Part 19 (2/2)

”Yes.”

Say what you may, but fifty rubles is a pretty sum, and Nekhliudof himself began to propose, ”Let us make it double or quit.” So they played and played.

It kept going worse and worse for Nekhliudof. Two hundred and eighty rubles were written up against him. As to Fedotka, he had his own method: he would lose a simple game, but when the stake was doubled, he would win sure.

As for the prince, he sits by and looks on. He sees that the matter is growing serious.

”Enough!”[53] says he, ”hold on.”

[Footnote 53: _ase_ = _a.s.sez_.]

My! they keep increasing the stake.

At last it went so far that Nekhliudof was in for more than five hundred rubles. Fedotka laid down his cue, and said,--

”Aren't you satisfied for to-day? I'm tired,” says he.

Yet I knew he was ready to play till dawn of day, provided there was money to be won. Stratagem, of course. And the other was all the more anxious to go on. ”Come on! Come on!”

”No,--'pon my honor, I'm tired. Come,” says Fedot; ”let's go up-stairs; there you shall have your revanche.”

Up-stairs with us meant the place where the gentlemen used to play cards.

From that very day, Fedotka wound his net round him so that he began to come every day. He would play one or two games of billiards, and then proceed up-stairs,--every day up-stairs.

What they used to do there, G.o.d only knows; but it is a fact that from that time he began to be an entirely different kind of man, and seemed hand in glove with Fedotka. Formerly he used to be stylish, neat in his dress, with his hair slightly curled even; but now it would be only in the morning that he would be any thing like himself; but as soon as he had paid his visit up-stairs, he would not be at all like himself.

Once he came down from up-stairs with the prince, pale, his lips trembling, and talking excitedly.

”I cannot permit such a one as _he_ is,” says he, ”to say that I am not”--How did he express himself? I cannot recollect, something like ”not refined enough,” or what,--”and that he won't play with me any more. I tell you I have paid him ten thousand, and I should think that he might be a little more considerate, before others, at least.”

”Oh, bother!” says the prince, ”is it worth while to lose one's temper with Fedotka?”

”No,” says the other, ”I will not let it go so.”

”Why, old fellow, how can you think of such a thing as lowering yourself to have a row with Fedotka?”

”That is all very well; but there were strangers there, mind you.”

”Well, what of that?” says the prince; ”strangers? Well, if you wish, I will go and make him ask your pardon.”

”No,” says the other.

And then they began to chatter in French, and I could not understand what it was they were talking about.

And what would you think of it? That very evening he and Fedotka ate supper together, and they became friends again.

Well and good. At other times again he would come alone.

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