the moon and sixpence(月球和六便士)-第6章
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cells in the body； essential； but； so long as they remain healthy； engulfed in
the momentous whole。 The Stricklands were an average family in the
middle class。 A pleasant； hospitable woman； with a harmless craze for
the small lions of literary society； a rather dull man； doing his duty in that
state of life in which a merciful Providence had placed him； two nice…
looking； healthy children。 Nothing could be more ordinary。 I do not
know that there was anything about them to excite the attention of the
curious。
When I reflect on all that happened later； I ask myself if I was thick…
witted not to see that there was in Charles Strickland at least something
out of the common。 Perhaps。 I think that I have gathered in the years that
intervene between then and now a fair knowledge of mankind； but even if
when I first met the Stricklands I had the experience which I have now； I
do not believe that I should have judged them differently。 But because I
have learnt that man is incalculable； I should not at this time of day be so
surprised by the news that reached me when in the early autumn I returned
to London。
I had not been back twenty…four hours before I ran across Rose
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Waterford in Jermyn Street。
〃You look very gay and sprightly；〃 I said。 〃What's the matter with
you？〃
She smiled； and her eyes shone with a malice I knew already。 It meant
that she had heard some scandal about one of her friends； and the instinct
of the literary woman was all alert。
〃You did meet Charles Strickland； didn't you？〃
Not only her face； but her whole body； gave a sense of alacrity。 I
nodded。 I wondered if the poor devil had been hammered on the Stock
Exchange or run over by an omnibus。
〃Isn't it dreadful？ He's run away from his wife。〃
Miss Waterford certainly felt that she could not do her subject justice
on the curb of Jermyn Street； and so； like an artist； flung the bare fact at
me and declared that she knew no details。 I could not do her the injustice
of supposing that so trifling a circumstance would have prevented her
from giving them； but she was obstinate。
〃I tell you I know nothing；〃 she said； in reply to my agitated questions；
and then； with an airy shrug of the shoulders： 〃I believe that a young
person in a city tea…shop has left her situation。〃
She flashed a smile at me； and； protesting an engagement with her
dentist； jauntily walked on。 I was more interested than distressed。 In
those days my experience of life at first hand was small； and it excited me
to come upon an incident among people I knew of the same sort as I had
read in books。 I confess that time has now accustomed me to incidents of
this character among my acquaintance。 But I was a little shocked。
Strickland was certainly forty； and I thought it disgusting that a man of his
age should concern himself with affairs of the heart。 With the
superciliousness of extreme youth； I put thirty…five as the utmost limit at
which a man might fall in love without making a fool of himself。 And
this news was slightly disconcerting to me personally； because I had
written from the country to Mrs。 Strickland； announcing my return； and
had added that unless I heard from her to the contrary； I would come on a
certain day to drink a dish of tea with her。 This was the very day； and I had
received no word from Mrs。 Strickland。 Did she want to see me or did
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she not？ It was likely enough that in the agitation of the moment my
note had escaped her memory。 Perhaps I should be wiser not to go。 On
the other hand； she might wish to keep the affair quiet； and it might be
highly indiscreet on my part to give any sign that this strange news had
reached me。 I was torn between the fear of hurting a nice woman's
feelings and the fear of being in the way。 I felt she must be suffering； and
I did not want to see a pain which I could not help； but in my heart was a
desire； that I felt a little ashamed of； to see how she was taking it。 I did
not know what to do。
Finally it occurred to me that I would call as though nothing had
happened； and send a message in by the maid asking Mrs。 Strickland if it
was convenient for her to see me。 This would give her the opportunity to
send me away。 But I was overwhelmed with embarrassment when I said
to the maid the phrase I had prepared； and while I waited for the answer in
a dark passage I had to call up all my strength of mind not to bolt。 The
maid came back。 Her manner suggested to my excited fancy a complete
knowledge of the domestic calamity。
〃Will you come this way； sir？〃 she said。
I followed her into the drawing…room。 The blinds were partly drawn
to darken the room； and Mrs。 Strickland was sitting with her back to the
light。 Her brother…in…law； Colonel MacAndrew； stood in front of the
fireplace； warming his back at an unlit fire。 To myself my entrance seemed
excessively awkward。 I imagined that my arrival had taken them by
surprise； and Mrs。 Strickland had let me come in only because she had
forgotten to put me off。 I fancied that the Colonel resented the
interruption。
〃I wasn't quite sure if you expected me；〃 I said； trying to seem
unconcerned。
〃Of course I did。 Anne will bring the tea in a minute。〃
Even in the darkened room； I could not help seeing that Mrs。
Strickland's face was all swollen with tears。 Her skin； never very good；
was earthy。
〃You remember my brother…in…law； don't you？ You met at dinner； just
before the holidays。〃
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We shook hands。 I felt so shy that I could think of nothing to say； but
Mrs。 Strickland came to my rescue。 She asked me what I had been doing
with myself during the summer； and with this help I managed to make
some conversation till tea was brought in。 The Colonel asked for a
whisky…and…soda。
〃You'd better have one too； Amy；〃 he said。
〃No； I prefer tea。〃
This was the first suggestion that anything untoward had happened。 I
took no notice； and did my best to engage Mrs。 Strickland in talk。 The
Colonel； still standing in front of the fireplace； uttered no word。 I
wondered how soon I could decently take my leave； and I asked myself
why on earth Mrs。 Strickland had allowed me to come。 There were no
flowers； and various knick…knacks； put away during the summer； had not
been replaced； there was something cheerless and stiff about the room
which had always seemed so friendly； it gave you an odd feeling； as
though someone were lying dead on the other side of the wall。 I finished
tea。
〃Will you have a cigarette？〃 asked Mrs。 Strickland。
She looked about for the box； but it was not to be seen。
〃I'm afraid there are none。〃
Suddenly she burst into tears； and hurried from the room。
I was startled。 I suppose now that the lack of cigarettes； brought as a
rule by her husband； forced him back upon her recollection； and the new
feeling that the small comforts she was used to were missing gave her a
sudden pang。 She realised that the old life was gone and done with。 It
was impossible to keep up our social pretences any longer。
〃I dare say you'd like me to go；〃 I said to the Colonel； getting up。
〃I suppose you've heard that blackguard has deserted her；〃 he cried
explosively。
I hesitated。
〃You know how people gossip；〃 I answered。 〃I was vaguely told that
something was wrong。〃
〃He's bolted。 He's gone off to Paris with a woman。 He's left Amy
without a penny。〃
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〃I'm awfully sorry；〃 I said； not knowing what else to say。
The Colonel gulped down his whisky。 He was a tall； lean man of
fifty； with a drooping moustache and grey hair。 He had pale blue eyes
and a weak mouth。 I remembered from my previous meeting with him
that he had a foolish face； and was proud of the fact that for the ten years
before he left the army he had played polo three days a week。
〃I don't suppose Mrs。 Strickland wants to be bothered with me just
now；〃 I said。 〃Will you tell her how sorry I am？ If there's anything I can
do。 I shall be delighted to do it。〃
He took no notice of me。
〃I don't know what's to become of her。 And then there are the
children。 Are they going to live on air？ Seventeen years。〃
〃What about seventeen years？〃
〃They've been married；〃 he snapped。 〃I never liked him。 Of course
he was my brother…in…law； and I made the best of it。 Did you think him a
gentleman？ She ought never to have married him。〃
〃Is it absolutely final？〃
〃There's only one thing for her to do； and that's to divorce him。
That's what I was telling her when you came in。 'Fire in with your petition；
my dear Amy；' I said。 ‘You owe it to yourself and you owe it to the
children。' He'd better not let me catch sight of him。 I'd thrash him within
an inch of his life。〃
I could not help thinking that Colonel MacAndrew might have some
difficulty in doing this； since Strickland had struck me as a hefty fellow；
but I did not say anythi
