| Chapter I |
| Chapter II |
| Chapter III |
| Chapter IV |
| Chapter V |
| Chapter VI |
| Chapter VII |
| Chapter VIII |
| Chapter IX |
| Chapter X |
| Chapter XI |
| Chapter XII |
| Chapter XIII |
| Chapter XIV |
| Chapter XV |
| Chapter XVI |
| Chapter XVII |
At length I returned from two weeks leave of absence to find that my patronshad arrived three days ago in Roulettenberg. I received from them a welcomequite different to that which I had expected. The General eyed me coldly,greeted me in rather haughty fashion, and dismissed me to pay my respects tohis sister. It was clear that from somewhere money had been acquired. Ithought I could even detect a certain shamefacedness in the General’sglance. Maria Philipovna, too, seemed distraught, and conversed with me with anair of detachment. Nevertheless, she took the money which I handed to her,counted it, and listened to what I had to tell. To luncheon there were expectedthat day a Monsieur Mezentsov, a French lady, and an Englishman; for, whenevermoney was in hand, a banquet in Muscovite style was always given. PolinaAlexandrovna, on seeing me, inquired why I had been so long away. Then, withoutwaiting for an answer, she departed. Evidently this was not mere accident, andI felt that I must throw some light upon matters. It was high time that I didso.
I was assigned a small room on the fourth floor of the hotel (for you must knowthat I belonged to the General’s suite). So far as I could see, the partyhad already gained some notoriety in the place, which had come to look upon theGeneral as a Russian nobleman of great wealth. Indeed, even before luncheon hecharged me, among other things, to get two thousand-franc notes changed for himat the hotel counter, which put us in a position to be thought millionaires atall events for a week! Later, I was about to take Mischa and Nadia for a walkwhen a summons reached me from the staircase that I must attend the General. Hebegan by deigning to inquire of me where I was going to take the children; andas he did so, I could see that he failed to look me in the eyes. Hewanted to do so, but each time was met by me with such a fixed,disrespectful stare that he desisted in confusion. In pompous language,however, which jumbled one sentence into another, and at length grewdisconnected, he gave me to understand that I was to lead the childrenaltogether away from the Casino, and out into the park. Finally his angerexploded, and he added sharply:
“I suppose you would like to take them to the Casino to play roulette?Well, excuse my speaking so plainly, but I know how addicte