The Moon And Sixpence 21.8

He smileddryly, but said nothing. I wish I knew how to describe his smile. I do not knowthat it was attractive, but it lit up his face, changing the expression, whichwas generally sombre, and gave it a look of not ill-natured malice. It was aslow smile, starting and sometimes ending in the eyes; it was very sensual,neither cruel nor kindly, but suggested rather the inhuman glee of the satyr.It was his smile that made me ask him:"Haven'tyou been in love since you came to Paris?""I haven'tgot time for that sort of nonsense. Life isn't long enough for love and art.""Yourappearance doesn't suggest the anchorite. ""All thatbusiness fills me with disgust. ""Humannature is a nuisance, isn't it?" I said."Why areyou sniggering at me?""Because Idon't believe you. ""Thenyou're a damned fool. "I paused, and Ilooked at him searchingly."What'sthe good of trying to humbug me?" I said."I don'tknow what you mean. "I smiled.他只干笑了一下，没说什么。我真希望我能形容一下儿他笑的样子。我不敢说他的笑容多么好看，但是他一笑起来，脸就泛起光彩，使他平时总是阴沉着的面容改了样子，平添了某种刁钻刻薄的神情。他的笑容来得很慢，常常是从眼睛开始也就消失在眼梢上。另外，他的微笑给人以一种色欲感，既不是残忍的，也不是仁慈的，令人想到森林之神的那种兽性的喜悦。正是他的这种笑容使我提出一个问题。“从你到巴黎以后闹过恋爱吗？”“我没有时间干这种无聊的事。生命太短促了，没有时间既闹恋爱又搞艺术。”“你可不象过隐士生活的样子。”“这种事叫我作呕。”“人性是个讨厌的累赘，对不对？”我说。“你为什么对我傻笑？”“因为我不相信你。”“那你就是个大傻瓜。”我没有马上答话；我用探索的目光盯着他。“你骗我有什么用？”我说。“我不知道你是什么意思。”我笑了。