Chapter 13 - The Gambler

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Chapter thirteen. Almost a month haspassed since I last touched these notes,
notes which I began under the influenceof impressions at once poignant and disordered.
The crisis which I then felt tobe approaching, has now arrived, but
in a form a hundred times moreextensive and unexpected than I had looked for.

(00:22):
To me, it all seemed strange, uncouth, and tragic. Certain
occurrences have befallen me, which borderupon the marvelous at all events that is
how I view them. I viewthem so in one regard, at least,
I refer to the whirlpool of eventsin which at the time I was
revolving. But the most curious featureof all is my relation to those events.

(00:46):
For hitherto I had never clearly understoodmyself. Yet now the actual crisis
has passed away like a dream.Even my passion for Paulina is dead.
Was it ever so wrong and genuineas I thought? If so, what
has become of it now? Attimes I fancy that I must be mad,

(01:07):
that somewhere I am sitting in amadhouse, that these events have merely
seemed to happen, that still theymerely seem to be happening. I have
been arranging and re perusing my notes, perhaps for the purpose of convincing myself
that I am not in a madhouse. At present, I am lonely and
alone. Autumn is coming already,it is mellowing the leaves. And as

(01:34):
I sit brooding in this melancholy littletown, and how melancholy the little towns
of Germany can be, I findmyself taking no thought for the future,
but living under the influence of passingmoods and of my recollections of the tempest
which recently drew me into its vortexand then cast me out again. At

(01:55):
times I seem still to be caughtwithin that vortex. At times the seems
once more to be gathering, andas it passes overhead, to be wrapping
me in its folds, until Ihave lost my sense of order and reality,
and continue whirling and whirling and whirlingaround. Yet it may be that
I shall be able to stop myselffrom revolving, if once I can succeed

(02:19):
in rendering myself an exact account ofwhat has happened within the month just past.
Somehow I feel drawn towards the penOn many and many an evening I
have had nothing else in the worldto do. But curiously enough of late
I have taken to amusing myself withthe works of Monsieur Paul Decoc, which

(02:40):
I read in German translations obtained froma wretched local library. These works I
cannot abide. Yet I read themand find myself marveling that I should be
doing so. Somehow I seem tobe afraid of any serious book, afraid
of permitting any serious preoccupation to thespell of the passing moment. So dear

(03:02):
to me is the formless dream ofwhich I have spoken. So dear to
me are the impressions which it isleft behind it that I fear to touch
the vision with anything new, lestit should dissolve and smoke. But is
it so dear to me? Yes, it is dear to me, and
will ever be fresh in my recollections, even forty years. Hence, so

(03:27):
let me write of it, butonly partially, and in a more abridged
form than my full impressions might warrant. First of all, let me conclude
the history of the grandmother. Nextday she lost every gulden that she possessed.
Things were bound to happen, sofor persons of her type, who
have once entered upon that road,descend it with ever increasing rapidity, even

(03:51):
as a sledge descends a toboggan slide. All day until eight o'clock that evening
did she play, And though Ipersonally did not witness her exploits, I
learnt of them later through report.All that day Potapitch remained in attendance upon
her, but the poles who directedher play she changed more than once.

(04:12):
As a beginning, she dismissed herpole of the previous day, the pole
whose hair she had pulled, andtook to herself another one. But the
latter proved worse even than the former, and incurred dismissal in favor of the
first pole, who, during thetime of his unemployment, had nevertheless hovered
around the grandmother's chair, and fromtime to time obtruded his head over her

(04:33):
shoulder. At length, the oldlady became desperate for the second pole,
when dismissed, imitated his predecessor bydeclining to go away, with the result
that one pole remained standing on theright of the victim and the other on
her left, from which vantage pointsthe pair quarreled abused each other concerning the

(04:54):
stakes and rounds, and exchanged theepithet leydek rascal, and other Polish terms
of endearment. Finally, they effecteda mutual reconciliation, and tossing the money
about. Anyhow, played simply atrandom, once more quarreling. Each of
them staked money on his own sideof the grandmother's chair. For instance,

(05:15):
the one pole staked upon the redand the other one upon the black,
until they had so confused and browbeatenthe old lady that, nearly weeping,
she was forced to appeal to thehead croupier for protection and to have the
two poles expelled. No time waslost in this being done, despite the
rascals cries and protestations that the oldlady was in their debt, that she

(05:41):
had cheated them, and that hergeneral behavior had been mean and dishonorable.
The same evening, the unfortunate Potapitchrelated the story to me with tears,
complaining that the two men had filledtheir pockets with money he himself had seen
them do it, which had beenshamelessly pilfered from his mistress. For instance,
one pole demanded of the grandmother fiftygulden for his trouble, and then

(06:04):
staked the money by the side ofher stake. She happened to win,
whereupon he cried out that the winningstake was his and hers the loser.
As soon as the two poles hadbeen expelled, Potapitch left the room and
reported to the authorities that the men'spockets were full of gold and on the
grandmother, also requesting the head croupierto look into the affair. The police

(06:28):
made their appearance, and despite theprotests of the poles, who indeed had
been caught red handed, their pocketswere turned inside out and the contents handed
over to the grandmother. In fact, in view of the circumstance that she
lost, all day, the croupiersand other authorities of the casino showed her
every attention and on her fame,spreading through the town visitors of every nationality,

(06:51):
even the most knowing of them,the most distinguished, crowded to get
a glimpse of Laville comtesse Rousse,whom by an offense, who had lost
so many millions. Yet would themoney which the authorities restored to her from
the pockets of the poles. Thegrandmother effected very very little, for there

(07:12):
soon arrived to take his countryman's place. A third pole, a man who
could speak Russian fluently, was dressedlike a gentleman, albeit in Lackeyish fashion,
and sported a huge mustache. Thoughpolite enough to the old lady,
he took a high hand with thebystanders. In short, he offered himself
less as a servant than as anentertainer. After each round he would turn

(07:36):
to the old lady and swear terribleoaths to the effect that he was a
Polish gentleman of honor who would scornto take a copeck of her money.
And though he repeated these oaths sooften that at length she grew alarmed,
he had her play in hand andbegan to win on her behalf. Wherefore
she felt that she could not wellget rid of him. An hour later,

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the two poles, who earlier inthe day had been expelled from the
casino, made a reappearance behind theold lady's chair and renewed their offers of
service, even if it were onlyto be sent on messages. But from
potapitch I subsequently had it that betweenthese rascals and the said gentleman of honor,
there passed a wink as well asthat the latter put something into their

(08:20):
hands. Next, since the grandmotherhad not yet lunched, she had scarcely
for a moment left her chair.One of the two poles ran to the
restaurant of the casino and brought herthence a cup of soup and afterwards some
tea. In fact, both thepoles hastened to perform this office. Finally,

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towards the close of the day,when it was clear that the grandmother
was about to play her last banknote, there could be seen standing behind
her chair no fewer than six nativesof Poland, persons who as yet had
been neither audible nor visible. Andas soon as ever the old lady played
the note in question, they tookno further notice of her, but pushed
their way past her chair to thetable, seized the money, and staked

(09:05):
it, shouting and disputing the whileand arguing with the gentlemen of honor,
who also had forgotten the grandmother's existence, as though he were their equal.
Even when the grandmother had lost herall and was returning about eight o'clock to
the hotel, some three or fourpoles could not bring themselves to leave her,

(09:26):
but went on running beside her chair, and valuably protesting that the grandmother
had cheated them, and that sheought to be made to surrender what was
not her own. Thus the partyarrived at the hotel, whence presently the
gang of rascals was ejected neck andcrop. According to Potipitch's calculations, the
grandmother lost that day a total ofninety thousand roubles, in addition to the

(09:50):
money which she had lost the daybefore. Every paper security which she had
brought with her, five percent bonds, internal lone scrip and what not she
had changed into cash. Also,I could not but marvel at the way
in which, for seven or eighthours at a stretch, she sat in
that chair of hers, almost neverleaving the table. Again. Potopitch told

(10:11):
me that there were three occasions onwhich she really began to win, but
that led on by false hopes,she was unable to tear herself away at
the right moment. Every gambler knowshow a person may sit a day and
a night at cards without ever castinga glance to right or to left.
Meanwhile, that day, some othervery important events were passing in our hotel

(10:35):
as early as eleven o'clock, thatis to say, before the grandmother had
quitted her rooms. The General andde Griers decided upon their last stroke.
In other words, on learning thatthe old lady had changed her mind about
departing and was bent on setting outfor the casino again, the whole of
our gang Polina only accepted proceeded anmasto her rooms for the purpose of finally

(10:58):
and frankly treating with her. Butthe General, quaking and greatly apprehensive as
to his possible future, overdid things. After half an hour's prayers and entreaties,
coupled with the full confession of hisdebts and even of his passion for
Mademoiselle Blanche, yes, he hadquite lost his head. He suddenly adopted
a tone of menace and started torage at the old lady, exclaiming that

(11:22):
she was sullying the family honor,that she was making a public scandal of
herself, and that she was smirchingthe fair name of Russia. The upshot
was that the grandmother turned him outof the room with her stick. It
was a real stick too. Laterin the morning he held several consultations with
Degrie, the question which occupied himbeing is it any way possible to make

(11:45):
use of the police to tell themthat this respected but unfortunate old lady has
gone out of her mind and issquandering her last kopeck or something of the
kind. In short, is itin any way possible to engineer a species
of super provision over or of restraintupon the old lady. Degriey, however,

(12:05):
shrugged his shoulders at this and laughedin the General's face, while the
old warrior went on chattering valuably andrunning up and down his study. Finally,
Degriey waved his hand and disappeared fromview, and by evening it became
known that he had left the hotelafter holding a very secret and important conference
with Mademoiselle Blanche. As for thelatter, from early morning, she had

(12:28):
taken decisive measures by completely excluding theGeneral from her presence and bestowing upon him
not a glance. Indeed, evenwhen the General pursued her to the casino,
Anne met her walking arm in armwith the Prince. He the general
received from her and her mother notthe slightest recognition, nor did the Prince

(12:50):
himself bow. The rest of theday, Mademoiselle spent in probing the Prince
and trying to make him declare himself, but in this she made a full
mistake. The little incident occurred inthe evening. Suddenly Mademoiselle Blanche realized that
the prince had not even a copperto his name, but on the contrary

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was minded to borrow of her moneywherewith to play at roulette. In high
displeasure, she drove him from herpresence and shut herself up in her room.
The same morning, I went tosee, or rather to look for
mister Astley, but was unsuccessful inmy quest. Neither in his rooms,
nor in the casino, nor inthe park was he to be found,

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Nor did he that day lunch athis hotel as usual. However, at
about five o'clock I caught sight ofhim walking from the railway station to the
Hotel d'angletere. He seemed to bein a great hurry and much preoccupied,
though in his face I could discernno actual traces of worry or perturbation.
He held out to me a friendlyhand with his usual ejaculation of ah,

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but did not check his stride.I turned and walked beside him, but
found somehow that his answers forbad anyputting of definite questions. Moreover, I
felt reluctant to speak to him ofPolina, nor for his part, did
he ask me any questions concerning her, although on my telling him of the
grandmother's exploits, he listened attentively andgravely, and then shrugged his shoulders.

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She is gambling away everything that shehas, I remarked. Indeed, she
arrived at the casino even before Ihad taken my departure by train, so
I knew she had been playing.If I should have time, I will
go to the casino tonight and takea look at her. The thing interests
me. Where have you been today? I asked, surprised at myself for

(14:39):
having as yet omitted to put tohim that question. To frankfort on business
on business, what more was thereto be asked? After that? I
accompanied him until as we drew levelwith the Hotel de Carte Sieson, he
suddenly nodded to me and disappeared.For myself, I returned home and came

(15:01):
to the conclusion that even had Imet him at two o'clock in the afternoon,
I should have learnt no more fromhim than I had done at five
o'clock, for the reason that Ihad no definite question to ask, it
was bound to have been so forme to formulate the query which I really
wished to put was a simple impossibility. Paulina spent the whole of that day

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either in walking about the park withthe nurse and children, or in sitting
in her own room. For along while past she had avoided the General
and had scarcely had a word tosay to him, scarcely a word,
I mean, on any serious topic. Yes, that I had noticed.
Still, even though I was awareof the position in which the General was

(15:43):
placed, it had never occurred tome that he would have any reason to
avoid her or to trouble her withfamily explanations. Indeed, when I was
returning to the hotel after my conversationwith Astley and chanced to meet Polina and
the children, I could see thather face was as calm as though the

(16:03):
family disturbances had never touched her.To my salute, she responded with a
slight bow, and I retired frommy room in a very bad humor.
Of course, since the affair withthe Birminghams, I had exchanged not a
word with Polina, nor had withher any kind of intercourse. Yet I
had been at my wits end,for as time went on, there was
arising in me and ever seething dissatisfaction. Even if she did not love me,

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she ought not to have trampled uponmy feelings, nor to have accepted
my confessions with such contempt. Seeingthat she must have been aware that I
loved her, of her own accord, she had allowed me to tell her
as much. Of course, thesituation between us had arisen in a curious
manner. About two months ago.I had noticed that she had a desire
to make me her friend, herconfidant, that she was making trial of

(16:53):
me for the purpose. But forsome reason or another, the desired result
had never come about, and wehad fallen into the present strange relations,
which had led me to address heras I had done. At the same
time. If my love was distastefulto her, why had she not forbidden
me to speak of it to her? But she had not so forbidden me.

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On the contrary, there had beenoccasions when she had even invited me
to speak. Of course, thismight have been done out of sheer wantonness,
for I well knew I had remarkedit only too often that after listening
to what I had to say,and angering me almost beyond endurance. She
loved suddenly to torture me with somefresh outburst of contempt and aloofness. Yet

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she must have known that I couldnot live without her. Three days had
elapsed since the affair with the Baron, and I could bear the severance no
longer. When that afternoon I mether near the casino, my heart almost
made me faint it beat so violently. She too could not live without me.
For had she not said that shehad need of me, or had

(18:00):
that too been spoken in jest,that she had a secret of some kind,
there could be no doubt what shehad said to the Grandmother had stabbed
me to the heart. On athousand occasions I had challenged her to be
open with me. Nor could shehave been ignorant that I was ready to
give my very life for her.Yet always she had kept me at a
distance, with that contemptuous air ofhers, or else she had demanded of

(18:23):
me in lieu of the life whichI offered to lay at her feet,
such escapades as I had perpetrated withthe Baron. Ah, was it not
torture to me? All this?For could it be that her whole world
was bound up with the Frenchman.What too about mister Astley? The affair
was inexplicable throughout my God, whatdistress it caused me arrived home, I,

(18:51):
in a fit of frenzy, indictedthe following Paulina, Alexandrovna. I
can see that there was approaching usan exposure which will involve you too.
For the last time, I askof you, have you or have you
not, any need of my life? If you have, then make such
dispositions as you wish, and Ishall always be discoverable in my room if

(19:14):
required. If you have need ofmy life, write or send for me.
I sealed the letter and despatched itby the hand of a corridor lackey,
with orders to hand it to theaddressee in person. Though I expected
no answer. Scarcely three minutes hadelapsed before the lackey returned with the compliments
of a certain person. Next,about seven o'clock, I was sent for

(19:36):
by the General. I found himin his study, apparently preparing to go
out again, for his hat andstick were lying on the sofa. When
I entered. He was standing inthe middle of the room, his feet
wide apart and his head bent down. Also he appeared to be talking to
himself, but as soon as everhe saw me at the door, he
came towards me in such a curiousmanner that involuntarily I retreated a step and

(20:00):
was for leaving the room, whereuponhe seized me by both hands, and
drawing me towards the sofa, andseating himself thereon, he forced me to
sit down on a chair opposite him. Then, without letting go of my
hands, he exclaimed, with quiveringlips and a sparkle of tears on his
eyelashes, Oh, Alexis Ivanovitch,save me, save me, have some

(20:21):
mercy upon me. For a longtime I could not make out what he
meant, although he kept talking andtalking, and constantly repeating to himself,
have mercy, mercy. At length, however, I divined that he was
expecting me to give him something inthe nature of advice, or rather that
deserted by everyone and overwhelmed with griefand apprehension, he had bethought himself of

(20:45):
my existence and sent for me torelieve his feelings by talking and talking and
talking. In fact, he wasin such a confused and despondent state of
mind that clasping his hands together.He actually went down upon his knees and
begged me to go to Mademoiselle Blancheand beseech and advise her to return to

(21:07):
him and to accept him in marriage. But general, I exclaimed, possibly
Mademoiselle Blanche has scarcely even remarked myexistence. What could I do with her?
It was in vain that I protested, for he could understand nothing that
was said to him. Next,he started talking about the grandmother, but
always in a disconnected sort of fashion. His one thought being to send for

(21:33):
the police. In Russia, hesaid, suddenly boiling over with indignation,
or in any well ordered state wherethere exists a government, old women like
my mother are placed under proper guardianship. Yes, my good sir, he
went on, relapsing into a scoldingtone as he leaped to his feet and
started to pace the room. Doyou not know this, he seemed to

(21:56):
be addressing some imaginary auditor in thecorner. Do you not know this that
in Russia, old women like herare subjected to restraint? The devil take
them again? He threw himself downupon the sofa. A minute later,
though, sobbing and almost Breathless,he managed to gasp out that Mademoiselle Blanche
had refused to marry him for thereason that the grandmother had turned up in

(22:19):
place of a telegram, and itwas therefore clear that he had no inheritance
to look for. Evidently, hesupposed that I had hitherto been in entire
ignorance of all this. Again,when I refer to de Grie, the
General made a gesture of despair.He has gone away, he said,
and everything which I possess is mortgagedto him. I stand stripped to my

(22:42):
skin. Even of the money whichyou brought me from Paris, I know
not of seven hundred francs be left. Of course, that sum will do
to go on with. But asregards the future, I know nothing.
I know nothing. Then how willyou pay your hotel bill? Right in
consternation, and what shall you do? Afterwards? He looked at me vaguely,

(23:03):
but it was clear that he hadnot understood, perhaps had not even
heard my questions. Then I triedto get him to speak of Paulina and
the children, but he only returnedbrief answers of yes, yes, and
again started to maunder about the princeand the likelihood of the latter marrying Mademoiselle
Blanche. What on earth am Ito do? He concluded, What on

(23:23):
earth am I to do? Isthis not ingratitude? Is it not?
Sheer ingratitude? And he burst intotears. Nothing could be done with such
a man. Yet to leave himalone was dangerous, for something might happen
to him. I withdrew from hisrooms for a little while, but warned
the nursemaid to keep an eye uponhim, as well as exchanged a word

(23:45):
with the corridor Lackey, a verytalkative fellow, who likewise promised to remain
on the lookout. Hardly had Ileft the General when Potapitch approached me with
a summons from the grandmother. Itwas now eight o'clock and she had returned
from the casino after finally losing allthat she possessed. I found her sitting
in her chair, much distressed andevidently fatigued. Presently, Martha brought her

(24:10):
a cup of tea and forced herto drink it. Yet even then I
could detect in the old lady's toneand manner a great change. Good evening,
alexeys Savanovitch, she said slowly withher head drooping. Pardon me for
disturbing you again. Yes, youmust pardon an old, old woman like
myself, for I have left behindme all that I possess, nearly a

(24:33):
hundred thousand roubles. You did quitewrite in declining to come with me this
evening. Now I am without money, without a single groat. But I
must not delay a moment. Imust leave by the nine thirty train.
I have sent for that English friendof yours and am going to beg of
him three thousand francs for a week. Please try and persuade him to think

(24:55):
nothing of it, nor yet torefuse me, for I am still a
rich woman who possesses three villages anda couple of mansions. Yes, the
money shall be found, for Ihave not yet squandered everything. I tell
you this in order that he mayhave no doubts about ah. But here
he is. Clearly he is agood fellow. True enough. Astly had

(25:17):
come hot foot on receiving the grandmother'sappeal, scarcely stopping even to reflect,
and with scarcely a word, hecounted out the three thousand francs under a
note of hand, which she dulysigned. Then his business done, he
bowed and lost no time in takinghis departure. You too, leave me,
Alexis Ivanovitch, said the grandmother.All my bones are aching, and

(25:41):
I still have an hour in whichto rest. Do not be hard upon
me, old fool that I am. Never again shall I blame young people
for being frivolous. I should thinkit wrong even to blame that unhappy general
of yours. Nevertheless, I donot mean to let him have any of
my money, which is all thathe desires, for the reason that I

(26:02):
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, goodbye, Martha, come and
lift me up. However, Ihad a mind to see the old lady

(26:23):
off, and moreover, I wasin an expectant frame of mind. Somehow
I kept thinking that something was goingto happen. Wherefore I could not rest
quietly in my room, but steppedout into the corridor and then into the
Chestnut Avenue for a few minutes stroll. My letter to Paulina had been clear
and firm, and in the presentcrisis, I felt sure would prove final.

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I had heard of de Grie's departure, and however much Paulina might reject
me as a friend, she mightnot reject me altogether. As a servant.
She would need me to fetch andcarry for her, and I was
ready to do so. How couldit have been otherwise? Towards the hour
of the train's departure, I hastenedto the station and put the grandmother into

(27:07):
her compartment. She and her partyoccupying a reserved family saloon. Thanks for
your disinterested assistance, she said atparting. Oh, and please remind Prascovia
of what I said to her lastnight. I expect soon to see her.
Then I returned home. As Iwas passing the door of the General's

(27:29):
suite, I met the nursemaid andinquired after her master. There is nothing
new to report, sir, shereplied quietly. Nevertheless, I decided to
enter, and was just doing sowhen I halted thunderstruck on the threshold.
For before me, I beheld theGeneral and Mademoiselle Blanche laughing gaily at one
another, while beside them on thesofa there was seated her mother. Clearly,

(27:52):
the General was almost out of hismind with joy, for he was
talking all sorts of nonsense, andbubbling over with a long, drawn,
nervous laugh, a laugh which twistedhis face into innumerable wrinkles and caused his
eyes almost to disappear. Afterwards,I learnt from Mademoiselle Blanche herself that after

(28:14):
dismissing the prince and hearing of thegeneral's tears, she bethought her of going
to comfort the old man, andhad just arrived for the purpose when I
entered. Fortunately, the poor generaldid not know that his fate had been
decided, that Mademoiselle had long agopacked her trunks in readiness for the first
morning train to Paris. Hesitating amoment on the threshold, I changed my

(28:37):
mind as to entering, and departedunnoticed. Ascending to my room and opening
the door, I perceived in thesemi 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, peeredat it closely, and felt my
heart almost stop beating. The figurewas Paulina. End of Chapter thirteen,