The Chorus Girl and Other Stories | Page 2

resentment and vexation. "I know
who has brought him to this awful position! Low, horrid creature!
Loathsome, mercenary hussy!" The lady's lips worked and her nose
wrinkled up with disgust. "I am helpless, do you hear, you low
woman? . . . I am helpless; you are stronger than I am, but there is One
to defend me and my children! God sees all! He is just! He will punish
you for every tear I have shed, for all my sleepless nights! The time
will come; you will think of me! . . ."
Silence followed again. The lady walked about the room and wrung her
hands, while Pasha still gazed blankly at her in amazement, not
understanding and expecting something terrible.

"I know nothing about it, madam," she said, and suddenly burst into
tears.
"You are lying!" cried the lady, and her eyes flashed angrily at her. "I
know all about it! I've known you a long time. I know that for the last
month he has been spending every day with you!"
"Yes. What then? What of it? I have a great many visitors, but I don't
force anyone to come. He is free to do as he likes."
"I tell you they have discovered that money is missing! He has
embezzled money at the office! For the sake of such a . . . creature as
you, for your sake he has actually committed a crime. Listen," said the
lady in a resolute voice, stopping short, facing Pasha. "You can have no
principles; you live simply to do harm--that's your object; but one can't
imagine you have fallen so low that you have no trace of human feeling
left! He has a wife, children. . . . If he is condemned and sent into exile
we shall starve, the children and I. . . . Understand that! And yet there is
a chance of saving him and us from destitution and disgrace. If I take
them nine hundred roubles to-day they will let him alone. Only nine
hundred roubles!"
"What nine hundred roubles?" Pasha asked softly. "I . . . I don't
know. . . . I haven't taken it."
"I am not asking you for nine hundred roubles. . . . You have no money,
and I don't want your money. I ask you for something else. . . . Men
usually give expensive things to women like you. Only give me back
the things my husband has given you!"
"Madam, he has never made me a present of anything!" Pasha wailed,
beginning to understand.
"Where is the money? He has squandered his own and mine and other
people's. . . . What has become of it all? Listen, I beg you! I was carried
away by indignation and have said a lot of nasty things to you, but I
apologize. You must hate me, I know, but if you are capable of
sympathy, put yourself in my position! I implore you to give me back
the things!"
"H'm!" said Pasha, and she shrugged her shoulders. "I would with
pleasure, but God is my witness, he never made me a present of
anything. Believe me, on my conscience. However, you are right,
though," said the singer in confusion, "he did bring me two little things.
Certainly I will give them back, if you wish it."

Pasha pulled out one of the drawers in the toilet-table and took out of it
a hollow gold bracelet and a thin ring with a ruby in it.
"Here, madam!" she said, handing the visitor these articles.
The lady flushed and her face quivered. She was offended.
"What are you giving me?" she said. "I am not asking for charity, but
for what does not belong to you . . . what you have taken advantage of
your position to squeeze out of my husband . . . that weak, unhappy
man. . . . On Thursday, when I saw you with my husband at the harbour
you were wearing expensive brooches and bracelets. So it's no use your
playing the innocent lamb to me! I ask you for the last time: will you
give me the things, or not?"
"You are a queer one, upon my word," said Pasha, beginning to feel
offended. "I assure you that, except the bracelet and this little ring, I've
never seen a thing from your Nikolay Petrovitch. He brings me nothing
but sweet cakes."
"Sweet cakes!" laughed the stranger. "At home the children have
nothing to eat, and here you have sweet cakes. You absolutely refuse to
restore the presents?"
Receiving no answer, the lady sat, down and stared into space,
pondering.
"What's to be done now?" she said. "If I don't get nine hundred roubles,
he is ruined, and the children and I am ruined,