roblem for me to solve.

Suddenly there came a knock at the door, and I opened it to find
Potapitch awaiting me.

"Sir," he said, "my mistress is asking for you."

"Indeed? But she is just departing, is she not? The train leaves in ten
minutes' time."

"She is uneasy, sir; she cannot rest. Come quickly, sir; do not delay."

I ran downstairs at once. The Grandmother was just being carried out of
her rooms into the corridor. In her hands she held a roll of bank-notes.

"Alexis Ivanovitch," she cried, "walk on ahead, and we will set out
again."

"But whither, Madame?"

"I cannot rest until I have retrieved my losses. March on ahead, and
ask me no questions. Play continues until midnight, does it not?"

For a moment I stood stupefied--stood deep in thought; but it was not
long before I had made up my mind.

"With your leave, Madame," I said, "I will not go with you."

"And why not? What do you mean? Is every one here a stupid
good-for-nothing?"

"Pardon me, but I have nothing to reproach myself with. I merely will
not go. I merely intend neither to witness nor to join in your play. I
also beg to return you your five hundred gulden. Farewell."

Laying the money upon a little table which the Grandmother's chair
happened to be passing, I bowed and withdrew.

"What folly!" the Grandmother shouted after me. "Very well, then. Do
not come, and I will find my way alone. Potapitch, you must come with
me. Lift up the chair, and carry me along."

I failed to find Mr. Astley, and returned home. It was now growing
late--it was past midnight, but I subsequently learnt from Potapitch
how the Grandmother's day had ended. She had lost all the money which,
earlier in the day, I had got for her paper securities--a sum amounting
to about ten thousand roubles. This she did under the direction of the
Pole whom, that afternoon, she had dowered with two ten-gulden pieces.
But before his arrival on the scene, she had commanded Potapitch to
stake for her; until at length she had told him also to go about his
business. Upon that the Pole had leapt into the breach. Not only did it
happen that he knew the Russian language, but also he could speak a
mixture of three different dialects, so that the pair were able to
understand one another. Yet the old lady never ceased to abuse him,
despite his deferential manner, and to compare him unfavourably with
myself (so, at all events, Potapitch declared). "You," the old
chamberlain said to me,