The Moon And Sixpence 25.1

Presently weleft him. Dirk was going home to dinner, and I proposed to find a doctor andbring him to see Strickland; but when we got down into the street, fresh afterthe stuffy attic, the Dutchman begged me to go immediately to his studio. Hehad something in mind which he would not tell me, but he insisted that it wasvery necessary for me to accompany him. Since I did not think a doctor could atthe moment do any more than we had done, I consented. We found Blanche Stroevelaying the table for dinner. Dirk went up to her, and took both her hands.

"Dearone, I want you to do something for me, " he said.

She looked athim with the grave cheerfulness which was one of her charms. His red face wasshining with sweat, and he had a look of comic agitation, but there was in hisround, surprised eyes an eager light.

"Stricklandis very ill. He may be dying. He is alone in a filthy attic, and there is not asoul to look after him. I want you to let me bring him here. "

She withdrewher hands quickly, I had never seen her make so rapid a movement; and hercheeks flushed.

"Oh no."

"Oh, mydear one, don't refuse. I couldn't bear to leave him where he is. I shouldn'tsleep a wink for thinking of him. "

"I haveno objection to your nursing him. "

Her voice wascold and distant.

"Buthe'll die. "

"Lethim. "

过了一会儿我们便离开那里。戴尔克回家吃晚饭，我自告奋勇去找一位医生，带他来看看思特里克兰德的病。当我们走到街上的时候——从那间闷浊的阁楼出来感到外面的空气特别清新——，荷兰人叫我马上到他的画室去一趟。他有一件什么心事，只是不肯对我讲。他一定要我陪他回家去。我想，即使马上把医生请到，除了我们替思特里克兰德做到的那些事外，暂时也不会有更多的事好做，于是我就同意了。我们发现勃朗什·施特略夫正在摆桌子准备吃晚饭。戴尔克走到她跟前，握住她的两只手。

“亲爱的，我求你做一件事。”他说。

她望着他，欢快中带着某种严肃，这正是她迷人的地方。施特略夫脸上冒着汗珠，闪着亮光，激动不安的神情使他的脸相显得很滑稽，但是在他的滚圆的、好象受到惊吓的眼睛里却射出来一道热切的光芒。

“思特里克兰德病得很厉害，可能快要死了。他一个人住在一间肮脏的阁楼里，没有人照料他。我求你答应我把他带到咱们家来。”

她很快地把手缩回来——我从来没有看到过她的动作这么快过——，面颊一下子涨红了。

“啊，不成。”

“哎呀，亲爱的，不要拒绝吧。我叫他一个人在那里实在受不了。我会因为惦记着他连觉也睡不着的。”

“你去照顾他我不反对。”

她的声音听起来非常冷漠而遥远。

“但是他会死的。”

“让他死去吧。”