No More Learning

She
threw back her head and put out her hands as if to protect herself; then
they dropped and she sat motionless.

Herman grasped her arm roughly, and was about to renew his threats, when
he saw that she was dead!

*****

Seated in her room, still in her ball-dress, Lisaveta gave herself up to
her reflections. She had expected to find the young officer there, but
she felt relieved to see that he was not.

Strangely enough, that very night at the ball, Tomsky had rallied her
about her preference for the young officer, assuring her that he knew
more than she supposed he did.

"Of whom are you speaking? " she had asked in alarm, fearing her
adventure had been discovered.

"Of the remarkable man," was the reply. "His name is Herman. "

Lisa made no reply.

"This Herman," continued Tomsky, "is a romantic character; he has the
profile of a Napoleon and the heart of a Mephistopheles. It is said he
has at least three crimes on his conscience. But how pale you are. "

"It is only a slight headache. But why do you talk to me of this
Herman? "

"Because I believe he has serious intentions concerning you. "

"Where has he seen me? "

"At church, perhaps, or on the street. "

The conversation was interrupted at this point, to the great regret of
the young girl. The words of Tomsky made a deep impression upon her, and
she realized how imprudently she had acted. She was thinking of all this
and a great deal more when the door of her apartment suddenly opened,
and Herman stood before her. She drew back at sight of him, trembling
violently.

"Where have you been? " she asked in a frightened whisper.

"In the bedchamber of the Countess. She is dead," was the calm reply.

"My God! What are you saying? " cried the girl.

"Furthermore, I believe that I was the cause of her death. "

The words of Tomsky flashed through Lisa's mind.

Herman sat down and told her all. She listened with a feeling of terror
and disgust. So those passionate letters, that audacious pursuit were
not the result of tenderness and love. It was money that he desired. The
poor girl felt that she had in a sense been an accomplice in the death
of her benefactress. She began to weep bitterly. Herman regarded her in
silence.

"You are a monster! " exclaimed Lisa, drying her eyes.

"I didn't intend to kill her; the pistol was not even loaded.

"How are you going to get out of the house? " inquired Lisa. "It is
nearly daylight. I intended to show you the way to a secret staircase,
while the Countess was asleep, as we would have to cross her chamber.
Now I am afraid to do so. "

"Direct me, and I will find the way alone," replied Herman.

She gave him minute instructions and a key with which to open the street
door. The young man pressed the cold, inert hand, then went out.

The death of the Countess had surprised no one, as it had long been
expected. Her funeral was attended by every one of note in the
vicinity. Herman mingled with the throng without attracting any especial
attention. After all the friends had taken their last look at the dead
face, the young man approached the bier. He prostrated himself on the
cold floor, and remained motionless for a long time. He rose at last
with a face almost as pale as that of the corpse itself, and went up the
steps to look into the casket. As he looked down it seemed to him that
the rigid face returned his glance mockingly, closing one eye. He turned
abruptly away, made a false step, and fell to the floor. He was picked
up, and, at the same moment, Lisaveta was carried out in a faint.

Herman did not recover his usual composure during the entire day. He
dined alone at an out-of-the-way restaurant, and drank a great deal, in
the hope of stifling his emotion. The wine only served to stimulate his
imagination. He returned home and threw himself down on his bed without
undressing.

During the night he awoke with a start; the moon shone into his chamber,
making everything plainly visible. Some one looked in at the window,
then quickly disappeared. He paid no attention to this, but soon he
heard the vestibule door open. He thought it was his orderly, returning
late, drunk as usual. The step was an unfamiliar one, and he heard the
shuffling sound of loose slippers.

The door of his room opened, and a woman in white entered. She came
close to the bed, and the terrified man recognized the Countess.

"I have come to you against my will," she said abruptly; "but I was
commanded to grant your request. The tray, seven, and ace in succession
are the magic cards. Twenty-four hours must elapse between the use
of each card, and after the three have been used you must never play
again. "

The fantom then turned and walked away. Herman heard the outside door
close, and again saw the form pass the window.

He rose and went out into the hall, where his orderly lay asleep on the
floor. The door was closed. Finding no trace of a visitor, he returned
to his room, lit his candle, and wrote down what he had just heard.

Two fixed ideas cannot exist in the brain at the same time any more than
two bodies can occupy the same point in space. The tray, seven, and ace
soon chased away the thoughts of the dead woman, and all other thoughts
from the brain of the young officer. All his ideas merged into a single
one: how to turn to advantage the secret paid for so dearly. He even
thought of resigning his commission and going to Paris to force a
fortune from conquered fate. Chance rescued him from his embarrassment.

*****

Tchekalinsky, a man who had passed his whole life at cards, opened
a club at St. Petersburg. His long experience secured for him the
confidence of his companions, and his hospitality and genial humor
conciliated society.

The gilded youth flocked around him, neglecting society, preferring the
charms of faro to those of their sweethearts. Naroumov invited Herman
to accompany him to the club, and the young man accepted the invitation
only too willingly.

The two officers found the apartments full. Generals and statesmen
played whist; young men lounged on sofas, eating ices or smoking. In
the principal salon stood a long table, at which about twenty men sat
playing faro, the host of the establishment being the banker.

He was a man of about sixty, gray-haired and respectable. His ruddy face
shone with genial humor; his eyes sparkled and a constant smile hovered
around his lips.

Naroumov presented Herman. The host gave him a cordial handshake, begged
him not to stand upon ceremony, and returned, to his dealing. More than
thirty cards were already on the table. Tchekalinsky paused after each
coup, to allow the punters time to recognize their gains or losses,
politely answering all questions and constantly smiling.

After the deal was over, the cards were shuffled and the game began
again.

"Permit me to choose a card," said Herman, stretching out his hand over
the head of a portly gentleman, to reach a livret. The banker bowed
without replying.

Herman chose a card, and wrote the amount of his stake upon it with a
piece of chalk.

"How much is that? " asked the banker; "excuse me, sir, but I do not see
well. "

"Forty thousand rubles," said Herman coolly.

All eyes were instantly turned upon the speaker.

"He has lost his wits," thought Naroumov.

"Allow me to observe," said Tchekalinsky, with his eternal smile, "that
your stake is excessive. "

"What of it? " replied Herman, nettled. "Do you accept it or not? "

The banker nodded in assent. "I have only to remind you that the cash
will be necessary; of course your word is good, but in order to keep the
confidence of my patrons, I prefer the ready money. "

Herman took a bank-check from his pocket and handed it to his host. The
latter examined it attentively, then laid it on the card chosen.

He began dealing: to the right, a nine; to the left, a tray.

"The tray wins," said Herman, showing the card he held--a tray.

A murmur ran through the crowd. Tchekalinsky frowned for a second only,
then his smile returned. He took a roll of bank-bills from his pocket
and counted out the required sum. Herman received it and at once left
the table.

The next evening saw him at the place again. Every one eyed him
curiously, and Tchekalinsky greeted him cordially.

He selected his card and placed upon it his fresh stake. The banker
began dealing: to the right, a nine; to the left, a seven.

Herman then showed his card--a seven spot. The onlookers exclaimed,
and the host was visibly disturbed. He counted out ninety-four-thousand
rubles and passed them to Herman, who accepted them without showing the
least surprise, and at once withdrew.

The following evening he went again. His appearance was the signal for
the cessation of all occupation, every one being eager to watch the
developments of events. He selected his card--an ace.

The dealing began: to the right, a queen; to the left, an ace.

"The ace wins," remarked Herman, turning up his card without glancing at
it.

"Your queen is killed," remarked Tchekalinsky quietly.

Herman trembled; looking down, he saw, not the ace he had selected,
but the queen of spades. He could scarcely believe his eyes. It seemed
impossible that he could have made such a mistake. As he stared at the
card it seemed to him that the queen winked one eye at him mockingly.

"The old woman! " he exclaimed involuntarily.

The croupier raked in the money while he looked on in stupid terror.
When he left the table, all made way for him to pass; the cards were
shuffled, and the gambling went on.

Herman became a lunatic. He was confined at the hospital at Oboukov,
where he spoke to no one, but kept constantly murmuring in a monotonous
tone: "The tray, seven, ace! The tray, seven, queen! "





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