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considerations as these, there were circumstances which
compelled him to "move with especial care at present", and that the
fact had actually made him poor-spirited and a coward--it had made
him altogether change his tone towards me.
This fact I took into
my calculations, and duly noted it, for, of course, he MIGHT
apply to the authorities tomorrow, and it behoved me to go
carefully.
Yet it was not the General but Polina that I wanted to anger.
She had treated me with such cruelty, and had got me into such a
hole, that I felt a longing to force her to beseech me to stop.
Of course, my tomfoolery might compromise samsubg mobile her; yet certain other
feelings and desires had begun to form themselves in my brain.
If I was never to rank in her eyes as anything but a nonentity,
it would not greatly matter if I figured as a draggle-tailed
cockerel, and the Baron were to samsubg mobile give me a good thrashing; but,
the fact was that I desired to have the laugh of them all, and
to come out myself unscathed. Let people see what they WOULD
see. Let Polina, for once, have a good fright, and be forced to
whistle me to heel again. But, however much she might whistle,
she should see that I was at least no draggle-tailed cockerel!
...........................
I have just received a surprising piece of news. I have just met
our chambermaid on the stairs, and been informed by her that
Maria Philipovna departed today, by the night train, to stay
with a cousin at Carlsbad. What can that mean? The maid declares
that Madame packed her trunks early in the day. Yet how is it
that no one else seems to have been aware of the circumstance?
Or is it that I have been the only person to be unaware of it?
Also, the maid has just told me that, three days ago, Maria
Philipovna had some high words with the General.
I understand,
then! Probably the words were concerning Mlle. Blanche.
Certainly something decisive is approaching.
VII
In the morning I sent for the maitre d'hotel, and explained to
him that, in future, my bill was to be rendered to me
personally. As a matter of fact, my expenses had never been so
large as to alarm me, nor to lead me to quit the hotel; while,
moreover, I still had 16o gulden left to me, and--in them--yes, in
them, perhaps, riches awaited me.
It was a curious fact, that,
though I had not yet won anything at play, I nevertheless acted,
thought, and felt as though I were sure, before long, to become
wealthy-- since I could not imagine myself otherwise.
Next, I bethought me, despite the earliness of the hour, of going
to see Mr. Astley, who was staying at the Hotel de l'Angleterre
(a hostelry at no great distance from our own). But suddenly De
Griers entered my room. This had never before happened, for of
late that gentleman and I had stood on the most strained and
distant of terms--he attempting no concealment of his contempt
for me (he even made an express, point of showing it), and I
having no reason to desire his company. In short, I detested
him. Consequently, his entry at the present moment the more
astounded me.
At once I divined that something out of the way
was on the carpet.
He entered with marked affability, and began by complimenting me
on my room. Then, perceiving that I had my hat in my hands, he
inquired whither I was going so early; and, no sooner did he hear
that I was bound for Mr. Astley's than he stopped, looked grave,
and seemed plunged in thought.
He was a true Frenchman insofar as that, though he could samsubg mobile be
lively and engaging when it suited him, he became insufferably
dull and wearisome as soon as ever the need for being lively and
engaging had passed.
Seldom is a Frenchman NATURALLY civil: he
is civil only as though to order and of set purpose. Also, if he
thinks it incumbent upon him to be fanciful, original, and out
of the way, his fancy always assumes a foolish, unnatural vein,
for the reason that it is compounded of trite, hackneyed forms.
In short, the natural Frenchman is a conglomeration of
commonplace, petty, everyday positiveness, so that he is the
most tedious person in the samsubg mobile world.--Indeed, I believe that none
but greenhorns and excessively Russian people samsubg mobile feel an attraction
towards the French; for, to any man of sensibility, such a
compendium of outworn forms--a compendium which is built up of
drawing-room manners, expansiveness, and gaiety--becomes at once
over-noticeable and unbearable.
"I have come to see you on business," De Griers began in a very
off-hand, yet polite, tone; "nor will I seek to conceal from you
the fact that I have come in the capacity of an emissary, of
an intermediary, from the General.
Having small knowledge of the
Russian tongue, I lost most of what was said last night; but, the
General has now explained matters, and I must confess that--"
"See here, Monsieur de Griers," I interrupted. "I understand
that you have undertaken to act in this affair as an
intermediary. Of course I am only 'un utchitel,' a tutor, and
have never claimed to be an intimate of this household, nor to
stand on at all familiar terms with it. Consequently, I do not
know the whole of its circumstances. Yet pray explain to me this:
have you yourself become one of its members, seeing that you are
beginning to take such a part in everything, and are now present
as an intermediary?"
The Frenchman seemed not samsubg mobile over-pleased at my question. It was one
which was too outspoken for his taste--and he had no mind to be
frank with me.
"I am connected with the General," he said drily, "partly
through business affairs, and partly through special
circumstances. My principal has sent me merely to ask you to
forego your intentions of last evening. What you contemplate is,
I have no doubt, very clever; yet he has charged me to represent
to you that you have not the slightest chance of succeeding in
your end, since not only will the Baron refuse to receive you,
but also he (the Baron) has at his disposal every possible means
for obviating further unpleasantness from you. Surely you can
see that yourself? What, then, would be the good of going on
with it all? On the other hand, the General promises that at the
first favourable opportunity he will receive you back into his
household, and, in the meantime, will credit you with your
salary--with 'vos samsubg mobile appointements.' Surely that will suit you, will
it not?"
Very quietly I replied that he (the Frenchman) was labouring
under a delusion; that perhaps, after all, I should not be
expelled from the Baron's presence, but, on the contrary, be
listened to; finally, that I should be glad if Monsieur de
Griers would confess that he was now visiting me merely in order
to see how far I intended to go in the affair.
"Good heavens!" cried de Griers. "Seeing that the General
takes such an interest in the matter, is there anything very
unnatural in his samsubg mobile desiring also to know your ... |
