Baron's complaints, and to enter into his concerns--since you
have made yourself a participator in the affair--I have the
honour to inform you that, tomorrow morning at the latest, I
shall, in my own name, demand of the said Baron a formal
explanation as to the reasons which have led him to disregard
the fact that the matter lies between him and myself alone, and
to put a slight upon me by referring it to another person, as
though I were unworthy to answer for my own conduct."
Then there happened what I had foreseen. The General on hearing
of this further intended outrage, showed the white feather.
"What? " he cried. "Do you intend to go on with this damned
nonsense? Do you not realise the harm that it is doing me? I beg
of you not to laugh at me, sir--not to laugh at me, for we have
police authorities here who, out of respect for my rank, and for
that of the Baron... In short, sir, I swear to you that I will
have you arrested, and marched out of the place, to prevent any
further brawling on your part. Do you understand what I say?"
He was almost breathless with anger, as well as in a terrible
fright.
"General," I replied with that calmness which he never could
abide, "one cannot arrest a man for brawling until he has
brawled. I have not so much as begun my explanations to the
Baron, and you are altogether ignorant as to the form and time
which my intended procedure is likely to assume. I wish but to
disabuse the Baron of what is, to me, a shameful
supposition--namely, that I am under the guardianship of a person
who is qualified to exercise control over my free will. It is
vain for you to disturb and alarm yourself."
"For God's sake, Alexis Ivanovitch, do put an end to this
senseless scheme of yours!" he muttered, but with a sudden
change from a truculent tone to one of entreaty as he caught me
by the hand. "Do you know what is likely to come of it? Merely
further unpleasantness. You will agree with me, I am sure, that
at present I ought to move with especial care--yes, with very
especial care. You cannot be fully aware of how I am situated.
When we leave this place I shall be ready to receive you back
into my household; but, for the time being I-- Well, I cannot tell
you all my reasons." With that he wound up in a despairing
voice: " O Alexis Ivanovitch, Alexis Ivanovitch!"
I moved towards the door--begging him to be calm, and promising
that everything should be done decently and in order; whereafter
I departed.
Russians, when abroad, are over-apt to play the poltroon, to
watch all their words, and to wonder what people are thinking of
their conduct, or whether such and such a thing is 'comme il
faut.' In short, they are over-apt to cosset themselves, and to
lay claim to great importance. Always they prefer the form of
behaviour which has once and for all become accepted and
established. This they will follow slavishly whether in hotels,
on promenades, at meetings, or when on a journey. But the
General had avowed to me that, over and above such
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 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 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 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 f
oolish, 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 world.--Indeed, I believe that none
but greenhorns and excessively Russian people 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 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 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 desiring also to know your plans? "
Again I began my explanations, but the Frenchman only fidgeted
and rolled his head about as he listened with an expression of
manifest and unconcealed irony on his face. In short, he adopted
a supercilious attitude. For my own part, I endeavoured to
pretend that I took the affair very seriously. I declared that,
since the Baron had gone and complained of me to the General, as
though I were a mere servant of the General's, he had, in the
first place, lost me my post, and, in the second 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 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 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 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?) 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
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