the moon and sixpence(月球和六便士)-第12章
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your actions is capable of being made into a universal rule。〃
〃I never heard it before； but it's rotten nonsense。〃
〃Well； it was Kant who said it。〃
〃I don't care； it's rotten nonsense。〃
Nor with such a man could you expect the appeal to conscience to be
effective。 You might as well ask for a rejection without a mirror。 I take
it that conscience is the guardian in the individual of the rules which the
community has evolved for its own preservation。 It is the policeman in
all our hearts； set there to watch that we do not break its laws。 It is the spy
seated in the central stronghold of the ego。 Man's desire for the approval
of his fellows is so strong； his dread of their censure so violent； that he
himself has brought his enemy within his gates； and it keeps watch over
him； vigilant always in the interests of its master to crush any half…formed
desire to break away from the herd。 It will force him to place the good of
society before his own。 It is the very strong link that attaches the
individual to the whole。 And man； subservient to interests he has
persuaded himself are greater than his own； makes himself a slave to his
taskmaster。 He sits him in a seat of honour。 At last； like a courtier
fawning on the royal stick that is laid about his shoulders； he prides
himself on the sensitiveness of his conscience。 Then he has no words hard
enough for the man who does not recognise its sway； for； a member of
society now； he realises accurately enough that against him he is powerless。
When I saw that Strickland was really indifferent to the blame his conduct
must excite； I could only draw back in horror as from a monster of hardly
human shape。
The last words he said to me when I bade him good…night were：
〃Tell Amy it's no good coming after me。 Anyhow； I shall change my
hotel； so she wouldn't be able to find me。〃
〃My own impression is that she's well rid of you；〃 I said。
〃My dear fellow； I only hope you'll be able to make her see it。 But
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women are very unintelligent。〃
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Chapter XV
When I reached London I found waiting for me an urgent request that
I should go to Mrs。 Strickland's as soon after dinner as I could。 I found
her with Colonel MacAndrew and his wife。 Mrs。 Strickland's sister was
older than she； not unlike her； but more faded； and she had the efficient air；
as though she carried the British Empire in her pocket； which the wives of
senior officers acquire from the consciousness of belonging to a superior
caste。 Her manner was brisk； and her good…breeding scarcely concealed
her conviction that if you were not a soldier you might as well be a
counter…jumper。 She hated the Guards； whom she thought conceited； and
she could not trust herself to speak of their ladies； who were so remiss in
calling。 Her gown was dowdy and expensive。
Mrs。 Strickland was plainly nervous。
〃Well； tell us your news；〃 she said。
〃I saw your husband。 I'm afraid he's quite made up his mind not to
return。〃 I paused a little。 〃He wants to paint。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 cried Mrs。 Strickland； with the utmost
astonishment。
〃Did you never know that he was keen on that sort of thing。〃
〃He must be as mad as a hatter；〃 exclaimed the Colonel。
Mrs。 Strickland frowned a little。 She was searching among her
recollections。
〃I remember before we were married he used to potter about with a
paint…box。 But you never saw such daubs。 We used to chaff him。 He
had absolutely no gift for anything like that。〃
〃Of course it's only an excuse；〃 said Mrs。 MacAndrew。
Mrs。 Strickland pondered deeply for some time。 It was quite clear
that she could not make head or tail of my announcement。 She had put
some order into the drawing…room by now； her housewifely instincts
having got the better of her dismay； and it no longer bore that deserted
look； like a furnished house long to let； which I had noticed on my first
visit after the catastrophe。 But now that I had seen Strickland in Paris it
was difficult to imagine him in those surroundings。 I thought it could
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hardly have failed to strike them that there was something incongruous in
him。
〃But if he wanted to be an artist； why didn't he say so？〃 asked Mrs。
Strickland at last。 〃I should have thought I was the last person to be
unsympathetic to to aspirations of that kind。〃
Mrs。 MacAndrew tightened her lips。 I imagine that she had never
looked with approval on her sister's leaning towards persons who
cultivated the arts。 She spoke of 〃culchaw〃 derisively。
Mrs。 Strickland continued：
〃After all； if he had any talent I should be the first to encourage it。 I
wouldn't have minded sacrifices。 I'd much rather be married to a painter
than to a stockbroker。 If it weren't for the children； I wouldn't mind
anything。 I could be just as happy in a shabby studio in Chelsea as in this
flat。〃
〃My dear； I have no patience with you；〃 cried Mrs。 MacAndrew。 〃You
don't mean to say you believe a word of this nonsense？〃
〃But I think it's true；〃 I put in mildly。
She looked at me with good…humoured contempt。
〃A man doesn't throw up his business and leave his wife and children
at the age of forty to become a painter unless there's a woman in it。 I
suppose he met one of your artistic friends； and she's turned his head。〃
A spot of colour rose suddenly to Mrs。 Strickland's pale cheeks。
〃What is she like？〃
I hesitated a little。 I knew that I had a bombshell。
〃There isn't a woman。〃
Colonel MacAndrew and his wife uttered expressions of incredulity；
and Mrs。 Strickland sprang to her feet。
〃Do you mean to say you never saw her？〃
〃There's no one to see。 He's quite alone。〃
〃That's preposterous；〃 cried Mrs。 MacAndrew。
〃I knew I ought to have gone over myself；〃 said the Colonel。 〃You can
bet your boots I'd have routed her out fast enough。〃
〃I wish you had gone over；〃 I replied； somewhat tartly。 〃You'd have
seen that every one of your suppositions was wrong。 He's not at a smart
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hotel。 He's living in one tiny room in the most squalid way。 If he's left
his home； it's not to live a gay life。 He's got hardly any money。〃
〃Do you think he's done something that we don't know about； and is
lying doggo on account of the police？〃
The suggestion sent a ray of hope in all their breasts； but I would have
nothing to do with it。
〃If that were so； he would hardly have been such a fool as to give his
partner his address；〃 I retorted acidly。 〃Anyhow； there's one thing I'm
positive of； he didn't go away with anyone。 He's not in love。 Nothing is
farther from his thoughts。〃
There was a pause while they reflected over my words。
〃Well； if what you say is true；〃 said Mrs。 MacAndrew at last； 〃things
aren't so bad as I thought。〃
Mrs。 Strickland glanced at her； but said nothing。
She was very pale now； and her fine brow was dark and lowering。 I
could not understand the expression of her face。 Mrs。 MacAndrew
continued：
〃If it's just a whim； he'll get over it。〃
〃Why don't you go over to him； Amy？〃 hazarded the Colonel。 〃There's
no reason why you shouldn't live with him in Paris for a year。 We'll look
after the children。 I dare say he'd got stale。 Sooner or later he'll be
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。
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〃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
