March 2, 2023 • 20 mins
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(00:00):
Chapter eight. All at once onthe promenade as it was called, that
is to say, in the ChestnutAvenue, I came face to face with
my englishman. I was just comingto see you, he said, And
you appear to be out on asimilar errand so you have parted with your
employers. How do you know that, I asked, in astonishment. Is
(00:21):
everyone aware of the fact? Byno means not every one would consider such
a fact to be a moment.Indeed, I have never heard any one
speak of it. Then how comeyou to know it? Because I have
had occasion to do so? Whitherare you bound? I like you,
and was therefore coming to pay youa visit. What a splendid fellow you
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are, mister Astley, I cried, though still wondering how he had come
by his knowledge. And since Ihave not yet had my coffee, and
you have, in all probabilities scarcelytasted yours, let us adjourn to the
casino cafe where we can sit andsmoke and have a talk. The cafe
in question was only a hundred pacesaway, so when coffee had been brought,
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we seated ourselves and I lit acigarette. Astley was no smoker,
but taking a seat by my side, he prepared himself to listen. I
do not intend to go away,was my first remark. I intend,
on the contrary, to remain here. That I never doubted, he answered,
good humoredly. It is a curiousfact that on my way to see
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him, I had never even thoughtof telling him of my love for Paulina.
In fact, I had purposely meantto avoid any mention of the subject.
Nor during our stay in the placehad I ever made aught but the
scantiest reference to it. You see, not only was askedly a man of
great reserve, but also from thefirst I had perceived that Polina had made
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a great impression upon him, althoughhe never spoke of her. But now,
strangely enough, he had no soonerseated himself and bent his steely gaze
upon me, than for some reasonor another, I felt moved to tell
him everything, to speak to himof my love in all its phases.
For an hour and a half didI discourse on the subject, and found
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it a pleasure to do so,even though this was the first occasion on
which I had referred to the matter. Indeed, when at certain moments I
perceived that my more ardent passages confusedhim. I purposely increased my ardor of
narration. Yet one thing I regret, and that is that I made references
to the Frenchman which were a littleoverpersonal. Mister Astley sat without moving as
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he listened to me. Not aword, nor a sound of any kind
did he utter as he stared intomy eyes. Suddenly, however, on
my mentioning the Frenchman, he interruptedme and acquired sternly whether I did write
to speak of an extraneous matter.He had always been a strange man in
his mode of propounding questions. No, I fear not, I replied,
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and scerning this, Marquis and MademoisellePaulina, you know nothing beyond surmise.
Again, I was surprised that sucha categorical question should come from such a
reserved individual. No I know nothingfor certain about them, was my reply.
No nothing. Then you have donevery wrong to speak of them to
me, or even to imagine thingsabout them. Quite so, Quite so,
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I interrupted, in some astonishment,I admit that yet that is not
the question. Whereupon I related tohim in detail the incident of two days
ago. I spoke of Paulina's outburstof my encounter with the Baron, of
my dismissal, of the general's extraordinarypusillanimity, and of the call which de
Griers had that morning paid me.In conclusion, I showed askedly the note
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which I had lately received. Whatdo you make of it? I asked?
When I met you, I wasjust coming to ask you your opinion.
For myself, I could have killedthis Frenchman, and am not sure
that I shall not do so.Even yet I feel the same about it,
said mister Astley. As for MademoisellePolina, well, you yourself know
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that if necessity drives one enters intorelation with people whom one simply detests,
even between this couple, there maybe something which, though unknown to you,
depends upon extraneous circumstances. For myown part, I think that you
may reassure yourself, or at allevents partially. And as for Mademoiselle Polina's
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proceedings of two days ago, theywere of course strange, not because she
can have meant to get rid ofyou, or to earn for you a
thrashing from the Baron's cudgel, whichfor some curious reason he did not use.
Although he had it ready in hishands. But because such proceedings on
the part of such well of sucha refined lady as Mademoiselle Polina, are,
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to say the least of it unbecoming. But she cannot have guessed that
you would carry out her absurd wishto the letter. Do you know what?
Suddenly? I cried, as Ifixed mister Astley with my gaze,
I believe that you have already heardthe story from some one, very possibly
from Mademoiselle Polina herself. In return, he gave me an astonished stare.
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Your eyes look very fiery, hesaid, with a return of his former
calm, and in them I canread suspicion. Now you have no right
whatever to be suspicious. It isnot a right which I can, for
a moment recognize, And I absolutelyrefuse to answer your questions. Enough you
need say no more. I cried, with a strange emotion at my heart,
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yet not altogether understanding what had arousedthat emotion in my breast. Indeed,
when, where and how could Polinahave chosen Astley to be one of
her confidants of late? I hadcome rather to overlook him in this connection,
even though Polina had always been ariddle to me, so much so
that now, when I had justpermitted of myself to tell my friend of
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my infatuation in all its aspects,I had found myself struck during the very
telling with the fact that in myrelations with her, I could specify nothing
that was explicit, nothing that waspositive. On the contrary, my relations
had been purely fantastic, strange andunreal. They had been unlike anything else
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that I could think of. Verywell, very well, I replied,
with a warmth equal to Astley's own. Then I stand confounded and have no
further opinions to offer. But youare a good fellow, and I am
glad to know what you think aboutit all, even though I do not
need your advice. Then, aftera pause, I resumed, for instance,
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what reason should you assign for thegeneral taking fright in this way?
Why should my stupid clowning have ledthe world to elevate it into a serious
incident. Even de Grier has foundit necessary to put in his oar,
and he only interferes on the mostimportant occasions, and to visit me and
to address to me the most earnestsupplications. Yes, he de Grier has
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actually been playing the suppliant to meand mark you. Although he came to
me as early as nine o'clock,he had ready prepared in his hand Mademoiselle
Polina's note. When I would askwas that note written? Mademoiselle Polina must
have been aroused from sleep for theexpress purpose of writing it. At all
events. The circumstance shows that sheis an absolute slave to the Frenchman,
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since she actually begs my pardon inthe note, actually begs my pardon.
Yet, what is their personal concernin the matter? Why is she interested
in it at all? Why too, is the whole party so afraid of
this precious baron? And what sortof a business do you call it for
the General to be going to marryMademoiselle Blanche de Commoge. He told me
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last night that because of the circumstance, he must move with a special care
at present. What is your opinionof it? All? Your look convinces
me that you know more about itthan I do. Mister Astley smiled and
nodded, Yes, I think Ido know more about it than you do.
He assented. The affair centers aroundthis Mademoiselle Blanche. Of that I
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feel certain. And what of MademoiselleBlanche, I cried impatiently, for in
me there had gone a sudden hopethat this would enable me to discover something
about Paulina. Well, my beliefis that at the present moment, Mademoiselle
Blanche has, in very truth aspecial reason for her wishing to avoid any
trouble with the baron and the Baroness. It might lead not only to some
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unpleasantness, but even to a scandal. Oh oh, Also, I may
tell you that Mademoiselle Blanche has beenin Roulettenburg before, for she was staying
here three seasons ago. I myselfwas in the place at the time,
and in those days Mademoiselle Blanche wasnot known as Mademoiselle de Comiger, nor
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was her mother, the widow deCommige, even in existence. In any
case, no one ever mentioned thelatter. De Grie too had not materialized,
And I am convinced that not onlydo the parties stand in no relation
to one another, but also theyhave not long enjoyed one another's acquaintance.
Likewise, the Marquisate de Grille isof recent creation. Of that I have
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reason to be sure, owing toa certain circumstance, even the name de
Grille itself may be taken to bea new invention, seeing that I have
a friend who once met the saidmarquis under a different name altogether, yet
he possesses a good circle of friends. Possibly Mademoiselle Blanche also may possess that.
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Yet it is not three years sinceshe received from the local police at
the instance of the baroness and invitationto leave the town, and she left
it. But why well, Imust tell you that she first appeared here
in company with an Italian, aprince of some sort, a man who
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bore an historic name, Barberini orsomething of the kind. The fellow was
simply a mass of rings and diamonds, real diamonds too, and the couple
used to drive out in a marvelouscarriage. At first, Mademoiselle Blanche played
trant de Corrante with fair success,but later her luck took a marked change
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for the worse. I distinctly rememberthat in a single evening she lost an
enormous sum, But worse was toensue. For one fine morning her prince
disappeared, horses, carriage and all. Also, the hotel bill which he
left unpaid, was enormous. Uponthis, Mademoiselle Zelma, the name which
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she assumed after figuring as Madame Barberini, was in despair. She shrieked and
howled all over the hotel, andeven tore her clothes in her frenzy.
In the hotel there was staying alsoa Polish count. You must know that
all traveling poles are counts, andthe spectacle of Mademoiselle Zelma tearing her clothes
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and catlike scratching her face with herbeautiful scented nails produced upon him a strong
impression. So the pair had atalk together, and by luncheon time she
was consoled. Indeed, that eveningthe couple entered the casino arm in arm,
Mademoiselle Zelma, laughing loudly according toher custom, and showing even more
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expansiveness in her manners than she hadbefore shown. For instance, she thrust
her way into the file of womenroulette players in the exact fashion of those
ladies who took clear a space forthemselves at the tables pushed their fellow players
roughly aside. Doubtless you have noticedthem, yes, certainly, well,
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they are not worth noticing to theannoyance of the decent public, they are
allowed to remain here at all events, such of them as daily changed four
thousand franc notes at the tables,though as soon as ever these women ceased
to do so, they receive aninvitation to depart. However, Mademoiselle Zelma
continued to change notes of this kind, but her play grew more and more
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unsuccessful, despite the fact that suchlady's luck is frequently good, for they
have a surprising amount of cash attheir disposal. Suddenly, the count too
disappeared, even as the Prince haddone, and that same evening Mademoiselle Zelma
was forced to appear in the casinoalone. On this occasion, no one
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offered her a greeting. Two dayslater, she had come to the end
of her resources, whereupon, afterstaking and losing her last Louis door,
she chanced to look around her andsaw standing by her side the baron Burmergelm,
who had been eyeing her with fixeddisapproval. To his distaste, however,
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Mademoiselle paid no attention, but,turning to him with her well known
smile, requested him to stake onher behalf ten Louis on the red.
Later that evening, a complaint fromthe Baroness led the authorities to request Mademoiselle
not to re enter the casino.If you feel in any way surprised that
I should know these petty and unedifyingdetails, the reason is that I had
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them from a relative of mine,who, later that evening drove Mademoiselle Zelma
in his carriage from Ulettenberg to Spa. Now mark you, Mademoiselle wants to
become Madame General in order that infuture she may be spared the receipt of
such invitations from casino authorities as shereceived three years ago. At present she
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is not playing, but that isonly because, according to the signs,
she is lending money to other players. Yes, that is a much more
paying game. I even suspect thatthe unfortunate General is himself in her debt,
as well as perhaps also degrie Or. It may be that the latter
has entered into partnership with her.Consequently, you yourself will see that until
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the marriage shall have been consummated,Mademoiselle would scarcely like to have the attention
of the Baron and the Baroness drawnto herself in short, to any one
in her position, a scandal wouldbe most detrimental. You form a member
of the manage of these people,wherefore any act of yours might cause such
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a scandal, And the more sosince daily she appears in public arm in
arm with the General or with MademoisellePaulina. Now do you understand, No,
I do not, I shouted,as I banged my fist down upon
the table, banged it with suchviolence that a frightened waiter came running towards
us. Tell me, mister Astley, why, if you knew this history
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all along, and consequently always knewwho this Mademoiselle Blanche is, you never
warned either myself or the General,nor most of all Mademoiselle Polina, who
was accustomed to appear in the casino, in public everywhere with Mademoiselle Blanche.
How could you do it? Itwould have done no good to warn you,
he replied quietly, for the reasonthat you could have effected nothing against
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what was I to warn you.As likely as not, the General knows
more about Mademoiselle Blanche even than Ido. Yet the unhappy man still walks
about with her, and Mademoiselle Polina. Only yesterday I saw this frenchwoman riding
splendidly mounted with de Griey, whilethe General was careering in their wake on
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a roan horse. He had saidthat morning that his legs were hurting him,
yet his riding seat was easy enough. As he passed, I looked
at him, and the thought occurredto me that he was a man lost
forever. However, it is noaffair of mine, for I have only
recently had the happiness to make MademoisellePolina's acquaintance. Also, he added this
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as an afterthought. I have alreadytold you that I do not recognize your
right to ask me certain questions.However, sincere be my liking for you
enough, I said, rising tome. It is as clear as day
that Mademoiselle Polina knows all about thisMademoiselle Blanche, but cannot bring herself to
part with her frenchmen. Wherefore sheconsents also to be seen in public with
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Mademoiselle Blanche. You may be surethat nothing else would ever have induced her,
either to walk about with this frenchwomanor to send me a note not
to touch the baron. Yes,it is there that the influence lies before
which everything in the world must bow. Yet she herself it was who launched
me at the baron the devil takeit. But I was left no choice
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in the matter. You forget inthe first place that this Mademoiselle de Comige
is the General's Inamrata, and inthe second place, that Mademoiselle Paulina,
the General's stepdaughter, has a youngerbrother and sister, who, though they
are the General's own children, arecompletely neglected by this madman and robbed as
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well. Yes, yes, thatis so. For me to go and
desert the children now would mean theirtotal abandonment, whereas if I remain,
I should be able to defend theirinterests, and perhaps to save a moiety
of their property. Yes, yes, that is quite true. And yet,
and yet, oh, I canwell understand why they are all so
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interested in the general's mother, inwhom asked mister Estley, in the old
woman of Moscow, who declines todie, yet concerning whom they are forever
expecting telegrams to notify the fact ofher death. Ah, then, of
course their interests center around her.It is a question of succession. Let
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that but be settled, and theGeneral will marry Mademoiselle Paulina will be set
free, and Degrie, yes,and Degrie will be repaid his money,
which is what he is now waitingfor. What you think that he is
waiting for? That? I knowof nothing else, asserted mister Astley doggedly.
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But I do, I do,I shouted in my fury. He
is waiting also for the old woman'swill, for the reason that it awards
Mademoiselle Paulina a dowry. As soonas ever the money is received, she
will throw herself upon the frenchman's neck. All women are like that, even
the proudest of them become abject slaveswhere marriage is concerned. What Polina is
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good for is to fall head overears in love. That is my opinion.
Look at her, especially when sheis sitting alone and plunged in thought.
All this was preordained and foretold,and as accursed, Paulina could perpetrate
any mad act. She But whocalled me by name? I broke off.
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Who was shouting for me? Iheard someone calling in Russian, Alexis
Ivanovitch. It was a woman's voice. Listen. At the moment we were
approaching my hotel, we had leftthe cafe long ago, without even noticing
that we had done so. Yes, I did hear a woman's voice calling,
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But whose I do not know.The someone was calling you in Russian.
Ah, Now I can see whencethe cries come. They come from
that lady there, the one whowas sitting on the settee, the one
who has just been escorted to theveranda by a crowd of lackeys behind her.
See that pile of luggage. Shemust have arrived by train. But
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why should she be calling me?Hear her calling again? See she is
beckoning to us. Yes, soshe is assented, mister Astley. Alexey
Ivanovitch, Alexey Ivanovitch, Good heavens, what a stupid fellow? Came in
a despairing wail from the Verandah.We had almost reached the portico, and
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I was just setting foot upon thespace before it, when my hands fell
to my sides in limp astonishment,and my feet glued themselves to the pavement.
End of Chapter eight
Chapter eight. All at once onthe promenade as it was called, that
is to say, in the ChestnutAvenue, I came face to face with
my englishman. I was just comingto see you, he said, And
you appear to be out on asimilar errand so you have parted with your
employers. How do you know that, I asked, in astonishment. Is
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everyone aware of the fact? Byno means not every one would consider such
a fact to be a moment.Indeed, I have never heard any one
speak of it. Then how comeyou to know it? Because I have
had occasion to do so? Whitherare you bound? I like you,
and was therefore coming to pay youa visit. What a splendid fellow you
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are, mister Astley, I cried, though still wondering how he had come
by his knowledge. And since Ihave not yet had my coffee, and
you have, in all probabilities scarcelytasted yours, let us adjourn to the
casino cafe where we can sit andsmoke and have a talk. The cafe
in question was only a hundred pacesaway, so when coffee had been brought,
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we seated ourselves and I lit acigarette. Astley was no smoker,
but taking a seat by my side, he prepared himself to listen. I
do not intend to go away,was my first remark. I intend,
on the contrary, to remain here. That I never doubted, he answered,
good humoredly. It is a curiousfact that on my way to see
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him, I had never even thoughtof telling him of my love for Paulina.
In fact, I had purposely meantto avoid any mention of the subject.
Nor during our stay in the placehad I ever made aught but the
scantiest reference to it. You see, not only was askedly a man of
great reserve, but also from thefirst I had perceived that Polina had made
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a great impression upon him, althoughhe never spoke of her. But now,
strangely enough, he had no soonerseated himself and bent his steely gaze
upon me, than for some reasonor another, I felt moved to tell
him everything, to speak to himof my love in all its phases.
For an hour and a half didI discourse on the subject, and found
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it a pleasure to do so,even though this was the first occasion on
which I had referred to the matter. Indeed, when at certain moments I
perceived that my more ardent passages confusedhim. I purposely increased my ardor of
narration. Yet one thing I regret, and that is that I made references
to the Frenchman which were a littleoverpersonal. Mister Astley sat without moving as
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he listened to me. Not aword, nor a sound of any kind
did he utter as he stared intomy eyes. Suddenly, however, on
my mentioning the Frenchman, he interruptedme and acquired sternly whether I did write
to speak of an extraneous matter.He had always been a strange man in
his mode of propounding questions. No, I fear not, I replied,
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and scerning this, Marquis and MademoisellePaulina, you know nothing beyond surmise.
Again, I was surprised that sucha categorical question should come from such a
reserved individual. No I know nothingfor certain about them, was my reply.
No nothing. Then you have donevery wrong to speak of them to
me, or even to imagine thingsabout them. Quite so, Quite so,
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I interrupted, in some astonishment,I admit that yet that is not
the question. Whereupon I related tohim in detail the incident of two days
ago. I spoke of Paulina's outburstof my encounter with the Baron, of
my dismissal, of the general's extraordinarypusillanimity, and of the call which de
Griers had that morning paid me.In conclusion, I showed askedly the note
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which I had lately received. Whatdo you make of it? I asked?
When I met you, I wasjust coming to ask you your opinion.
For myself, I could have killedthis Frenchman, and am not sure
that I shall not do so.Even yet I feel the same about it,
said mister Astley. As for MademoisellePolina, well, you yourself know
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that if necessity drives one enters intorelation with people whom one simply detests,
even between this couple, there maybe something which, though unknown to you,
depends upon extraneous circumstances. For myown part, I think that you
may reassure yourself, or at allevents partially. And as for Mademoiselle Polina's
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proceedings of two days ago, theywere of course strange, not because she
can have meant to get rid ofyou, or to earn for you a
thrashing from the Baron's cudgel, whichfor some curious reason he did not use.
Although he had it ready in hishands. But because such proceedings on
the part of such well of sucha refined lady as Mademoiselle Polina, are,
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to say the least of it unbecoming. But she cannot have guessed that
you would carry out her absurd wishto the letter. Do you know what?
Suddenly? I cried, as Ifixed mister Astley with my gaze,
I believe that you have already heardthe story from some one, very possibly
from Mademoiselle Polina herself. In return, he gave me an astonished stare.
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Your eyes look very fiery, hesaid, with a return of his former
calm, and in them I canread suspicion. Now you have no right
whatever to be suspicious. It isnot a right which I can, for
a moment recognize, And I absolutelyrefuse to answer your questions. Enough you
need say no more. I cried, with a strange emotion at my heart,
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yet not altogether understanding what had arousedthat emotion in my breast. Indeed,
when, where and how could Polinahave chosen Astley to be one of
her confidants of late? I hadcome rather to overlook him in this connection,
even though Polina had always been ariddle to me, so much so
that now, when I had justpermitted of myself to tell my friend of
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my infatuation in all its aspects,I had found myself struck during the very
telling with the fact that in myrelations with her, I could specify nothing
that was explicit, nothing that waspositive. On the contrary, my relations
had been purely fantastic, strange andunreal. They had been unlike anything else
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that I could think of. Verywell, very well, I replied,
with a warmth equal to Astley's own. Then I stand confounded and have no
further opinions to offer. But youare a good fellow, and I am
glad to know what you think aboutit all, even though I do not
need your advice. Then, aftera pause, I resumed, for instance,
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what reason should you assign for thegeneral taking fright in this way?
Why should my stupid clowning have ledthe world to elevate it into a serious
incident. Even de Grier has foundit necessary to put in his oar,
and he only interferes on the mostimportant occasions, and to visit me and
to address to me the most earnestsupplications. Yes, he de Grier has
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actually been playing the suppliant to meand mark you. Although he came to
me as early as nine o'clock,he had ready prepared in his hand Mademoiselle
Polina's note. When I would askwas that note written? Mademoiselle Polina must
have been aroused from sleep for theexpress purpose of writing it. At all
events. The circumstance shows that sheis an absolute slave to the Frenchman,
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since she actually begs my pardon inthe note, actually begs my pardon.
Yet, what is their personal concernin the matter? Why is she interested
in it at all? Why too, is the whole party so afraid of
this precious baron? And what sortof a business do you call it for
the General to be going to marryMademoiselle Blanche de Commoge. He told me
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last night that because of the circumstance, he must move with a special care
at present. What is your opinionof it? All? Your look convinces
me that you know more about itthan I do. Mister Astley smiled and
nodded, Yes, I think Ido know more about it than you do.
He assented. The affair centers aroundthis Mademoiselle Blanche. Of that I
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feel certain. And what of MademoiselleBlanche, I cried impatiently, for in
me there had gone a sudden hopethat this would enable me to discover something
about Paulina. Well, my beliefis that at the present moment, Mademoiselle
Blanche has, in very truth aspecial reason for her wishing to avoid any
trouble with the baron and the Baroness. It might lead not only to some
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unpleasantness, but even to a scandal. Oh oh, Also, I may
tell you that Mademoiselle Blanche has beenin Roulettenburg before, for she was staying
here three seasons ago. I myselfwas in the place at the time,
and in those days Mademoiselle Blanche wasnot known as Mademoiselle de Comiger, nor
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was her mother, the widow deCommige, even in existence. In any
case, no one ever mentioned thelatter. De Grie too had not materialized,
And I am convinced that not onlydo the parties stand in no relation
to one another, but also theyhave not long enjoyed one another's acquaintance.
Likewise, the Marquisate de Grille isof recent creation. Of that I have
(09:33):
reason to be sure, owing toa certain circumstance, even the name de
Grille itself may be taken to bea new invention, seeing that I have
a friend who once met the saidmarquis under a different name altogether, yet
he possesses a good circle of friends. Possibly Mademoiselle Blanche also may possess that.
(09:58):
Yet it is not three years sinceshe received from the local police at
the instance of the baroness and invitationto leave the town, and she left
it. But why well, Imust tell you that she first appeared here
in company with an Italian, aprince of some sort, a man who
(10:18):
bore an historic name, Barberini orsomething of the kind. The fellow was
simply a mass of rings and diamonds, real diamonds too, and the couple
used to drive out in a marvelouscarriage. At first, Mademoiselle Blanche played
trant de Corrante with fair success,but later her luck took a marked change
(10:39):
for the worse. I distinctly rememberthat in a single evening she lost an
enormous sum, But worse was toensue. For one fine morning her prince
disappeared, horses, carriage and all. Also, the hotel bill which he
left unpaid, was enormous. Uponthis, Mademoiselle Zelma, the name which
(11:00):
she assumed after figuring as Madame Barberini, was in despair. She shrieked and
howled all over the hotel, andeven tore her clothes in her frenzy.
In the hotel there was staying alsoa Polish count. You must know that
all traveling poles are counts, andthe spectacle of Mademoiselle Zelma tearing her clothes
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and catlike scratching her face with herbeautiful scented nails produced upon him a strong
impression. So the pair had atalk together, and by luncheon time she
was consoled. Indeed, that eveningthe couple entered the casino arm in arm,
Mademoiselle Zelma, laughing loudly according toher custom, and showing even more
(11:43):
expansiveness in her manners than she hadbefore shown. For instance, she thrust
her way into the file of womenroulette players in the exact fashion of those
ladies who took clear a space forthemselves at the tables pushed their fellow players
roughly aside. Doubtless you have noticedthem, yes, certainly, well,
(12:05):
they are not worth noticing to theannoyance of the decent public, they are
allowed to remain here at all events, such of them as daily changed four
thousand franc notes at the tables,though as soon as ever these women ceased
to do so, they receive aninvitation to depart. However, Mademoiselle Zelma
continued to change notes of this kind, but her play grew more and more
(12:26):
unsuccessful, despite the fact that suchlady's luck is frequently good, for they
have a surprising amount of cash attheir disposal. Suddenly, the count too
disappeared, even as the Prince haddone, and that same evening Mademoiselle Zelma
was forced to appear in the casinoalone. On this occasion, no one
(12:48):
offered her a greeting. Two dayslater, she had come to the end
of her resources, whereupon, afterstaking and losing her last Louis door,
she chanced to look around her andsaw standing by her side the baron Burmergelm,
who had been eyeing her with fixeddisapproval. To his distaste, however,
(13:09):
Mademoiselle paid no attention, but,turning to him with her well known
smile, requested him to stake onher behalf ten Louis on the red.
Later that evening, a complaint fromthe Baroness led the authorities to request Mademoiselle
not to re enter the casino.If you feel in any way surprised that
I should know these petty and unedifyingdetails, the reason is that I had
(13:33):
them from a relative of mine,who, later that evening drove Mademoiselle Zelma
in his carriage from Ulettenberg to Spa. Now mark you, Mademoiselle wants to
become Madame General in order that infuture she may be spared the receipt of
such invitations from casino authorities as shereceived three years ago. At present she
(13:54):
is not playing, but that isonly because, according to the signs,
she is lending money to other players. Yes, that is a much more
paying game. I even suspect thatthe unfortunate General is himself in her debt,
as well as perhaps also degrie Or. It may be that the latter
has entered into partnership with her.Consequently, you yourself will see that until
(14:18):
the marriage shall have been consummated,Mademoiselle would scarcely like to have the attention
of the Baron and the Baroness drawnto herself in short, to any one
in her position, a scandal wouldbe most detrimental. You form a member
of the manage of these people,wherefore any act of yours might cause such
(14:39):
a scandal, And the more sosince daily she appears in public arm in
arm with the General or with MademoisellePaulina. Now do you understand, No,
I do not, I shouted,as I banged my fist down upon
the table, banged it with suchviolence that a frightened waiter came running towards
us. Tell me, mister Astley, why, if you knew this history
(15:05):
all along, and consequently always knewwho this Mademoiselle Blanche is, you never
warned either myself or the General,nor most of all Mademoiselle Polina, who
was accustomed to appear in the casino, in public everywhere with Mademoiselle Blanche.
How could you do it? Itwould have done no good to warn you,
he replied quietly, for the reasonthat you could have effected nothing against
(15:28):
what was I to warn you.As likely as not, the General knows
more about Mademoiselle Blanche even than Ido. Yet the unhappy man still walks
about with her, and Mademoiselle Polina. Only yesterday I saw this frenchwoman riding
splendidly mounted with de Griey, whilethe General was careering in their wake on
(15:48):
a roan horse. He had saidthat morning that his legs were hurting him,
yet his riding seat was easy enough. As he passed, I looked
at him, and the thought occurredto me that he was a man lost
forever. However, it is noaffair of mine, for I have only
recently had the happiness to make MademoisellePolina's acquaintance. Also, he added this
(16:11):
as an afterthought. I have alreadytold you that I do not recognize your
right to ask me certain questions.However, sincere be my liking for you
enough, I said, rising tome. It is as clear as day
that Mademoiselle Polina knows all about thisMademoiselle Blanche, but cannot bring herself to
part with her frenchmen. Wherefore sheconsents also to be seen in public with
(16:34):
Mademoiselle Blanche. You may be surethat nothing else would ever have induced her,
either to walk about with this frenchwomanor to send me a note not
to touch the baron. Yes,it is there that the influence lies before
which everything in the world must bow. Yet she herself it was who launched
me at the baron the devil takeit. But I was left no choice
(16:57):
in the matter. You forget inthe first place that this Mademoiselle de Comige
is the General's Inamrata, and inthe second place, that Mademoiselle Paulina,
the General's stepdaughter, has a youngerbrother and sister, who, though they
are the General's own children, arecompletely neglected by this madman and robbed as
(17:18):
well. Yes, yes, thatis so. For me to go and
desert the children now would mean theirtotal abandonment, whereas if I remain,
I should be able to defend theirinterests, and perhaps to save a moiety
of their property. Yes, yes, that is quite true. And yet,
and yet, oh, I canwell understand why they are all so
(17:42):
interested in the general's mother, inwhom asked mister Estley, in the old
woman of Moscow, who declines todie, yet concerning whom they are forever
expecting telegrams to notify the fact ofher death. Ah, then, of
course their interests center around her.It is a question of succession. Let
(18:06):
that but be settled, and theGeneral will marry Mademoiselle Paulina will be set
free, and Degrie, yes,and Degrie will be repaid his money,
which is what he is now waitingfor. What you think that he is
waiting for? That? I knowof nothing else, asserted mister Astley doggedly.
(18:30):
But I do, I do,I shouted in my fury. He
is waiting also for the old woman'swill, for the reason that it awards
Mademoiselle Paulina a dowry. As soonas ever the money is received, she
will throw herself upon the frenchman's neck. All women are like that, even
the proudest of them become abject slaveswhere marriage is concerned. What Polina is
(18:56):
good for is to fall head overears in love. That is my opinion.
Look at her, especially when sheis sitting alone and plunged in thought.
All this was preordained and foretold,and as accursed, Paulina could perpetrate
any mad act. She But whocalled me by name? I broke off.
(19:19):
Who was shouting for me? Iheard someone calling in Russian, Alexis
Ivanovitch. It was a woman's voice. Listen. At the moment we were
approaching my hotel, we had leftthe cafe long ago, without even noticing
that we had done so. Yes, I did hear a woman's voice calling,
(19:41):
But whose I do not know.The someone was calling you in Russian.
Ah, Now I can see whencethe cries come. They come from
that lady there, the one whowas sitting on the settee, the one
who has just been escorted to theveranda by a crowd of lackeys behind her.
See that pile of luggage. Shemust have arrived by train. But
(20:02):
why should she be calling me?Hear her calling again? See she is
beckoning to us. Yes, soshe is assented, mister Astley. Alexey
Ivanovitch, Alexey Ivanovitch, Good heavens, what a stupid fellow? Came in
a despairing wail from the Verandah.We had almost reached the portico, and
(20:23):
I was just setting foot upon thespace before it, when my hands fell
to my sides in limp astonishment,and my feet glued themselves to the pavement.
End of Chapter eight
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