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... nd place, treated
me like a person to whom, as to one not qualified to answer for
himself, it was not even worth while to speak. Naturally, I
said, I felt insulted at this. Yet, comprehending as I did,
differences of years, of social status, and so forth (here I
could scarcely help smiling), I was not anxious to bring about
further scenes by going personally to demand or to request
satisfaction of the Baron. All that I felt was that I had a
right to go in person and beg the Baron's and the Baroness's
pardon--the more so since, of late, I had been feeling unwell and
unstrung, and had been in a fanciful condition. And so forth,
and so forth.
Yet (I continued) the Baron's offensive behaviour
to me of yesterday (that is to say, the fact of his referring
the matter to the General) as well as his insistence that the
General should deprive me of my post, had placed me in such a
position that I could not well express my regret to him (the
Baron) and to his good lady, for the reason that in all
probability both he and the Baroness, with the world at large,
would imagine that I was doing so merely because I hoped, by my
action, to recover my post.
Hence, I found myself forced to
request the Baron to express to me HIS OWN regrets, as well as
to bearded collie puppies express them in the most unqualified manner--to say, in fact,
that he had never had any wish to insult me. After the Baron had
done THAT, I should, for my part, at once feel free to express
to him, whole-heartedly and without reserve, my own regrets."
In short," I declared in conclusion, " my one desire is that the
Baron may make it possible for me to adopt the latter course."
"Oh fie! What refinements and subtleties!" exclaimed De
Griers. "Besides, what have you to express regret for? Confess,
Monsieur, Monsieur--pardon me, but I have forgotten your
name--confess, I say, that all this is merely a plan to annoy the
General? Or perhaps, you have some other and special end in
view? Eh?"
"In return you must pardon ME, mon cher Marquis, and tell me
what you have to do with it."
"The General--"
"But what of the General? Last night he said that, for some
reason or another, it behoved him to 'move with especial care at
present;' wherefore, he was feeling nervous. But I did not
understand the reference."
"Yes, there DO exist special reasons for his doing so,"
assented De Griers in a conciliatory tone, yet with rising
anger. "You are acquainted with Mlle. de Cominges, are you not?"
"Mlle. Blanche, you mean?"
"Yes, Mlle. Blanche de Cominges.
Doubtless you know also that
the General is in love with this young lady, and may even be
about to marry her before he leaves here? Imagine, therefore,
what any scene or scandal would entail upon him!"
"I cannot see that the marriage scheme need, be affected by
scenes or scandals."
"Mais le Baron est si irascible--un caractere prussien, vous
savez! Enfin il fera une querelle d'Allemand."
"I do not care," I replied, "seeing that I no longer belong to
his household" (of set purpose I was trying to talk as
senselessly as possible).
"But is it quite settled that Mlle.
is to marry the General? What are they waiting for? Why should
they conceal such a matter--at all events from ourselves, the
General's own party?"
"I cannot tell you. The marriage is not yet a settled affair,
for they are awaiting news from Russia. The General has business
transactions to arrange."
"Ah! Connected, doubtless, with madame his mother?"
De Griers shot at me a glance of hatred.
"To cut things short," he interrupted, "I have complete
confidence in your native politeness, as well as in your tact
and good sense. I feel sure that you will do what I bearded collie puppies suggest,
even if it is only for the sake of this family which has
received you as a kinsman into its bosom and has always loved
and respected you."
"Be so good as to observe," I remarked, "that the same family
has just EXPELLED me from its bosom. All that you are saying you
are saying but for show; but, when people have just said to you,
'Of course we do not wish to turn you out, yet, for the sake of
appearance's, you must PERMIT yourself to be turned out,'
nothing can matter very much."
"Very well, then," he said, in a sterner and more arrogant
tone. "Seeing that my solicitations have had no effect upon
you, it is my duty to mention that other measures will be taken.
There exist here police, you must remember, and this very day
they shall send you packing. Que diable! To think of a blanc bec
like yourself challenging a person like the Baron to a duel! Do
you suppose that you will be ALLOWED to do such things? Just try
doing them, and see if any one will be afraid of you! The reason
why I have asked you to desist is that I can see that your
conduct is causing the General annoyance. Do you believe that
the Baron could not tell his lacquey simply to put you out of
doors?"
"Nevertheless I should not GO out of doors," I retorted with
absolute calm. "You are labouring under a delusion, Monsieur de
Griers. The thing will be done in far better trim than you
imagine. I was just about to start for Mr.
Astley's, to ask him
to be my intermediary--in other words, my bearded collie puppies second. He has a strong
liking for me, and I do not think that he will refuse.
He will
go and see the Baron on MY behalf, and the Baron will certainly
not decline to receive him. Although I am only a tutor--a kind of
subaltern, Mr. Astley is known to all men as the nephew of a
real English lord, the Lord Piebroch, as well as a lord in his
own right. Yes, you may be pretty sure that the Baron will be
civil to Mr. Astley, and listen to him. Or, should he decline to
do so, Mr. Astley will take the refusal as a personal affront to
himself (for you know how persistent the English are?) bearded collie puppies and
thereupon introduce to the Baron a friend of his own (and he has
many friends in a good position). That being so, picture to
yourself the issue of the affair--an affair which will not quite
end as you think it will."
This caused the Frenchman to bethink him of playing the coward.
"Really things may be as this fellow says," he evidently
thought. "Really he MIGHT be able to engineer another scene."
"Once more I beg of you to let the matter drop," he continued
in a tone that was now entirely conciliatory. "One would think
that it actually PLEASED you to have scenes! Indeed, it is a
brawl rather than genuine satisfaction that you are seeking. I
have said that the affair may prove to be diverting, and even
clever, and that possibly you may attain something by it; yet
none the less I tell you" (he said this only because he saw me
rise and reach for my hat) "that I have come hither also to
hand you these few words from a certain person. Read them,
please, for I must take her back an answer."
So saying, he took from his pocket a small, compact,
wafer-sealed note, and handed it to me. In Polina's handwriting
I read:
"I hear that you are thinking of going on with this affair. You
have lost your temper now, and are beginning to play the fool!
Certain circumstances, however, I may explain to you later. Pray
cease from your folly, and put a check upon yourself. For folly
it all is. I have need of you, and, moreover, you have promised
to obey me. Remember the Shlangenberg. I ask you to be
obedient. If necessary, I shall even BID you be obedient.--Your
own POLINA.
"P.S.--If so be that you still bear a grudge against me for what
happened last night, pray forgive bearded collie puppies me."
Everything, to my eyes, seemed to change as I read these words.
My lips grew pale, and I began to tremble. Meanwhile, the cursed
Frenchman was eyeing me discreetly and askance, as though he
wished to avoid witnessing my confusion. It would have been
better if he had laughed outright.
"Very well," I said, "you can tell Mlle. not to disturb
herself ... |
