the moon and sixpence(月球和六便士)-第4章
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into it。 Mrs。 Strickland did not talk much； but she had a pleasant gift for
keeping the conversation general； and when there was a pause she threw in
just the right remark to set it going once more。 She was a woman of thirty…
seven； rather tall and plump； without being fat； she was not pretty； but her
face was pleasing； chiefly； perhaps； on account of her kind brown eyes。
Her skin was rather sallow。 Her dark hair was elaborately dressed。 She
was the only woman of the three whose face was free of make…up； and by
contrast with the others she seemed simple and unaffected。
The dining…room was in the good taste of the period。 It was very
severe。 There was a high dado of white wood and a green paper on
which were etchings by Whistler in neat black frames。 The green curtains
with their peacock design； hung in straight lines； and the green carpet； in
the pattern of which pale rabbits frolicked among leafy trees； suggested
the influence of William Morris。 There was blue delft on the
chimneypiece。 At that time there must have been five hundred dining…
rooms in London decorated in exactly the same manner。 It was chaste；
artistic； and dull。
When we left I walked away with Miss Waterford； and the fine day
and her new hat persuaded us to saunter through the Park。
〃That was a very nice party；〃 I said。
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〃Did you think the food was good？ I told her that if she wanted
writers she must feed them well。〃
〃Admirable advice；〃 I answered。 〃But why does she want them？〃
Miss Waterford shrugged her shoulders。
〃She finds them amusing。 She wants to be in the movement。 I fancy
she's rather simple； poor dear； and she thinks we're all wonderful。 After
all； it pleases her to ask us to luncheon； and it doesn't hurt us。 I like her
for it。〃
Looking back； I think that Mrs。 Strickland was the most harmless of all
the lion…hunters that pursue their quarry from the rarefied heights of
Hampstead to the nethermost studios of Cheyne Walk。 She had led a
very quiet youth in the country； and the books that came down from
Mudie's Library brought with them not only their own romance； but the
romance of London。 She had a real passion for reading （rare in her kind；
who for the most part are more interested in the author than in his book； in
the painter than in his pictures）； and she invented a world of the
imagination in which she lived with a freedom she never acquired in the
world of every day。 When she came to know writers it was like
adventuring upon a stage which till then she had known only from the
other side of the footlights。 She saw them dramatically； and really seemed
herself to live a larger life because she entertained them and visited them
in their fastnesses。 She accepted the rules with which they played the
game of life as valid for them； but never for a moment thought of
regulating her own conduct in accordance with them。 Their moral
eccentricities； like their oddities of dress； their wild theories and paradoxes；
were an entertainment which amused her； but had not the slightest
influence on her convictions。
〃Is there a Mr。 Strickland？〃 I asked
〃Oh yes； he's something in the city。 I believe he's a stockbroker。
He's very dull。〃
〃Are they good friends？〃
〃They adore one another。 You'll meet him if you dine there。 But she
doesn't often have people to dinner。 He's very quiet。 He's not in the least
interested in literature or the arts。〃
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〃Why do nice women marry dull men？〃
〃Because intelligent men won't marry nice women。〃
I could not think of any retort to this； so I asked if Mrs。 Strickland had
children。
〃Yes； she has a boy and a girl。 They're both at school。〃
The subject was exhausted； and we began to talk of other things。
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The Moon and Sixpence
Chapter V
During the summer I met Mrs。 Strickland not infrequently。 I went
now and then to pleasant little luncheons at her flat； and to rather more
formidable tea…parties。 We took a fancy to one another。 I was very
young； and perhaps she liked the idea of guiding my virgin steps on the
hard road of letters； while for me it was pleasant to have someone I could
go to with my small troubles； certain of an attentive ear and reasonable
counsel。 Mrs。 Strickland had the gift of sympathy。 It is a charming
faculty； but one often abused by those who are conscious of its possession：
for there is something ghoulish in the avidity with which they will pounce
upon the misfortune of their friends so that they may exercise their
dexterity。 It gushes forth like an oil…well； and the sympathetic pour out
their sympathy with an abandon that is sometimes embarrassing to their
victims。 There are bosoms on which so many tears have been shed that I
cannot bedew them with mine。 Mrs。 Strickland used her advantage with
tact。 You felt that you obliged her by accepting her sympathy。 When； in
the enthusiasm of my youth； I remarked on this to Rose Waterford； she
said：
〃Milk is very nice； especially with a drop of brandy in it； but the
domestic cow is only too glad to be rid of it。 A swollen udder is very
uncomfortable。〃
Rose Waterford had a blistering tongue。 No one could say such bitter
things； on the other hand； no one could do more charming ones。
There was another thing I liked in Mrs。 Strickland。 She managed her
surroundings with elegance。 Her flat was always neat and cheerful； gay
with flowers； and the chintzes in the drawing…room； notwithstanding their
severe design； were bright and pretty。 The meals in the artistic little
dining…room were pleasant； the table looked nice； the two maids were trim
and comely； the food was well cooked。 It was impossible not to see that
Mrs。 Strickland was an excellent housekeeper。 And you felt sure that she
was an admirable mother。 There were photographs in the drawing…room
of her son and daughter。 The son his name was Robert was a boy of
sixteen at Rugby； and you saw him in flannels and a cricket cap； and again
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in a tail…coat and a stand…up collar。 He had his mother's candid brow and
fine； reflective eyes。 He looked clean； healthy； and normal。
〃I don't know that he's very clever；〃 she said one day； when I was
looking at the photograph； 〃but I know he's good。 He has a charming
character。〃
The daughter was fourteen。 Her hair； thick and dark like her mother's；
fell over her shoulders in fine profusion； and she had the same kindly
expression and sedate； untroubled eyes。
〃They're both of them the image of you；〃 I said。
〃Yes； I think they are more like me than their father。〃
〃Why have you never let me meet him？〃 I asked。
〃Would you like to？〃
She smiled； her smile was really very sweet； and she blushed a little； it
was singular that a woman of that age should flush so readily。 Perhaps
her naivete was her greatest charm。
〃You know； he's not at all literary；〃 she said。 〃He's a perfect
philistine。〃
She said this not disparagingly； but affectionately rather； as though； by
acknowledging the worst about him； she wished to protect him from the
aspersions of her friends。
〃He's on the Stock Exchange； and he's a typical broker。 I think he'd
bore you to death。〃
〃Does he bore you？〃 I asked。
〃You see； I happen to be his wife。 I'm very fond of him。〃
She smiled to cover her shyness； and I fancied she had a fear that I
would make the sort of gibe that such a confession could hardly have
failed to elicit from Rose Waterford。 She hesitated a little。 Her eyes grew
tender。
〃He doesn't pretend to be a genius。 He doesn't even make much
money on the Stock Exchange。 But he's awfully good and kind。〃
〃I think I should like him very much。〃
〃I'll ask you to dine with us quietly some time； but mind； you come at
your own risk； don't blame me if you have a very dull evening。〃
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Chapter VI
But when at last I met Charles Strickland； it was under circumstances
which allowed me to do no more than just make his acquaintance。 One
morning Mrs。 Strickland sent me round a note to say that she was giving a
dinner…party that evening； and one of her guests had failed her。 She
asked me to stop the gap。 She wrote：
〃It's only decent to warn you that you will be bored to extinction。 It
was a thoroughly dull party from the beginning； but if you will come I
shall be uncommonly grateful。 And you and I can have a little chat by
ourselves。〃
It was only neighbourly to accept。
When Mrs。 Strickland introduced me to her husband； he gave me a
rather indifferent hand to shake。 Turning to him gaily； she attempted a
small jest。
〃I asked him to show him that I really had a husband。 I th
