Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen

Two days after the ball, Rostov did not see Dolokhov at his own house, did not meet him at his house, and on the third day received a note from him. "Due to various reasons you are familiar with, I don't want to visit anymore. I will return to the army soon, so I will hold a farewell reception for all my friends. Please come to the English Hotel." Rostov said with his family and Jie. Nisov had seen a play in the theater, left the theater after nine o'clock, and arrived at the English Hotel on the appointed day.He was immediately taken to the superior room which Dolokhov had hired for the night.

About twenty people gathered around the table, at which Dolokhov was seated, with a candle on the left and right.On the table were gold coins and banknotes, and Dolokhov was dividing the cards.After his proposal and Sonia's refusal, Nicholas had not yet seen him, and the thought of their meeting always disturbed him. Dolokhov's cold but bright eyes fell on Rostov who was standing by the door, as if he had been waiting for him long ago. "It's been a long time," he said. "You've come to say thank you. Ilyushka will come with the chorus after I've dealt the cards."

"I've been to your place," said Rostov blushing. Dolokhov did not answer him. "You can bet," he said. At this moment Rostov recalled a strange conversation he had had with Dolokhov. "Only fools gamble on luck," Dolokhov said at the time. "Perhaps you are afraid to gamble with me?" Dolokhov said now, smiling as if he had guessed what Rostov was thinking.Rostov could see from his smile that he was still in the same mood as he had been at the club luncheon. At that time, anyway, Dolokhov seemed to hate everyday life, and he felt that he had to do something strange, probably Cruel things to get rid of distress.

Rostov was terribly embarrassed. He searched in his head, but could not think of a joking answer to Dolokhov.But before Dolokhov had time to do so, looking intently into Rostov's face, he spoke to him slowly, so that everyone could hear him. "However, you will always remember that I talked to you about gambling... Idiot, who wants to gamble based on luck, and only gambles if he is sure. I want to try it." "Do you try it out by luck, or do you try it out when you are sure?" Rostov thought for a while. "Better not to gamble," he added, knocking the opened pack of cards on the table, adding: "Gentlemen, place your bets!"

Dolokhov pushed the money towards him to deal the cards.Rostov sat down beside him, and at first he did not gamble.Dolokhov watched him from time to time. "Why don't you gamble?" said Dolokhov.How strange, Nicholas felt compelled to take the cards, put down a small bet, and began to gamble. "I have no money with me," said Rostov. "On credit!" Rostov bet five rubles, lost, bet again, and lost again.Dolokhov overwhelmed the low cards with high cards, that is to say, he beat Rostov by ten cards in a row. "Gentlemen," said he, after he had been the banker for a while, "please put your money on the cards, or I shall make a miscalculation."

One of the gamblers said he wished he could be given credit. "You can pay on credit, but I'm afraid I'll miscalculate the account. Please put the money on the card," replied Dolokhov. "Don't be ashamed. I will settle the account with you later." He added to Rostov. Say. The gambling continued, and the servants kept bringing champagne to each gambler. Rostov's cards were overwritten one by one, and eight hundred rubles were entered in his account.He was going to bet eight hundred rubles on a card, but when he was being served champagne, he changed his mind and bet another ordinary bet—

Twenty rubles. "Never mind it," said Dolokhov to Rostov, though he did not look at him, "you make up the money you lost. I lose to others, but I will win you." money. Perhaps you are afraid of me?" he repeated. Rostov obeyed him, and did not change the eight hundred rubles he had written down, and bet them on the broken seven of hearts which he had picked up from the ground.Later he remembered the card clearly.He bet on the seven of hearts, took a piece of chalk and wrote the number "800" squarely on the card; drank a glass of warm champagne brought to him, and said to Dolokhov. He laughed it off, panicked, and watched Dolokhov's holding hands with extreme nervousness, waiting for a seven of hearts to turn over.Winning or losing this seven-point heart is of great significance to Rostov.Count Ilya Andreitch had given his son two thousand rubles last Sunday; money.So he told his son to save a little this time, and Nikolay said that he thought it was too much money, and he promised that he would not take any money until spring.Now only twelve hundred rubles remain from this sum.So the seven of hearts card meant not only that he had lost sixteen hundred rubles, but that he had to break his promise.He was flustered, looked at Dolokhov's hand with extreme nervousness and thought: "Hey, come on, give me this card, and I'll drive home and talk to Denisov, Natasha and Sonia had dinner together, and, truth be told, I'll never touch my cards again." At this moment his family life was in his mind: he joked with Petya, he talked with Sonia, he A duet with Natasha, a game of pikai with his father, even lying in a comfortable bed in the house on the Boulevard, all this was clearly and charmingly in his imagination, full of passion, as if this Everything is long gone, irrecoverable, and most precious happiness.He can't bear the vain luck that puts the seven of hearts on the right first instead of the left, so that he loses the happiness that he has enjoyed again, and plunges him into the abyss of unknown disasters that he has never experienced. .This was impossible, he was still palpitating, almost holding his breath, waiting for the movement of Dolokhov's hands.In his bony, reddened hands, with hair peeping from under his shirtsleeves, he put a deck of cards on the table, and took up a glass and a pipe which the servant had brought him.

"Are you really not afraid to play with me?" repeated Dolokhov, as if about to tell a pleasant story, put down his cards, leaned back in his chair, smiled, and said slowly. Swallow to speak. "By the way, gentlemen, I have been told that rumors are circulating in Moscow that I am a gambler, so I advise you to be on your guard against me." "Hey, deal the cards!" said Rostov. "Oh, Moscow girls!" said Dolokhov, taking up the cards with a smile. "Ah-ah!" Rostov almost shouted, stretching out his hands to his hair.The seven of hearts he wanted was placed on top of it, making it the first card in the deck.He lost more money than he could afford to pay.

"But don't risk your life for luck," said Dolokhov, casting a quick glance at Rostov, and continued the deal.