The Moon And Sixpence 37.2

Again he madeno reply, but the driver of our carriage came to my rescue. Slackening his pacefor a moment, he leaned over and spoke. I could not hear what he said, so I putmy head out of the window. he wanted to know where we wished to be set down. Itold him to wait a minute.

"You'dbetter come and have lunch with me, " I said to Dirk. "I'll tell himto drop us in the Place Pigalle. "

"I'drather not. I want to go to the studio. "

I hesitated amoment.

"Would youlike me to come with you?" I asked then.

"No; Ishould prefer to be alone. "

"Allright. "

I gave thedriver the necessary direction, and in renewed silence we drove on. Dirk hadnot been to the studio since the wretched morning on which they had takenBlanche to the hospital. I was glad he did not want me to accompany him, andwhen I left him at the door I walked away with relief. I took a new pleasure inthe streets of Paris, and I looked with smiling eyes at the people who hurriedto and fro. The day was fine and sunny, and I felt in myself a more acutedelight in life. I could not help it; I put Stroeve and his sorrows out of mymind. I wanted to enjoy.

他还是没有回答，这时我们的马车夫把我从窘境里解救了出来。他把速度降低了一些，俯过身来同我讲了一句什么。我听不清他说的是什么，只好把头伸出窗口去；他想知道我们在什么地方下车。我叫他稍微等一会儿。

“你还是来同我一起吃午饭吧，”我对戴尔克说，“我告诉马车夫在皮卡尔广场停车好不好？”

“我不想去了。我要回我的画室去。”

我犹豫了一会儿。

“你要我同你一起去吗？”我说。

“不要。我还是愿意独自回去。”

“好吧。”

我告诉车夫应该走的方向，马车继续往前走，我们两人又重新沉默起来。戴尔克自从勃朗什被送进医院那个倒霉的早上起就再也没回画室去。我很高兴他没有叫我陪伴他，我在他的门口同他分了手，如释重负地独自走开。巴黎的街道给了我新的喜悦，我满心欢喜地看着街头匆忙来往的行人。这一天天气很好，阳光灿烂，我感到我的心头洋溢着对生活的欢悦，这种感情比以往任何时候都更加强烈。我一点也由不得自己；我把施特略夫同他的烦恼完全抛在脑后。我要享受生活。