quite ready to come back to London； and no great harm will have been
done。〃
〃I wouldn't do that；〃 said Mrs。 MacAndrew。 〃I'd give him all the rope
he wants。 He'll come back with his tail between his legs and settle down
again quite comfortably。〃 Mrs。 MacAndrew looked at her sister coolly。
〃Perhaps you weren't very wise with him sometimes。 Men are queer
creatures； and one has to know how to manage them。〃
Mrs。 MacAndrew shared the common opinion of her sex that a man is
always a brute to leave a woman who is attached to him； but that a woman
is much to blame if he does。
Mrs。 Strickland looked slowly from one to another of us。
〃He'll never come back；〃 she said。
58
… Page 59…
The Moon and Sixpence
〃Oh； my dear； remember what we've just heard。 He's been used to
comfort and to having someone to look after him。 How long do you
think it'll be before he gets tired of a scrubby room in a scrubby hotel？
Besides； he hasn't any money。 He must come back。〃
〃As long as I thought he'd run away with some woman I thought there
was a chance。 I don't believe that sort of thing ever answers。 He'd have
got sick to death of her in three months。 But if he hasn't gone because he's
in love； then it's finished。〃
〃Oh； I think that's awfully subtle；〃 said the Colonel； putting into the
word all the contempt he felt for a quality so alien to the traditions of his
calling。 〃Don't you believe it。 He'll come back； and； as Dorothy says； I
dare say he'll be none the worse for having had a bit of a fling。〃
〃But I don't want him back；〃 she said。
〃Amy！〃
It was anger that had seized Mrs。 Strickland； and her pallor was the
pallor of a cold and sudden rage。 She spoke quickly now； with little
gasps。
〃I could have forgiven it if he'd fallen desperately in love with
someone and gone off with her。 I should have thought that natural。 I
shouldn't really have blamed him。 I should have thought he was led
away。 Men are so weak； and women are so unscrupulous。 But this is
different。 I hate him。 I'll never forgive him now。〃
Colonel MacAndrew and his wife began to talk to her together。 They
were astonished。 They told her she was mad。 They could not
understand。 Mrs。 Strickland turned desperately to me。
〃Don't see？〃 she cried。
〃I'm not sure。 Do you mean that you could have forgiven him if he'd
left you for a woman； but not if he's left you for an idea？ You think you're
a match for the one； but against the other you're helpless？〃
Mrs。 Strickland gave mt a look in which I read no great friendliness；
but did not answer。 Perhaps I had struck home。 She went on in a low and
trembling voice：
〃I never knew it was possible to hate anyone as much as I hate him。
Do you know； I've been comforting myself by thinking that however long
59
… Page 60…
The Moon and Sixpence
it lasted he'd want me at the end？ I knew when he was dying he'd send
for me； and I was ready to go； I'd have nursed him like a mother； and at the
last I'd have told him that it didn't matter； I'd loved him always； and I
forgave him everything。〃
I have always been a little disconcerted by the passion women have for
behaving beautifully at the death…bed of those they love。 Sometimes it
seems as if they grudge the longevity which postpones their chance of an
effective scene。
〃But now now it's finished。 I'm as indifferent to him as if he were
a stranger。 I should like him to die miserable； poor； and starving； without
a friend。 I hope he'll rot with some loathsome disease。 I've done with
him。〃
I thought it as well then to say what Strickland had suggested。
〃If you want to divorce him； he's quite willing to do whatever is
necessary to make it possible。〃
〃Why should I give him his freedom？〃
〃I don't think he wants it。 He merely thought it might be more
convenient to you。〃
Mrs。 Strickland shrugged her shoulders impatiently。 I think I was a
little disappointed in her。 I expected then people to be more of a piece
than I do now； and I was distressed to find so much vindictiveness in so
charming a creature。 I did not realise how motley are the qualities that
go to make up a human being。 Now I am well aware that pettiness and
grandeur； malice and charity； hatred and love； can find place side by side
in the same human heart。
I wondered if there was anything I could say that would ease the sense
of bitter humiliation which at present tormented Mrs。 Strickland。 I
thought I would try。
〃You know； I'm not sure that your husband is quite responsible for his
actions。 I do not think he is himself。 He seems to me to be possessed
by some power which is using him for its own ends； and in whose hold he
is as helpless as a fly in a spider's web。 It's as though someone had cast a
spell over him。 I'm reminded of those strange stories one sometimes hears
of another personality entering into a man and driving out the old one。
60
… Page 61…
The Moon and Sixpence
The soul lives unstably in the body； and is capable of mysterious
transformations。 In the old days they would say Charles Strickland had a
devil。〃
Mrs。 MacAndrew smoothed down the lap of her gown； and gold
bangles fell over her wrists。
〃All that seems to me very far…fetched；〃 she said acidly。 〃I don't deny
that perhaps Amy took her husband a little too much for granted。 If she
hadn't been so busy with her own affairs； I can't believe that she wouldn't
have suspected something was the matter。 I don't think that Alec could
have something on his mind for a year or more without my having a pretty
shrewd idea of it。〃
The Colonel stared into vacancy； and I wondered whether anyone
could be quite so innocent of guile as he looked。
〃But that doesn't prevent the fact that Charles Strickland is a heartless
beast。〃 She looked at me severely。 〃I can tell you why he left his wife …
… from pure selfishness and nothing else whatever。〃
〃That is certainly the simplest explanation；〃 I said。 But I thought it
explained nothing。 When； saying I was tired； I rose to go； Mrs。
Strickland made no attempt to detain me。
61
… Page 62…
The Moon and Sixpence
Chapter XVI
What followed showed that Mrs。 Strickland was a woman of
character。 Whatever anguish she suffered she concealed。 She saw shrewdly
that the world is quickly bored by the recital of misfortune； and willingly
avoids the sight of distress。 Whenever she went out and compassion for
her misadventure made her friends eager to entertain her she bore a
demeanour that was perfect。 She was brave； but not too obviously；
cheerful； but not brazenly； and she seemed more anxious to listen to the
troubles of others than to discuss her own。 Whenever she spoke of her
husband it was with pity。 Her attitude towards him at first perplexed me。
One day she said to me：
〃You know； I'm convinced you were mistaken about Charles being
alone。 From what I've been able to gather from certain sources that I can't
tell you； I know that he didn't leave England by himself。〃
〃In that case he has a positive genius for covering up his tracks。〃
She looked away and slightly coloured。
〃What I mean is； if anyone talks to you about it； please don't contradict
it if they say he eloped with somebody。〃
〃Of course not。〃
She changed the conversation as though it were a matter to which she
attached no importance。 I discovered presently that a peculiar story was
circulating among her friends。 They said that Charles Strickland had
become infatuated with a French dancer； whom he had first seen in the
ballet at the Empire； and had accompanied her to Paris。 I could not find
out how this had arisen； but； singularly enough； it created much sympathy
for Mrs。 Strickland； and at the same time gave her not a little prestige。
This was not without its use in the calling which she had decided to follow。
Colonel MacAndrew had not exaggerated when he said she would be
penniless； and it was necessary for her to earn her own living as quickly as
she could。 She made up her mind to profit by her acquaintance with so
many writers； and without loss of time began to learn shorthand and
typewriting。 Her education made it likely that she would be a typist more
efficie
小提示：按 回车 [Enter] 键 返回书目，按 ← 键 返回上一页， 按 → 键 进入下一页。
赞一下
添加书签加入书架