The Moon And Sixpence 58.5

She went to thedoor and called them. There entered a tall man in khaki, with the parson'scollar, handsome in a somewhat heavy fashion, but with the frank eyes that Iremembered in him as a boy. He was followed by his sister. She must have beenthe same age as was her mother when first I knew her, and she was very likeher. She too gave one the impression that as a girl she must have been prettierthan indeed she was."I supposeyou don't remember them in the least, " said Mrs. Strickland, proud andsmiling. "My daughter is now Mrs. Ronaldson. Her husband's a Major in theGunners. ""He's byway of being a pukka soldier, you know, " said Mrs. Ronaldson gaily."That's why he's only a Major. "I remembered myanticipation long ago that she would marry a soldier. It was inevitable. Shehad all the graces of the soldier's wife. She was civil and affable, but shecould hardly conceal her intimate conviction that she was not quite as otherswere. Robert was breezy."It's abit of luck that I should be in London when you turned up, " he said."I've only got three days' leave. ""He'sdying to get back, " said his mother."Well, Idon't mind confessing it, I have a rattling good time at the front. I've made alot of good pals. It's a first-rate life. Of course war's terrible, and allthat sort of thing; but it does bring out the best qualities in a man, there'sno denying that. "Then I toldthem what I had learned about Charles Strickland in Tahiti. I thought itunnecessary to say anything of Ata and her boy, but for the rest I was asaccurate as I could be. When I had narrated his lamentable death I ceased. Fora minute or two we were all silent. Then Robert Strickland struck a match andlit a cigarette.她走到门口去招呼他们。走进来一个穿卡其服的高大男人，脖子上系着牧师戴的硬领。这人生得身材魁梧，有一种壮健的美，一双眼睛仍然和他童年时期一样真挚爽朗。跟在他后面的是他妹妹；她这时一定同我初次见到她母亲时年龄相仿。她长得非常象她母亲，也给人这样的印象：小时候长得一定要比实际上更漂亮。“我想你一定一点儿也不记得他俩了，”思特里克兰德太太说，骄傲地笑了笑。“我的女儿现在是朵纳尔德逊太太了，她丈夫是炮兵团的少校。”“他是一个真正从士兵出身的军人，”朵纳尔德逊太太高高兴兴地说，“所以现在刚刚是个少校。”我想起很久以前我的预言：她将来一定会嫁一个军人。看来这件事早已注定了。她的风度完全是个军人的妻子。她对人和蔼亲切，但另一方面她几乎毫不掩饰自己内心的信念，她同一般人是有所不同的。罗伯特的情绪非常高。“真是太巧了，你这次来正赶上我在伦敦，”他说，“我只有三天假。”“他一心想赶快回去，”他母亲说。“啊，这我承认，我在前线过得可太有趣儿了。我交了不少朋友。那里的生活真是顶呱呱的。当然了，战争是可怕的，那些事儿大家都非常清楚。但是战争确实能表现出一个人的优秀本质，这一点谁也不能否认。”这以后我把我听到的查理斯·思特里克兰德在塔希提的情形给他们讲了一遍。我认为没有必要提到爱塔和她生的孩子，但是其余的事我都如实说了。在我谈完他惨死的情况以后我就没有再往下说了。有一两分钟大家都没有说话。后来罗伯特·思特里克兰德划了根火柴，点着了一支纸烟。