Evening star., 1928-05-07
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
BY LEONID ANDREYEV.
A GRAND SLAM

LCenid Andreyev 1s7I.1oio, was a
famous Russian writer of storisa, His work
Is usually characterized by q gloomy and
ntorose atmosphere.
To understand this story you must
grant that 1t is possible for four peo-
pie to become so obsessed by their in
terest In cards that they can think and
talk about nothing else. Though
scraps Of other subjects may creep in,
they are soon pushed aside and for
gotten, for the one interest is cards
and the game and how TO win or how
to accept loss.
These four--three men and one
woman, and the woman, at a. was
the youngest of them all--were victims
of the game they played. They gath
cred three times a week, on Tuesdays,
thursdays and Saturdays. for their
session at the table. They played for
small sums, of no consequence. but
they attached great Importance to them
because they were won or lost at cards.
The woman and Her brother made
one pair of partners. because she could
see no fun In playing against her
brother. That would mean that her
losses would merely offset his win
nings, or vice versa. She preferred to
keep the losses or the winnings entirely
within the family SO she played with
her brother and was quite satisfied
The other pair Of partners were
Nicholas and Jacob They we're not
as we'll satisfied at first, but through
several years of this playing they be-
came used to it, because Nicholas al
ways wanted to play boldly and Jacob
would never bid over four. Nicholas
objected to the conservatism of his
partner on the grounds that 1t never
gave him chance to play grand
siam In no trumps; but Jacob stuck
Nicholas as a handy rule whenever
Nicholas, which was often, was so un-
lucky as to lose high bid.
why didn't you declare a grand
slam?" Nicholas would demand of his
partner.
Il never play higher than four"
jacob would say dryly. adding the ex-
PLANTATION: "You never can tell what
may happen"
So it went. week in and week out
Nicholas always arrived promptly at
8 o'clock. and II by any chance some
topic of conversation had been started,
one or the other of the four would
quickly say: Isn't 1t time to begin
the game?" Then all would sit down
the hands would be dealt. and 1t would
go on until they quit
They did not even inquire as to each
others health. or where each other
lived. these four card fanatics. They
could talk only about cards-they re-
membered only the hands they had
played-they dreamed only of the hands
they might draw In some future and
luckier deal
So when one night Nicholas did not
appear they we're all surprised and
unable to account for it. Later they
found out that his eldest son had got
into some trouble. and this had kept
him away. They did not know before
that he even had sonl
Again, one Saturday night, Nicholas
did not show up. The thing that mat
tered most to them was that 1t was
Saturday. the night on which they
always played the longest. They
learned that 1t was because of bad
attack of heart trouble, with which,
unbeknownst to the other three, Mich
olas had suffered for years. Probably
they forgot this soon after. for the
games went on as before, and cards
was their one topic.
Meanwhile Nicholas. in spite of the
persistence Of his partner. thought how
fine 1t would be to play a grand slam
TO take all OF the 13 tricks with a no
trump hand. He thought about 1t
when he was alone with his thoughts:
indeed. he even dreamed 1t. It be-
came the ambition for which he lived.
Hand after hand. night after night. he
watched for grouping of cards which
would enable him 10 realize this am
bition.
,1{ul4t oau,n .,.t.n,. 4ytatata. - -.
unprecedented run OF luck The cards
for a change seemed to, be lnornlng his
way. Jacob continued to abide by his
rule Of never bidding over four. but
Nicholas ran on boldly and darinely.
and he frequently won. His face be-
came flushed with excitement, he was
sure that the time was nigh for his
great triumph.
Then, after the solemn brother OF the
woman had dealt the cords. Nicholas
uncovered his cards He had taken To
waiting until the last moment before
he looked at his cards. Fanatics at
cards always become superstitious about
them. They stick by these beliefs in
the face OF constant contradiction, and
one chance confirmation means every
thing TO them.
The weak heart of Nicholas gave a
great bound, then sank almost as
quickly. He saw darkness In front OF
his eyes; he swaycd In his chair For
he held in his hand no less than IL
tricks-the ace. king. queen. jack and
10 OF both hearts and clubs, the ace and
king OF diamonds~~and an odd card.
All he needed was the ace OF spades
II he could draw the ace OF spades from
the pack, he would have a grand slam
In no trumpsl
He began his bid with two In no