Chapter 12 - The Gambler

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Chapter twelve, The grandmother was inan impatient, irritable frame of mind.
Without doubt the roulette had turned herhead, for she appeared to be indifferent
to everything else, and in generalseemed much distraught. For instance, she
asked me no questions about objects androot, except that when a sumptuous barouche

(00:22):
passed us and raised a cloud ofdust, she lifted her hand for a
moment and inquired what was that?Yet even then she did not appear to
hear my reply, although at timesher abstraction was interrupted by sallies and fits
of sharp, impatient fidgeting. Again, when I pointed out to her the
Baron and Baroness burmergam walking to thecasino, she merely looked at them in

(00:46):
an absent minded sort of way andsaid, with complete indifference, ah.
Then, turning sharply to Potapitch andMartha, who were walking behind us,
she rapped out, why have youattached yourselves to the party. We are
not going to take you with usevery time. Go home at once.
Then, when the servants had pulledhasty bows and departed, she added to

(01:07):
me, you are all the escortI need At the casino, the grandmother
seemed to be expected, for notime was lost in procuring her former place
beside the croupier. It is myopinion that though croupiers seemed such ordinary humdrum
officials, men who care nothing whetherthe bank wins or loses, they are
in reality anything but indifferent to thebanks losing, and are given instructions to

(01:32):
attract players and to keep a watchover the bank's interests. As also that
for such services these officials are awardedprizes and premiums. At all events.
The croupiers of Roulettenberg seemed to lookupon the grandmother as their lawful prey.
Whereafter there befell what our party hadforetold. It happened thus, as soon

(01:56):
as ever we arrived, the grandmotherordered me to stake ten Goulden pieces in
succession upon zero, once, twiceand thrice. I did so, Yet
zero never turned up. Stake again, said the old lady, with an
impatient nudge of my elbow, andI obeyed. How many times have we
lost, she inquired, actually grindingher teeth in her excitement. We have

(02:22):
lost one hundred forty four ten Guldenpieces, I replied, I tell you,
madame, that zero may not turnup until nightfall. Never mind,
she interrupted, keep on staking uponzero, and also stake a thousand goulden
upon rouge. Here is a banknote with which to do so. The
red turned up, but zero missedagain, and we only got our thousand

(02:45):
goulden back. But you see,you see, whispered the old lady.
We have now recovered almost all thatwe staked. Try zero again. Let
us do so another ten times,and then leave off by the fifth round.
However, the grandmother was weary ofthe scheme to the devil with that

(03:06):
zero, she exclaimed, stake fourthousand gulden upon the red. But Madame,
that will be so much to venture, I remonstrated, suppose the red
should not turn up. The grandmotheralmost struck me in her excitement. Her
agitation was rapidly making her quarrelsome.Consequently, there was nothing for it but
to stake the whole four thousand guldenas she had directed. The wheel revolved

(03:29):
while the grandmother sat as bolt uprightand with as proud and quiet amen,
as though she had not the leastdoubt of winning. Zero, cried the
croupier. At first, the oldlady failed to understand the situation. But
as soon as she saw the croupierraking in her four thousand gulden, together
with everything else that happened to belying on the table, and recognized that

(03:53):
the zero, which had been solong turning up, and on which we
had lost nearly two hundred ten guldenpieces, had, at length, as
though of set purpose, made asudden reappearance. Why the poor old lady
fell to cursing it, and tothrowing herself about and wailing and gesticulating at
the company at large. Indeed,some people in our vicinity actually burst out

(04:14):
laughing to think that that accursed zeroshould have turned up now, She sobbed
the accursed, accursed thing. Andit is all your fault, she added,
rounding upon me in a frenzy.It was you who persuaded me to
cease staking upon it. But Madame, I only explained the game to you.
How am I to answer for everymischance which may occur in it?

(04:36):
You and your mischances, she whispered, threateningly, go away at once farewell,
Then Madame and I turned to depart. No stay, she put in
hastily, Where are you going to? Why should you leave me, you
fool? No, No, stayhere. It is I who was the

(04:56):
fool. Tell me what I oughtto do. I cannot take it upon
myself to advise you, for youwill only blame me if I do so.
Play at your own discretion. Sayexactly what you wish staked, and
I will stake it very well.Stake another four thousand goulden upon the red
take this bank note to do itwith. I have still got twenty thousand

(05:19):
roubles in actual cash, but Iwhispered such a quantity of money. Never
mind, I cannot rest until Ihave won back my losses. Stake I
staked, and we lost. Stakeagain. Stake again eight thousand at a
stroke. I cannot, Madame.The largest stake allowed is four thousand goulden.

(05:44):
Well, then, stake four thousand. This time we won, and
the grandmother recovered herself a little.You see, you see, she exclaimed,
as she nudged me. Stake anotherfour thousand. I did so,
and lost again, And yet againwe lost, Madame, your twelve thousand
gulden are now gone at length,I reported, I see they are,

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she replied with as it were thecalmness of despair. I see they are,
she muttered again, as she gazedstraight in front of her, like
a person lost in thought. Ahwell, I do not mean to rest
until I have staked another four thousand. But you have no money with which
to do it, Madame. Inthis satchel, I can see only a

(06:28):
few five percent bonds and some transfers, no actual cash, and in the
purse a mere trifle. But thereis a money changer's office here, is
there not? They told me Ishould be able to get any sort of
paper security changed, quite so toany amount you please. But you will

(06:49):
lose on the transaction. What wouldfrighten even a jew? Rubbish? I
am determined to retrieve my losses.Take me away and call those fools of
bearers. I wheeled the chair outof the throng, and the bearers making
their appearance, we left the casino. Hurry, hurry, commanded the grandmother.

(07:11):
Show me the nearest way to themoney changers. Is it far a
couple of steps, Madame. Atthe turning from the square into the avenue,
we came face to face with thewhole of our party, the General
degriee, Mademoiselle Blanche and her mother. Only Polina and mister Astley were absent.
Well well, well, exclaimed thegrandmother. But we have no time

(07:33):
to stop. What do you want? I can't talk to you here.
I dropped behind a little and immediatelywas pounced upon by Degriey. She has
lost this morning's winnings, I whispered, and also twelve thousand goulden of her
original money. At the present moment, we are going to get some bonds
changed. Degriey stamped his foot withvexation and hastened to communicate the tidings to

(07:59):
the General. Meanwhile, we continuedto wheel the old lady along. Stop
her, stop her, whispered theGeneral, in consternation. You had better
try and stop her yourself. Ireturned, also in a whisper. My
good mother, he said, ashe approached her, My good mother,

(08:20):
pray let let His voice was beginningto tremble and sink. Let us hire
a carriage and go for a drive. Near here. There is an enchanting
view to be obtained. We wewere just coming to invite you to go
and see it. Begone with youand your views, said the grandmother angrily,
as she waved him away. Andthere are trees there, and we

(08:43):
could have tea under them, continuedthe General. Now in utter despair.
Now biron du l'i celeb fresh,added de Grier, with the snarl almost
of a wild beast, du lesde leeb fresh, the idol, the
ideal of the Parisian bourgeois, hiswhole outlook upon l'a necteur e la verte.

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Have done with you in your milk, cried the old lady. Go
and stuff yourself as much as youlike. But my stomach simply recoils from
the idea. What are you stoppingfor? I have nothing to say to
you. Here we are, madame, I announced, Here is the money
changer's office. I entered to getthe securities changed, while the grandmother remained

(09:30):
outside in the porch, and therest waited at a little distance, in
doubt as to their best course ofaction. At length, the old lady
turned such an angry stare upon themthat they departed along the road towards the
casino. The process of changing involvedcomplicated calculations, which soon necessitated my return
to the grandmother for instructions. Thethieves, she exclaimed, as she clapped

(09:54):
her hands together. Never mind,though, get the documents cashed. No,
send the banker out to me.She at it as an afterthought,
would one of the clerks do,madame? Yes, one of the clerks
the thieves. The clerk consented tocome out when he perceived that he was
being asked for by an old ladywho was too infirmed to walk, after
which the grandmother began to upbraid himat length and with great vehemence for his

(10:18):
alleged use seriousness, and to bargainwith him in a mixture of Russian,
French and German. I acting asinterpreter. Meanwhile, the grave faced official
eyed us both and silently nodded hishead at the grandmother. In particular,
he gazed with a curiosity which almostbordered upon rudeness. At length, too,
he smiled, pray, recollect yourself, cried the old lady, and

(10:41):
may my money choke you? AlexeisIvanovitch tell him that we can easily repair
to someone else. The clerk saysthat others will give you even less than
he. Of what the ultimate calculationsconsisted, I do not exactly remember,
but at all events they were alarming, seving twelve thousand florins in gold.
I took also the statement of accountsand carried it out to the grandmother.

(11:07):
Well well, she said, Iam no accountant. Let us hurry away,
hurry away, and she waved thepaper aside. Neither upon that accursed
zero, however, nor upon thatequally a cursed red. Do I mean
to stake a cent? I mutteredto myself as I entered the casino.
This time I did all I couldto persuade the old lady to stake as

(11:28):
little as possible, saying that aturn would come in the chances when she
would be at liberty to stake more. But she was so impatient that though
at first she agreed to do asI suggested, nothing could stop her when
once she had begun by way ofprelude, she won stakes of a hundred
and two hundred gulden. There youare, she said, as she nudged

(11:50):
me, see what we have won. Surely it would be worth our while
to stake four thousand instead of ahundred, for we might win another four
thousand and then, Oh, itwas your fault, before all your fault.
I felt greatly put out as Iwatched her play, but I decided
to hold my tongue and to giveher no more advice. Suddenly Degriey appeared

(12:13):
on the scene. It seemed thatall this while he and his companions had
been standing beside us, though Inoticed that Mademoiselle Blanche had withdrawn a little
from the rest and was engaged inflirting with the Prince. Clearly, the
General was greatly put out at this, Indeed, he was in a perfect
agony of vexation. But Mademoiselle wascareful never to look his way, though

(12:35):
he did his best to attract hernotice. Poor General, by turns,
his face blanched and reddened, andhe was trembling to such an extent that
he could scarcely follow the old lady'splay. At length, Mademoiselle and the
Prince took their departure, and theGeneral followed them. Madame Madame sounded the

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honeyed accents of Degrie as he leantover to spour in the grandmother's ear,
that stake will never win. No, no, it is impossible, he
added in Russian, with a Writheno, no, but why not,
asked the grandmother, turning round,show me what I ought to do.
Instantly, de Grie burst into ababble of French as he advised, jumped

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about, declared that such and suchchances ought to be waited for and started
to make calculations of figures. Allthis he addressed to me in my capacity
as translator, tapping the table thewhile with his finger and pointing hither and
thither. At length, he seizeda pencil and began to reckon sums on
paper until he had exhausted the grandmother'spatience. Away with you, she interrupted,

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You talk sheer nonsense. For thoughyou keep on saying, Madame,
madame, you haven't the least notionwhat ought to be done? Away with
you? I say, Madame CoopDegrie, and straightways started afresh with his
fussy instruction. Stake just once,as he advises, the grandmother said to

(14:03):
me, and then we shall seewhat we shall see. Of course,
his stake might win. As amatter of fact, de Grier's one object
was to distract the old lady fromstaking large sums. Wherefore he now suggested
to her that she should stake uponcertain numbers singly end in groups. Consequently,
in accordance with his instructions, Istaked a ten gulden piece upon several

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odd numbers in the first twenty andfive ten gulden pieces upon certain groups of
numbers, groups of from twelve toeighteen, and from eighteen to twenty four
the total stake demounted to one hundredsixty gulden. The wheel revolved zero,
cried the croupier. We had lostit all the fool, cried the old

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lady, as she turned upon deGrie, You infernal frenchman, to think
that you should advise away with you, though you fuss and fuss so you
don't even know what you're talking about. Deeply offended, de Grier shrugged his
shoulders, favored the grandmother with alook of contempt, and departed. For
some time past he had been feelingashamed of being seen in such company,

(15:13):
and this had proved the last straw. An hour later, we had lost
everything in hand home, cried thegrandmother. Not until we had turned into
the avenue did she utter a word. But from that point onwards until we
arrived at the hotel, she keptventing exclamations of what a fool I am,

(15:35):
what a silly old fool I am. To be sure arrived at the
hotel, she called for tea andthen gave orders for her luggage to be
packed. We are off again,she announced. But whither madame inquired Martha,
what business is that of yours?Let the cricket stick to its hearth,
the Russian form of mind your ownbusiness, Patpitch, have everything packed,

(15:56):
for we are returning to Moscow.At once. I have fooled away
fifteen thousand roubles. Fifteen thousand roubles, good mistress, my god, and
Potopitch spat upon his hands, probablyto show that he was ready to serve
her in any way he could.Now, Then you fool at once,

(16:17):
you begin with your weeping and wailing. Be quiet and pack. Also,
run downstairs and get my hotel bill. The next train leaves at nine thirty,
Madame, I interposed, with aview to checking her agitation, And
what is the time? Now?Half past eight? How vexing? But
never mind, Alexis Ivanovitch, Ihave not a kopick left. I have

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but these two bank notes. Pleaserun to the office and get them changed,
otherwise I shall have nothing to travelwith. Departing on her errand I
returned half an hour later to findthe whole party gathered in her rooms.
It appeared that the news of herimpending departure for Moscow had thrown the conspirators
to consternation even greater than her losseshad done for, said they, Even

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if her departure should save her fortune, what will become of the General later?
And who was to repay de Griee. Clearly, Mademoiselle Blanche would never
consent to wait until the grandmother wasdead, but would at once elope with
the Prince or someone else. Sothey had all gathered together, endeavoring to
calm and dissuade the grandmother. OnlyPaulina was absent. For her part,

(17:26):
the grandmother had nothing for the partybut abuse. Away with you, you
rascals, She was shouting, Whathave my affairs to do with you?
Why in particular do you here,she indicated, de Griey, come sneaking
here with your goat's beard, andwhat do you here? She turned to
Mademoiselle Blanche, want of me?What are you finicking for? DeAndre,

(17:48):
muttered Mademoiselle under her breath, buther eyes were flashing. Then all at
once she burst into a laugh andleft the room, crying to the General
as she did so, Al DevraSaint an, So you have been counting
upon my death? Have you fumed? The old lady? Away with you?
Clear them out of the room.Alexis Ivanovitch, what business is it

(18:10):
of theirs? It is not theirmoney that I have been squandering, but
my own. The General shrugged,his shoulders bowed, and withdrew, with
de Grie behind him. Called Prascoviacommanded the grandmother, and in five minutes
Martha reappeared with Paulina, who hadbeen sitting with the children in her own
room, having purposely determined not toleave it that day. Her face looked

(18:33):
grave and careworn. Prascovia began,the grandmother, is what I have just
heard through a sidewind true? Namelythat this fool of a stepfather of yours
is going to marry that silly whirligigof a frenchwoman, that actress, or
something worse. Tell me, isit true? I do not know for
certain, Grandmamma, replied Paulina,but for Mademoiselle Blanche's account, for she

(18:57):
does not appear to think it necessaryto conceal anything. I conclude that you
need not say any more, interruptedthe grandmother. Energetically, I understand the
situation. I always thought we shouldget something like this from him, for
I always looked upon him as afutile, frivolous fellow who gave himself unconscionable
airs on the fact of his beinga general, though he only became one

(19:21):
because he retired as a colonel.Yes, I know all about the sending
of the telegrams to inquire whether theold woman's likely to turn up her toes
soon. Ah, they were lookingfor the legacies without money. That wretched
woman what is her name? Ode comiger would never dream of accepting the
general and his false teeth. No, not even for him to be here

(19:42):
Lackey, since she herself, theysay, possesses a pile of money and
lends it uninterest and makes a goodthing out of it. However, it
is not you, Prascovia that Iam blaming. It was not you who
sent those telegrams, nor for thatmatter, do I wish to recall old
score. True, I know thatyou are vixened by nature, that you

(20:03):
are a wasp which will sting oneif one touches it. Yet my heart
is sore for you, for Iloved your mother, Katerina. Now will
you leave everything here and come awaywith me? Otherwise I do not know
what is to become of you,and it is not right that you should
continue living with these people, nay, she interposed, the moment that Polina

(20:25):
attempted to speak, I have notyet finished. I ask of you nothing
in return. My house in Moscowis, as you know, large enough
for a palace, and you couldoccupy a whole floor of it if you
liked, and keep away from mefor weeks together. Will you come with
me? Or will you not?First of all, let me ask of
you, replied Polina, whether youare intending to depart at once? What

(20:48):
you suppose me to be jesting?I have said that I am going,
and I am going today. Ihave squandered fifteen thousand rubles at that accursed
roulette of yours. And though fiveyears ago I promised the people of a
certain suburb of Moscow to build thema stone church in place of a wooden
one, I have been fooling awaymy money here. However, I am

(21:10):
going back now to build my church. But what about the waters, grandmamma.
Surely you came here to take thewaters. You and your waters do
not anger me, Prascovia. Surelyyou are trying to say, then,
will you or will you not?Come with me? Grandmamma, Paulina replied
with deep feeling, I am very, very grateful to you for the shelter

(21:33):
which you have so kindly offered me. Also, to a certain extent,
you have guessed my position aright,and I am beholden to you to such
an extent that it may be thatI will come and live with you,
and that very soon. Yet thereare important reasons why I cannot make up
my mind just yet, if youwould let me have, say, a

(21:55):
couple of weeks to decide. Inyou mean that you are not coming,
I mean only that I cannot comejust yet. At all events, I
could not well leave my little brotherand sister here, since since if I
were to leave them, they wouldbe abandoned altogether. But if Grandmamma,
you would take the little ones andmyself, then of course I could come

(22:18):
with you, and would do allI could to serve you. This,
she said with great earnestness. Onlywithout the little ones I cannot come.
Do not make a fuss. Asa matter of fact, Paulina never at
any time either fussed or wept.The Great foster Father translated literally, the
great Poulterer can find for all hischicks a place. You are not coming

(22:42):
without the children. But see herePrascovia. I wish you well and nothing
but well. Yet I have divinedthe reason why you will not come.
Yes, I know, all Prascovia, that Frenchman will never bring you good
of any sort. Polina colored hotly, and even I started for thought,
I to myself. Every one seemsto know about that affair, or perhaps

(23:06):
I am the only one who doesnot know about it. Now, now,
do not frown, continued the grandmother. But I do not intend to
slur things over you. Will takecare that no harm befalls you, will
you not, for you are agirl of sense, and I am sorry
for you. I regard you ina different light to the rest of them.
And now please leave me goodbye,But let me stay with you a

(23:30):
little longer, said Polina. No, replied the other You need not do
not bother me, for you andall of them have tired me out.
Yet. When Polina tried to kissthe grandmother's hand, the old lady withdrew
it and herself kissed the girl onthe cheek as she passed me. Polina
gave me a momentary glance, andthen as swiftly averted her eyes and goodbye

(23:52):
to you also, Alexeis Ivanovitch.The train starts in an hour's time,
and I think that you must beweary of me. Take the five hundred
gulden for yourself. I thank youhumbly, madame, but I am ashamed
to come. Come, cried thegrandmother, so energetically and with such an
arab menace, that I did notdare refuse the money. Further, if

(24:14):
when in Moscow, you have noplace where you can lay your head,
she added, come and see me, and I will give you a recommendation.
Now, Potapitch, get things ready. I ascended to my room and
lay down upon the bed. Awhole hour I must have lain thus with
my head resting upon my hand.So the crisis had come. I needed
time for its consideration. Tomorrow Iwould have a talk with Paulina Ah the

(24:38):
Frenchman. So it was true.But how could it be so Paulina and
Deglier, what a combination? No, it was too improbable. Suddenly I
leapt up with the idea of seekingAstley and forcing him to speak. There
could be no doubt that he knewmore than I did. Asketley, well,

(25:00):
he was another problem for me tosolve. Suddenly there came a knock
at the door, and I openedit to find Potapitch awaiting me. Sir,
he said, my mistress is askingfor you, indeed, but she
is just departing, is she not? The train leaves in ten minutes time.
She is uneasy, sir, shecannot rest. Come quickly, sir,

(25:22):
do not delay. I ran downstairsat once. The grandmother was just
being carried out of her rooms intothe corridor. In her hands she held
a roll of bank notes Alexis Ivanovitch. She cried, walk on ahead,
and we will set out again.But whither, Madame, I cannot rest
until I have retrieved my losses.March on ahead and ask me no questions.

(25:44):
Play continues until midnight, does itnot. For a moment I stood
stupefied, stood deep in thought.But it was not long before I had
made up my mind. With yourleave, Madame, I said, I
will not go with you. Andwhy not? What do you mean?
Is everyone here a stupid good fornothing? Pardon me, but I have

(26:04):
nothing to reproach myself with. Imerely will not go. I merely intend
neither to witness nor to join inyour play. I also begged to return
you your five hundred gulden farewell,laying the money upon a little table which
the grandmother's chair happened to be passing. I bowed and withdrew. What folly

(26:26):
the grandmother shouted after me, verywell, then do not come, and
I will find my way alone.Potapitch, you must come with me,
lift up the chair and carry mealong. I failed to find mister Astley
and returned home. It was nowgrowing late. It was past midnight.
But I subsequently learnt from Potapitch howthe grandmother's day had ended. She had

(26:48):
lost all the money which earlier inthe day I had got for her paper
securities, a sum amounting to aboutten thousand roubles. This she did under
the direction of the pole, whomthatternoon she had dowered with two ten gulden
pieces. But before his arrival onthe scene, she had commanded Potopitch to
stake for her, until at lengthshe had told him also to go about

(27:11):
his business. Upon that the polehad leapt into the breach. Not only
did it happen that he knew theRussian language, but also he could speak
a mixture of three different dialects,so that the pair were able to understand
one another. Yet the old ladynever ceased to abuse him, despite his
deferential manner, and to compare himunfavorably with myself. So at all events,

(27:33):
Patopitch declared you, The old chamberlainsaid to me, treated her as
a gentleman should. But he herobbed her right and left. As I
could see with my own eyes,twice she caught him at it and rated
him soundly. On one occasion sheeven pulled his hair so that the bystanders
burst out laughing. Yet she losteverything, sir, that is to say,

(27:55):
she lost all that you had changedfor her. Then we brought her
home, and after asking for somewater and saying her prayers, she went
to bed. So worn out wasshe that she fell asleep at once.
May God send her dreams of angels. And this is all that foreign travel
has done for us, oh,my own Moscow. For what have we
not at home there in Moscow?Such a garden and flowers as you could

(28:19):
never see here, and fresh air, and apple trees coming into blossom,
and a beautiful view to look upon. Ah. But what must she do
but go traveling abroad? Alack,alack. End of chapter twelve