Collins.docx

Collins.docx

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Collins

THETRAVELLER'SSTORYOF

ATERRIBLYSTRANGEBED

byWilkieCollins

www.world-english.org

Shortlyaftermyeducationatcollegewasfinished,Ihappenedtobe

stayingatPariswithanEnglishfriend.Wewerebothyoungmenthen,andlived,

Iamafraid,ratherawildlife,inthedelightfulcityofoursojourn.One

nightwewereidlingabouttheneighborhoodofthePalaisRoyal,doubtfulto

whatamusementweshouldnextbetakeourselves.Myfriendproposedavisitto

Frascati's;buthissuggestionwasnottomytaste.IknewFrascati's,asthe

Frenchsayingis,byheart;hadlostandwonplentyoffive-francpiecesthere,

merelyforamusement'ssake,untilitwasamusementnolonger,andwas

thoroughlytired,infact,ofalltheghastlyrespectabilitiesofsuchasocial

anomalyasarespectablegambling-house."ForHeaven'ssake,"saidItomy

friend,"letusgosomewherewherewecanseealittlegenuine,blackguard,

poverty-strickengamingwithnofalsegingerbreadglitterthrownoveritall.

LetusgetawayfromfashionableFrascati's,toahousewheretheydon'tmind

lettinginamanwitharaggedcoat,oramanwithnocoat,raggedor

otherwise.""Verywell,"saidmyfriend,"weneedn'tgooutofthePalaisRoyal

tofindthesortofcompanyyouwant.Here'stheplacejustbeforeus;as

blackguardaplace,byallreport,asyoucouldpossiblywishtosee."In

anotherminutewearrivedatthedoor,andenteredthehouse,thebackofwhich

youhavedrawninyoursketch.

Whenwegotupstairs,andhadleftourhatsandstickswiththedoorkeeper,

wewereadmittedintothechiefgambling-room.Wedidnotfindmanypeople

assembledthere.But,fewasthemenwerewholookedupatusonourentrance,

theywerealltypes--lamentablytruetypes--oftheirrespectiveclasses.

Wehadcometoseeblackguards;butthesemenweresomethingworse.Thereis

acomicside,moreorlessappreciable,inallblackguardism--heretherewas

nothingbuttragedy--mute,weirdtragedy.Thequietintheroomwashorrible.

Thethin,haggard,long-hairedyoungman,whosesunkeneyesfiercelywatchedthe

turningupofthecards,neverspoke;theflabby,fat-faced,pimplyplayer,who

prickedhispieceofpasteboardperseveringly,toregisterhowoftenblackwon,

andhowoftenred--neverspoke;thedirty,wrinkledoldman,withthevulture

eyesandthedarnedgreat-coat,whohadlosthislastsou,andstilllookedon

desperately,afterhecouldplaynolonger--neverspoke.Eventhevoiceofthe

croupiersoundedasifitwerestrangelydulledandthickenedintheatmosphere

oftheroom.Ihadenteredtheplacetolaugh,butthespectaclebeforemewas

somethingtoweepover.Isoonfounditnecessarytotakerefugeinexcitement

fromthedepressionofspiritswhichwasfaststealingonme.UnfortunatelyI

soughtthenearestexcitement,bygoingtothetableandbeginningtoplay.

Stillmoreunfortunately,astheeventwillshow,Iwon--wonprodigiously;won

incredibly;wonatsucharatethattheregularplayersatthetablecrowded

roundme;andstaringatmystakeswithhungry,superstitiouseyes,whisperedto

oneanotherthattheEnglishstrangerwasgoingtobreakthebank.

ThegamewasRougeetNoir.IhadplayedatitineverycityinEurope,

without,however,thecareorthewishtostudytheTheoryofChances--that

philosopher'sstoneofallgamblers!

Andagambler,inthestrictsenseofthe

word,Ihadneverbeen.Iwasheart-wholefromthecorrodingpassionforplay.

Mygamingwasamereidleamusement.Ineverresortedtoitbynecessity,

becauseIneverknewwhatitwastowantmoney.Ineverpracticeditso

incessantlyastolosemorethanIcouldafford,ortogainmorethanIcould

coollypocketwithoutbeingthrownoffmybalancebymygoodluck.Inshort,I

hadhithertofrequentedgambling-tables--justasIfrequentedball-roomsand

opera-houses--becausetheyamusedme,andbecauseIhadnothingbettertodo

withmyleisurehours.

Butonthisoccasionitwasverydifferent--now,forthefirsttimeinmy

life,Ifeltwhatthepassionforplayreallywas.Mysuccessfirstbewildered,

andthen,inthemostliteralmeaningoftheword,intoxicatedme.Incredibleas

itmayappear,itisneverthelesstrue,thatIonlylostwhenIattemptedto

estimatechances,andplayedaccordingtopreviouscalculation.IfIleft

everythingtoluck,andstakedwithoutanycareorconsideration,Iwassureto

win--towininthefaceofeveryrecognizedprobabilityinfavorofthebank.At

firstsomeofthemenpresentventuredtheirmoneysafelyenoughonmycolor;

butIspeedilyincreasedmystakestosumswhichtheydarednotrisk.Oneafter

anothertheyleftoffplaying,andbreathlesslylookedonatmygame.

Still,timeaftertime,Istakedhigherandhigher,andstillwon.The

excitementintheroomrosetofeverpitch.Thesilencewasinterruptedbya

deep-mutteredchorusofoathsandexclamationsindifferentlanguages,every

timethegoldwasshoveledacrosstomysideofthetable--eventhe

imperturbablecroupierdashedhisrakeonthefloorina（French）furyof

astonishmentatmysuccess.Butonemanpresentpreservedhisself-possession,

andthatmanwasmyfriend.Hecametomyside,andwhisperinginEnglish,

beggedmetoleavetheplace,satisfiedwithwhatIhadalreadygained.Imust

dohimthejusticetosaythatherepeatedhiswarningsandentreatiesseveral

times,andonlyleftmeandwentawayafterIhadrejectedhisadvice（Iwasto

allintentsandpurposesgamblingdrunk）intermswhichrendereditimpossible

forhimtoaddressmeagainthatnight.

Shortlyafterhehadgone,ahoarsevoicebehindmecried:

"Permitme,my

dearsir--permitmetorestoretotheirproperplacetwonapoleonswhichyou

havedropped.Wonderfulluck,sir!

Ipledgeyoumywordofhonor,asanold

soldier,inthecourseofmylongexperienceinthissortofthing,Ineversaw

suchluckasyours--never!

Goon,sir--SacrŽmillebombes!

Goonboldly,and

breakthebank!

"

Iturnedroundandsaw,noddingandsmilingatmewithinveteratecivility,

atallman,dressedinafroggedandbraidedsurtout.

IfIhadbeeninmysenses,Ishouldhaveconsideredhim,personally,as

beingratherasuspiciousspecimenofanoldsoldier.Hehadgoggling,bloodshot

eyes,mangymustaches,andabrokennose.Hisvoicebetrayedabarrack-room

intonationoftheworstorder,andhehadthedirtiestpairofhandsIever

saw--eveninFrance.Theselittlepersonalpeculiaritiesexercised,however,no

repellinginfluenceonme.Inthemadexcitement,therecklesstriumphofthat

moment,Iwasreadyto"fraternize"withanybodywhoencouragedmeinmygame.I

acceptedtheoldsoldier'sofferedpinchofsnuff;clappedhimontheback,and

sworehewasthehonestestfellowintheworld--themostgloriousrelicofthe

GrandArmythatIhadevermetwith."Goon!

"criedmymilitaryfriend,snapping

hisfingersinecstasy--"Goon,andwin!

Breakthebank--Milletonnerres!

my

gallantEnglishcomrade,breakthebank!

"

AndIdidgoon--wentonatsucharate,thatinanotherquarterofanhour

thecroupiercalledout,"Gentlemen,thebankhasdiscontinuedforto-night."

Allthenotes,andallthegoldinthat"bank,"nowlayinaheapundermy

hands;thewholefloatingcapitalofthegambling-housewaswaitingtopourinto

mypockets!

"Tieupthemoneyinyourpocket-handkerchief,myworthysir,"saidtheold

soldier,asIwildlyplungedmyhandsintomyheapofgold."Tieitup,aswe

usedtotieupabitofdinnerintheGrandArmy;yourwinningsaretooheavy

foranybreeches-pocketsthateverweresewed.There!

that'sit--shovelthemin,

notesandall!

CrediŽ!

whatluck!

Stop!

anothernapoleononthefloor!

Ah!

sacrŽ

petitpolissondeNapoleon!

haveIfoundtheeatlast?

Nowthen,sir--twotight

doubleknotseachwaywithyourhonorablepermission,andthemoney'ssafe.Feel

it!

feelit,fortunatesir!

hardandroundasacannon-ball--Ah,bah!

ifthey

hadonlyfiredsuchcannon-ballsatusatAusterlitz--nomd'unepipe!

ifthey

onlyhad!

Andnow,asanancientgrenadier,asanex-braveoftheFrencharmy,

whatremainsformetodo?

Iaskwhat?

Simplythis:

toentreatmyvaluedEnglish

friendtodrinkabottleofChampagnewithme,andtoastthegoddessFortunein

foaminggobletsbeforewepart!

"

Excellentex-brave!

Convivialancientgrenadier!

Champagnebyallmeans!

An

Englishcheerforanoldsoldier!

Hurrah!

hurrah!

AnotherEnglishcheerforthe

goddessFortune!

Hurrah!

hurrah!

hurrah!

"Bravo!

theEnglishman;theamiable,graciousEnglishman,inwhoseveins

circulatesthevivaciousbloodofFrance!

Anotherglass?

Ah,bah!

--thebottleis

empty!

Nevermind!

Vivelevin!

I,theoldsoldier,orderanotherbottle,and

halfapoundofbonbonswithit!

"

"No,no,ex-brave;never--ancientgrenadier!

Yourbottlelasttime;my

bottlethis.Beholdit!

Toastaway!

TheFrenchArmy!

thegreatNapoleon!

the

presentcompany!

thecroupier!

thehonestcroupier'swifeanddaughters--ifhe

hasany!

theLadiesgenerally!

everybodyintheworld!

"

BythetimethesecondbottleofChampagnewasemptied,IfeltasifIhad

beendrinkingliquidfire--mybrainseemedallaflame.Noexcessinwinehad

everhadthiseffectonmebeforeinmylife.Wasittheresultofastimulant

actinguponmysystemwhenIwasinahighlyexcitedstate?

Wasmystomachina

particularlydisorderedcondition?

OrwastheChampagneamazinglystrong?

"Ex-braveoftheFrenchArmy!

"criedI,inamadstateofexhilaration,"I

amonfire!

howareyou?

Youhavesetmeonfire!

Doyouhear,myheroof

Austerlitz?

LetushaveathirdbottleofChampagnetoputtheflameout!

"

Theoldsoldierwaggedhishead,rolledhisgoggle-eyes,untilIexpectedto

see