe old lady beaming in it, was
wheeled away towards the doors at thefurther end of the salon, while our
party hastened to crowd around her andto offer her their congratulations. In fact,
eccentric as was her conduct, itwas also overshadowed by her triumph,

(00:22):
with the result that the General nolonger feared to be publicly compromised by being
seen with such a strange woman,but smiling and a condescending, cheerfully familiar
way, as though he were soothinga child, he offered his greetings to
the old lady. At the sametime, both he and the rest of
the spectators were visibly impressed. Everywherepeople kept pointing to the grandmother and talking

(00:46):
about her. Many people even walkedbeside her chair in order to view her
the better, while at a littledistance Astley was carrying on a conversation on
the subject with two English acquaintances ofhis. Debrie was simply overflowing with smiles
and compliments, and a number offine ladies were staring at the grandmother as
though she had been something curious.Call Victoire, exclaimed, degrie Me,

(01:11):
Madame Cette de fieux, added MademoiselleBlanche with an elusive smile. Yes,
I have won twelve thousand florins,replied the old lady. And then there
is all this gold with it.The total ought to come to nearly thirteen
thousand. How much is that inRussian money? Six thousand rubles? I
think, However, I calculated thatthe sum would exceed seven thousand rubles,

(01:36):
or at the present rate of exchange, even eight thousand, eight thousand rubles.
What a splendid thing. And tothink of you simpletons sitting there and
doing nothing. Potapitch, Martha,see what I have won. How did
you do it? Madame Martha exclaimedecstatically, eight thousand rubles, And I
am going to give you fifty guldenapiece. There they are, Potapitch,

(01:59):
and Martha rushed towards her to kissher hand and to each bearer. Also,
I will give a ten goulden piece. Let them have it out of
the gold. Alexis Ivanovitch. Butwhy is this footman bowing to me and
that other man as well? Arethey congratulating me? Well, let them
have ten gulden a piece, Madamela princesse un povre es Patri Mallu Continuel

(02:25):
Les Prince Russey Son Si Genere,said a man who for some time past
had been hanging around the old lady'schair, A personage who dressed in a
shabby frock coat and colored waistcoat,kept taking off his cap and smiling pathetically.
Give him ten, Goulden, saidthe grandmother. No, give him

(02:46):
twenty. Now, enough of that, or I shall never get done with
you. All. Take a moment'srest and then carry me away. Prascovia,
I mean to buy a new dressfor you tomorrow. Yes, and
for you too, Mademoiselle Blanche,Please translate Prascovia Mercy, Madame, replied

(03:06):
Mademoiselle Blanche gratefully, as she twistedher face into the mocking smile which usually
she kept only for the benefit ofDegrie and the General. The latter looked
confused and seemed greatly relieved when wereached the avenue. How surprised Theodosia will
be, went on grandmother, thinkingof the General's nursemaid. She, like

(03:28):
yourselves, shall have the price ofa new gown here. Alexes Ivanovitch,
give that beggar something. A crookedbacked ragamuffin had approached to stare at us.
But perhaps he is not a beggar, only a rascal, I replied,
never mind, never mind, givehim a gulden. I approached the
beggar in question and handed him thecoin. Looking at me in great astonishment,

(03:51):
he silently accepted the goulden, whilefrom his person there proceeded a strong
smell of liquor. Have you nevertried luck, alexis Ivanovitch, No,
madame yet, Just now I couldsee that you were burning to do so.
I do mean to try my luckpresently, then stake everything upon zero.
You have seen how it ought tobe done. How much capital do

(04:14):
you possess two hundred gulden, madam? Not very much. See here,
I will lend you five hundred ifyou wish, take this purse of mine.
With that, she added sharply tothe General, but you need not
expect to receive any This seemed toupset him, but he said nothing,
and Dukrie contented himself by scowling.Ka diabla, he whispered to the General.

(04:40):
Setun terible vieja look another beggar.Another beggar, exclaimed the grandmother,
alexeis Ivanovitch, go and give hima gulden. As she spoke, I
saw approaching as a gray headed oldman with a wooden leg, A man
who was dressed in a blue frockcoatand carrying a staff. He looked like
an old soldier. As soon asI tendered him the point, he fell

(05:00):
back a step or two and eyedme threateningly. Vas is de truffel,
he cried, and depended there tooa round dozen of oaths. The man
is a perfect fool, exclaimed thegrandmother, waving her hand. Move on
now, for I am simply famished. When we have lunched, we will
return to that place. What criedI, You are going to play again?

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What else do you suppose? Sheretorted? Are you going only to
sit here and grow sour and letme look at you? Madame, said
Debrie confidentially. Les CHANCEI pouven tournayin soul, mauvais chance a vous perdre
two sirtu avec votre jeu sete taribleoui vous perdre abslument. Put in,

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mademoiselle blanche, what has that gotto do with you? Retorted the old
lady. It is not your moneythat I am going to lose. It
is my own. And where isthat mister Astley of yours? She added
to myself, he stayed behind inthe casino. What a pity he is,
such a nice sort of man.Arriving home and meeting the landlord on

(06:14):
the staircase, the grandmother called himto her side and boasted to him of
her winnings, thereafter doing the sameto Theodosia and conferring upon her thirty gulden,
after which she bid her serve luncheonthe meal over Theodosia and Martha broke
into a joint flood of ecstasy.I was watching you all the time,
Madame quavered Martha, and I askedPotapitch what mistress was trying to do?

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In my word, the heaps andheaps of money that were lying upon the
table. Never in my life haveI seen so much money, And there
were gentlefolk around it, and othergentlefolks sitting down. So I asked Potapitch
where all these gentry had come from? Forethought, I maybe the Holy Mother
of God will help our mistress amongthem. Yes, I pray for you,

(07:00):
madam, And my heart died withinme so that I kept trembling and
trembling. The Lord be with her, I thought to myself, and in
answer to my prayer, he hasnow sent you what he has done.
Even yet I tremble, I trembledto think of it all. Alexis Ivanovitch
said the old lady. After luncheon, that is to say, about four
o'clock, get ready to go outwith me again. But in the meanwhile,

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goodbye. Do not forget to calla doctor, for I must take
the waters. Now, go andget rested a little. I left the
grandmother's presence in a state of bewilderment. Vainly I endeavored to imagine what would
become of our party, or whatturn the affair would next take. I
could perceive that none of the parthe had yet recovered their presence of mind,

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least of all the general. Thefactor of the grandmother's appearance in place
of the hourly expected telegram to announceher death, with of course resultant legacies,
had so upset the whole scheme ofintentions and projects that it was with
a decided feeling of apprehend and growingparalysis that the conspirators viewed any future performances
of the old Lady at Roulette.Yet this second factor was not quite so

(08:09):
important as the first, Since thoughthe grandmother had twice declared that she did
not intend to give the General anymoney, that declaration was not a complete
ground for the abandonment of hope.Certainly, Ducrier, who with the General,
was up to the neck in theaffair, had not wholly lost courage.
And I felt sure that Mademoiselle Blanche, also, Mademoiselle Blanche, who

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was not only as deeply involved asthe other two, but also expectant of
becoming Madame General and an important legatee, would not lightly surrender the position,
but would use her every resource ofcoquetry upon the old lady in order to
afford a contrast to the impetuous Paulina, who was difficult to understand and lacked
the art of pleasing. Yet nowwhen the grandmother had just performed an astonishing

(08:56):
feat at Roulette, Now when theold lady's personality had been so clearly and
typically revealed as that of a rugged, arrogant woman who was tomby amphase,
Now when everything appeared to be lost, Why now the grandmother was as merry
as a child which plays with thistledown. Good Lord, I thought, with

(09:18):
may God forgive me a most malicioussmile. Every ten gulden piece which the
grandmother's stake must have raised a blisteron the General's heart and maddened de Grie
and driven Mademoiselle de Comoget almost tofrenzy with the sight of this spoon dangling
before her lips. Another factor isthe circumstance that, even when overjoyed at

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winning, the grandmother was distributing almsright and left, and taking every one
to be a beggar. She againsnapped out to the General that he was
not going to be allowed any ofher money, which meant that the old
lady had quite made up her mindon the point and was sure of it.
Yes, danger loomed ahead. Allthese thoughts passed through my mind during

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the few moments that, having leftthe old Lady's rooms, I was ascending
to my own room on the topstory. What most struck me was the
fact that though I had divined thechief the stoutest threads which united the various
actors in the drama, I haduntil now been ignorant of the methods and
secrets of the game, For Paulinahad never been completely open with me,

(10:24):
although on occasions it had happened that, involuntarily, as it were, she
had revealed to me something of herheart. I had noticed that in most
cases, in fact, nearly always, she had either laughed away these revelations,
or grown confused, or purposely impartedto them a false guise. Yes,
she must have concealed a great dealfrom me. But I had a

(10:46):
presentiment that now the end of thisstrained and mysterious situation was approaching another stroke,
and all would be finished and exposedof my own fortunes. Interested though
I was in the affair, Itook no account. I was in the
strange position of possessing but two hundredgulden, of being at a loose end,

(11:07):
of lacking both a post, themeans of subsistence, a shred of
hope, and any plans for thefuture, yet of caring nothing for these
things. Had not my mind beenso full of Polina, I should have
given myself up to the comical piquancyof the impending denouement and laughed my fill
at it. But the thought ofPolina was tortured to me. That her

(11:30):
fate was settled. I already hadan inkling. Yet that was not the
thought which was giving me so muchuneasiness. What I really wished for was
to penetrate her secrets. I wantedher to come to me and say I
love you. And if she wouldnot so come, or if to hope
that she would ever do so,was an unthinkable absurdity. Why then there
was nothing else for me to want. Even now, I do not know

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what I am wanting. I feellike a man who has lost his way.
I yearned but to be in herpresence and within the circle of her
light and splendor, to be therenow and forever and for the whole of
my life. More, I donot know how can I ever bring myself
to leave her? On reaching thethird story of the hotel, I experienced

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a shock. I was just passingthe General's suite when something caused me to
look round out of a door abouttwenty paces away. There was coming Paulina.
She hesitated for a moment on seeingme, and then beckoned me to
her, Polina, Alexandrovna, hush, not so loud. Something startled me

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just now, I whispered, andI looked round and saw you. Some
electrical influence seems to emanate from yourform. Take this letter. She went
on with a frown. Probably shehad not even heard my words. She
was so preoccupied and handed personally tomister Astley, go as quickly as ever
you can, please, No answerwill be required, he himself. She

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did not finish asher sentence to misterAstley. I asked, in some astonishment,
but she had vanished again. Aha, So the two were carrying on
a correspondence. However, I setoff to search for Astley, first at
his hotel and then at the casino, where I went the round of the

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salons in vain, at length,vexed, and almost in despair. I
was on my way home when Iran across him among a troop of English
ladies and gentlemen who had been upfor a ride. Beckoning to him to
stop, I handed him the letter. We had barely time even to look
at one another, but I suspectedthat it was upset purpose that he restarted
his horse so quickly. Was jealousythen gnawing at me? At all events,

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I felt exceedingly depressed, despite thefact that I had no desire to
ascertain what the correspondence was about,to think that he should be her confidant.
My friend, mine, own familiarfriend passed through my mind. Yet
was there any love in the matter? Of course, not reason whispered to
me, But reason goes for little. On such occasions, I felt that

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the matter must be cleared up,for it was becoming unpleasantly complex. I
had scarcely set foot in the hotelwhen the Commissionnaire and the landlord, the
latter issuing from his room for thepurpose alike, informed me that I was
being searched for high and low,that three separate messages to ascertain my whereabouts
had come down from the General.When I entered his study, I was

(14:28):
feeling anything but kindly disposed. Ifound there the General himself, Degrie and
Mademoiselle Blanche, but not Mademoiselle's mother, who was a person whom her reputed
daughter used only for show purposes,since in all matters of business the daughter
offended for herself, and it isunlikely that the mother knew anything about them.

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Some very heated discussion was in progress, and meanwhile the door of the
study was opened an unprecedented circumstance.As I approached the portals, I could
hear loud voices as raised for mingledwith the pert venomous accents of de Griey
were Mademoiselle Blanche's excited, impudently abusivetongue and the general's plaintive wail, as
apparently he sought to justify himself insomething. But on my appearance, everyone

(15:15):
stopped speaking and tried to put abetter face upon matters. Debriey smoothed his
hair and twisted his angry face intoa smile, into the mean, studiedly
polite French smile which I so detested, while the downcast, perplexed General assumed
an arab dignity, though only ina mechanical way. On the other hand,
Mademoiselle Blanche did not trouble to concealthe wrath that was sparkling in her

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countenance, but bent her gaze uponme with an air of impatient expectancy.
I may remark that hitherto she hadtreated me with absolute superciliousness, and so
far from answering my salutations, hadalways ignored them. Alexis Ivanovitch began the
General in a tone of affectionate upbraiding. I say to you that I find

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it strange, exceedingly strange, that, in short, your conduct towards myself
and my family, in a word, your er, extremely eh sines passa,
interrupted de Griers in a tone ofimpatience and contempt. Evidently he was
the ruling spirit of the conclave.Moncher, monsieur notre general setwomp. What

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he means to say is that hewarns you, he begs of you most
earnestly, not to ruin him.I use the expression because why why,
I interjected, because you have takenupon yourself to act as guide to this,
to this, how shall I expressit? To this old lady asset
povre terible vieja. But she willonly gamble away all that she has,

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gamble it away like thistledown. Youyourself have seen her play. Once she
has acquired the taste for gambling,she will never leave the roulette table.
But of sheer perversity and temper willstake her all and lose it. In
cases such as hers, a gamblercan never be torn away from the game.
And then, and then and thenasseverated the general, you will have

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ruined my whole family. I andmy family are her heirs, for she
has no nearer relatives than ourselves.I tell you, frankly, that my
affairs are in great, very greatdisorder, how much they are so you
yourself are partially aware. If sheshould lose a large sum, or maybe
her whole fortune, what will becomeof us of my children? Here the

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General exchanged a glance with de Grieyor of me. Here he looked at
Mademoiselle Blanche, who turned her headcontemptuously away. Alexis Ivanovitch, I beg
of you to save us. Tellme, General, how am I to
do so? On what footing doI stand here? Refuse to take her
about? Simply leave her alone,but she would soon find someone else to

(18:03):
take my place. Sinna passah,sinna passa again interrupted de griey ka diabla.
Do not leave her alone so muchas advise her, persuade her,
draw her away. In any case, do not let her gamble. Find
her some counter attraction. And howam I to do that? If only
you would undertake the task, Monsieurde Griey I said this last as innocently

(18:26):
as possible, but at once sawa rapid glance of excited interrogation pass from
Mademoiselle Blanche to de griey While inthe face of the latter also there gleamed
something which he could not repress well. At the present moment she would refuse
to accept my services, said hewith a gesture. But if later here

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he gave Mademoiselle Blanche another glance whichwas full of meaning, whereupon she advanced
towards me with a beebitching smile.And see he has impressed my hands.
Devil take it. But how thatdevilish visage of hers could change At the
present moment. It was a visagefull of supplication, and as gentle in
its expression as that of a smiling, roguish infant. Stealthily she drew me

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apart from the rest, as thoughthe more completely to separate me from them,
And though no harm came of herdoing so, for it was merely
a stupid maneuver, and no more, I found the situation very unpleasant.
The general hastened to lend her hissupport. Alexis Ivanovitch, he began,
pray, pardon me for having saidwhat I did just now, for having

(19:37):
said more than I meant to do. I beg and beseech you. I
kiss the hem of your garment,as our Russian saying has it for you,
and only you can save us.I and Mademoiselle de comoget, we
all of us beg of you,But you understand, do you not?
Surely you understand? And with hiseyes he indicated Mademoiselle Blanche. Truly he

(19:59):
was cutting a pitiful figure at thismoment. Three low, respectful knocks sounded
at the door, which, onbeing opened, revealed a chambermaid with Potapitch
behind her. Come from the grandmotherto request that I should attend her in
her rooms. She is in abad humor, added Potapitch. The time
was half past three. My mistresswas unable to sleep, explained Potapitch,

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so after tossing about for a while, she suddenly rose, called for her
chair, and sent me to lookfor you. She is now in the
Veranda, kill Mesjere, exclaimed Debriey. True enough, I found Madame in
the hotel Veranda, much put aboutat my delay, for she had been
unable to contain herself until four o'clock. Lift me up, she cried to

(20:48):
the bearers, and once more weset out for the Roulette's salons. End
of chapter eleven.