The Moon And Sixpence 19.6

"AndDirk actually gave it him, " said his wife indignantly.

"I wasso taken aback. I didn't like to refuse. He put the money in his pocket, justnodded, said 'Thanks, ' and walked out. "

Dirk Stroeve,telling the story, had such a look of blank astonishment on his round, foolishface that it was almost impossible not to laugh.

"Ishouldn't have minded if he'd said my pictures were bad, but he said nothing --nothing. "

"And youwill tell the story, Dirk, " Said his wife.

It waslamentable that one was more amused by the ridiculous figure cut by theDutchman than outraged by Strickland's brutal treatment of him.

"I hopeI shall never see him again, " said Mrs. Stroeve.

Stroevesmiled and shrugged his shoulders. He had already recovered his good-humour.

"Thefact remains that he's a great artist, a very great artist. "

"Strickland?"I exclaimed. "It can't be the same man. "

"A bigfellow with a red beard. Charles Strickland. An Englishman. "

"He hadno beard when I knew him, but if he has grown one it might well be red. The manI'm thinking of only began painting five years ago. "

"That'sit. He's a great artist. "

"Impossible."

"Have Iever been mistaken?" Dirk asked me. "I tell you he has genius. I'mconvinced of it. In a hundred years, if you and I are remembered at all, itwill be because we knew Charles Strickland. "

“戴尔克居然把钱给他了，”他的妻子气愤地说。

“我听了他这话吓了一跳。我不想拒绝他。他把钱放在口袋里，朝我点了点头，说了声‘谢谢’，扭头就走了。”

说这个故事的时候，戴尔克·施特略夫的一张傻里傻气的胖脸蛋上流露着那么一种惊诧莫解的神情，不由得你看了不发笑。

“如果他说我画得不好我一点也不在乎，可是他什么都没说——一句话也没说。”

“你还挺得意地把这个故事讲给人家听，戴尔克，”他的妻子说。

可悲的是，不论是谁听了这个故事，首先会被这位荷兰人扮演的滑稽角色逗得发笑，而并不感到思特里克兰德这种粗鲁行为生气。

“我再也不想看到这个人了，”施特略夫太太说。

施特略夫笑起来，耸了耸肩膀。他的好性子已经恢复了。

“实际上，他是一个了不起的画家，非常了不起。”

“思特里克兰德？”我喊起来。“咱们说的不是一个人。”

“就是那个身材高大、生着一把红胡子的人。查理斯·思特里克兰德。一个英国人。”

“我认识他的时候他没留胡子。但是如果留起胡子来，很可能是红色的。我说的这个人五年以前才开始学画。”

“就是这个人。他是个伟大的画家。”

“不可能。”

“我哪一次看走过眼？”戴尔克问我。“我告诉你他有天才。我有绝对把握。一百年以后，如果还有人记得咱们两个人，那是因为我们沾了认识查理斯·思特里克兰德的光儿。”