The Moon And Sixpence 26.2

Dirk Stroeve,giving up his work entirely, nursed Strickland with tenderness and sympathy. Hewas dexterous to make him comfortable, and he exercised a cunning of which Ishould never have thought him capable to induce him to take the medicinesprescribed by the doctor. Nothing was too much trouble for him. Though hismeans were adequate to the needs of himself and his wife, he certainly had nomoney to waste; but now he was wantonly extravagant in the purchase ofdelicacies, out of season and dear, which might tempt Strickland's capriciousappetite. I shall never forget the tactful patience with which he persuaded himto take nourishment. He was never put out by Strickland's rudeness; if it wasmerely sullen, he appeared not to notice it; if it was aggressive, he onlychuckled. When Strickland, recovering somewhat, was in a good humour and amusedhimself by laughing at him, he deliberately did absurd things to excite hisridicule. Then he would give me little happy glances, so that I might notice inhow much better form the patient was. Stroeve was sublime.

戴尔克·施特略夫把自己的工作全部撂下，整天服侍病人，又体贴，又关切。他的手脚非常利索，把病人弄得舒舒服服。大夫开了药，他总是连哄带骗地劝病人按时服用，我从来没想到他的手段这么巧妙。无论做什么事他都不嫌麻烦。尽管他的收入一向只够维持夫妻两人的生活，从来就不宽裕，现在他却大手大脚，购买时令已过、价钱昂贵的美味，想方设法叫思特里克兰德多吃一点东西（他的胃口时好时坏，叫人无法捉摸）。我什么时候也忘不了他劝说思特里克兰德增加营养的那种耐心和手腕。不论思特里克兰德对他多么没礼貌，他也从来不动火。如果对方只是郁闷懊丧，他就假装看不到；如果对方顶撞他，他只是一笑置之。当思特里克兰德身体好了一些，情绪高起来，嘲笑他几句开开心，他就做出一些滑稽的举动来，故意给对方更多讥笑的机会。他会高兴地递给我几个眼色，叫我知道病人已经大有起色了。施特略夫实在是个大好人。