The Moon And Sixpence 12.7

"Butyou're forty. ""That'swhat made me think it was high time to begin. ""Have youever painted?""I ratherwanted to be a painter when I was a boy, but my father made me go into businessbecause he said there was no money in art. I began to paint a bit a year ago.For the last year I've been going to some classes at night. ""Was thatwhere you went when Mrs. Strickland thought you were playing bridge at yourclub?""That'sit. ""Whydidn't you tell her?""Ipreferred to keep it to myself. ""Can youpaint?""Not yet.But I shall. That's why I've come over here. I couldn't get what I wanted inLondon. Perhaps I can here. ""Do youthink it's likely that a man will do any good when he starts at your age? Mostmen begin painting at eighteen. ""I canlearn quicker than I could when I was eighteen. ""Whatmakes you think you have any talent?"He did notanswer for a minute. His gaze rested on the passing throng, but I do not thinkhe saw it. His answer was no answer."I've gotto paint. ""Aren'tyou taking an awful chance?"He looked atme. His eyes had something strange in them, so that I felt ratheruncomfortable.“可是你已经四十了。”“正是因为这个我才想，如果现在再不开始就太晚了。”“你过去画过画儿吗？”“我小的时候很想作个画家，可是我父亲叫我去作生意，因为他认为学艺术赚不了钱。一年以前我开始画了点儿画。去年我一直在夜校上课。”“思特里克兰德太太以为你在俱乐部玩桥牌的时间你都是去上课吗？”“对了。”“你为什么不告诉她？”“我觉得还是别让她知道好。”“你能够画了吗？”“还不成。但是我将来能够学会的。正是为了这个我才到巴黎来。在伦敦我得不到我要求的东西。也许在这里我会得到的。”“你认为象你这样年纪的人开始学画还能够学得好吗？大多数人都是十八岁开始学。”“如果我十八岁学，会比现在学得快一些。”“你怎么会认为自己还有一些绘画的才能？”他并没有马上回答我的问题。他的目光停在过往的人群上，但是我认为他什么也没有看见。最后他回答我的话根本算不上是回答。“我必须画画儿。”“你这样做是不是完全在碰运气？”这时他把目光转到我身上。他的眼睛里有一种奇怪的神情，叫我觉得不太舒服。