The Moon And Sixpence 53.4

Tiare sighed."Ah, Iwish I were fifteen again. "Then she caughtsight of a cat trying to get at a dish of prawns on the kitchen table, and witha dexterous gesture and a lively volley of abuse flung a book at its scamperingtail."I askedhim if he was happy with Ata."`Sheleaves me alone, ' he said. 'She cooks my food and looks after her babies. Shedoes what I tell her. She gives me what I want from a woman. '"`And doyou never regret Europe? Do you not yearn sometimes for the light of thestreets in Paris or London, the companionship of your friends, and equals, quesais-je? for theatres and newspapers, and the rumble of omnibuses on thecobbled pavements?'"For along time he was silent. Then he said:"`I shallstay here till I die. '"`But areyou never bored or lonely?' I asked."Hechuckled."` Monpauvre ami, ' he said. `It is evident that you do not know what it is to be anartist. '"蒂阿瑞叹了口气。“啊，我真希望我再回到十五岁的年纪。”这时，她忽然看见一只猫正在厨房桌上偷对虾吃，随着连珠炮似的一串咒骂，她又麻利又准确地把一本书扔在仓皇逃跑的猫尾巴上。“我问他同爱塔一起生活幸福不幸福。”“‘她不打扰我，’他说。‘她给我做饭，照管孩子。我叫她做什么她就做什么。凡是我要求一个女人的，她都给我了。’”“‘你离开欧洲从来也没有后悔过吗？有的时候你是不是也怀念巴黎或伦敦街头的灯火？怀念你的朋友、伙伴？还有我不知道的一些东西，剧院呀、报纸呀、公共马车隆隆走过鹅卵石路的声响？’”很久，很久，他一句话也没有说。最后他开口道：“‘我愿意待在这里，一直到我死。’”“‘但是你就从来也不感到厌烦，不感到寂寞？’”我问道。他咯咯地笑了几声。“‘我可怜的朋友①，’他说，‘很清楚，你不懂作一个艺术家是怎么回事。’”①   原文为法语。