The Moon And Sixpence 9.3

ColonelMacAndrew had a very sketchy knowledge of business matters, and I had none atall, so I did not quite understand under what conditions Strickland had lefthis affairs. I gathered that the deserted partner was very angry and threatenedproceedings. It appeared that when everything was settled he would be four orfive hundred pounds out of pocket.

"It'slucky the furniture in the flat is in Amy's name. She'll have that at allevents. "

"Did youmean it when you said she wouldn't have a job?"

"Of courseI did. She's got two or three hundred pounds and the furniture. "

"But howis she going to live?"

"Godknows. "

The affairseemed to grow more complicated, and the Colonel, with his expletives and hisindignation, confused rather than informed me. I was glad that, catching sightof the clock at the Army and Navy Stores, he remembered an engagement to playcards at his club, and so left me to cut across St. James Park.

麦克安德鲁上校对证券交易的事不太内行，我更是一窍不通，因此我不太清楚思特里克兰德是在什么情况下退出了他经营的交易。我得到的印象是，被他中途甩开的合股人气得要命，威胁说要提出诉讼。看来一切都安排妥善后，这个人的腰包要损失四五百镑钱。

“幸而住房的全套家具都是写在阿美名下的。不管怎么说这些东西她还都能落下。”

“刚才你说她一个便士也没有是真实情况吗？”

“当然是真的。她手头就只有两三百镑钱和那些家具。”

“那她怎样生活呢？”

“天晓得。”

事情变得更加复杂了，再加上上校火冒三丈，骂骂咧咧，不但不能把事情讲清楚，反而叫我越听越糊涂。我很高兴，在他看到陆海军商店上面的大钟的时候，突然记起他要到俱乐部玩牌的约会来。他同我分了手，穿过圣杰姆斯公园往另一个方向走去了。