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... n
enormous sum. But worse was to ensue, for one fine morning her
prince disappeared--horses, carriage, and all. Also, the hotel
bill which he left unpaid was enormous. Upon this Mlle. Zelma
(the name which she assumed after figuring as Madame Barberini)
was in despair. She shrieked and howled all over the hotel, and
even tore her clothes in her frenzy. In the hotel there was
staying also a Polish count (you must know that ALL travelling
Poles are counts!), and the spectacle of Mlle. Zelma tearing her
clothes and, catlike, scratching her face with her beautiful,
scented nails produced upon him a strong impression. So the pair
had a talk together, and, by luncheon time, she was consoled.
Indeed, that evening the couple entered the Casino arm-in-arm --
Mlle. Zelma laughing loudly, according to her custom, and
showing even more expansiveness in her manners than she had
before shown. For instance, she thrust her way into the file of
women roulette-players in the exact fashion of those ladies who,
to clear a space for themselves at the tables, push their
fellow-players roughly aside. Doubtless you have noticed them?"
"Yes, certainly."
"Well, they are not worth noticing. To the annoyance of the
decent public they are allowed to remain here--at all events such
of them as daily change 4000 franc notes at the tables (though,
as soon as ever these women cease to do so, they receive an
invitation to depart). However, Mlle. Zelma continued to change
notes of this kind, but her play grew more and more
unsuccessful, despite the fact that such ladies' luck is
frequently good, for they have a surprising amount of cash at
their disposal.
Suddenly, the Count too disappeared, even as the
Prince had done, and that same evening Mlle. Zelma was forced to
appear in the Casino alone. On this occasion no one offered her
a greeting. Two days later she had come to the end of her
resources; whereupon, after staking and losing her last louis
d'or she chanced to look around her, and saw standing by space age electronics ltd her
side the Baron Burmergelm, who had been eyeing her with fixed
disapproval. To his distaste, however, Mlle. paid no attention,
but, turning to him with her well-known smile, requested him to
stake, on her behalf, ten louis on the red. Later that evening a
complaint from the Baroness led the authorities to request Mlle.
not to re-enter the Casino.
If you feel in any way surprised
that I should know these petty and unedifying details, the
reason is that I had them from a relative of mine who, later
that evening, drove Mlle. Zelma in his carriage from
Roulettenberg to Spa. Now, mark you, Mlle. wants to become
Madame General, in order that, in future, she may be spared the
receipt of such invitations from Casino authorities as she
received three years ago. At present she is not playing; but
that is only because, according to the signs, she is lending
money to space age electronics ltd other players. Yes, that is a much more paying game. I
even suspect that the unfortunate General is himself in her
debt, as well as, perhaps, also De Griers. Or, it may be that the
latter has entered into a partnership with her. Consequently you
yourself will see that, until the marriage shall have been
consummated, Mlle. would scarcely like to have the attention of
the Baron and the Baroness drawn to herself. In space age electronics ltd short, to any
one in her position, a scandal would be most detrimental. You
form a member of the menage of these people; wherefore, any act
of yours might cause such a scandal--and the more so since daily
she appears in public arm in arm with the General or with Mlle.
Polina.
NOW do you understand?"
"No, I do not!" I shouted as I banged my fist down upon the
table--banged it with such violence that a frightened waiter came
running towards us. "Tell me, Mr. Astley, why, if you knew this
history all along, and, consequently, always knew who this Mlle.
Blanche is, you never warned either myself or the General, nor,
most of all, Mlle. Polina" (who is accustomed to appear in the
Casino -- in public everywhere with Mlle. Blanche)." How could you
do it?"
"It would have done no good to warn you," he replied quietly,
"for the reason that you could have effected nothing. Against
what was I to warn you? As likely as not, the General knows more
about Mlle. Blanche even than I do; yet the unhappy man still
walks about with her and Mlle. space age electronics ltd Polina. Only yesterday I saw this
Frenchwoman riding, splendidly mounted, with De Griers, while
the General was careering in their wake on a roan horse. He had
said, that morning, that his legs were hurting him, yet his
riding-seat was easy enough. As he passed I looked at him, and
the thought occurred to me space age electronics ltd that he was a man lost for ever.
However, it is no affair of mine, for I have only recently ... |
