The Moon And Sixpence 47.10

A week passed.

"That'swhat I always say, " reflected Captain Nichols, "when you hurt a man,hurt him bad. It gives you a bit of time to look about and think what you'll donext. "

Then Stricklandhad a bit of luck. A ship bound for Australia had sent to the Sailors' Home fora stoker in place of one who had thrown himself overboard off Gibraltar in anattack of delirium tremens.

"Youdouble down to the harbour, my lad, " said the Captain to Strickland,"and sign on. You've got your papers. "

Strickland setoff at once, and that was the last Captain Nichols saw of him. The ship wasonly in port for six hours, and in the evening Captain Nichols watched thevanishing smoke from her funnels as she ploughed East through the wintry sea.

I have narratedall this as best I could, because I like the contrast of these episodes withthe life that I had seen Strickland live in Ashley Gardens when he was occupiedwith stocks and shares; but I am aware that Captain Nichols was an outrageousliar, and I dare say there is not a word of truth in anything he told me. Ishould not be surprised to learn that he had never seen Strickland in his life,and owed his knowledge of Marseilles to the pages of a magazine.

又过了一个星期。

“我总是说，”尼柯尔斯船长继续回忆当时的情况，“要打人就把他打得厉厉害害的。这会给你一点时间，思考一下下一步该怎么办。”

这以后思特里克兰德交了一步好运。一艘开往澳大利亚的轮船到水手之家去要一名司炉，原来的司炉因为神经错乱在直布罗陀附近投海自杀了。

“你一分钟也别耽误，伙计，立刻到码头去，”船长对思特里克兰德说，“赶快签上你的名字。你是有证明文件的。”

思特里克兰德马上就出发了。尼柯尔斯船长从此再也没有同他见面。这艘轮船在码头只停泊了六小时，傍晚时分，尼柯尔斯船长看着轮船烟囱冒出的黑烟逐渐稀薄，轮船正在寒冬的海面上乘风破浪向东驶去。

我尽量把这些故事叙述得生动一些，因为我喜欢拿这一段经历同他住在伦敦阿施里花园时的生活进行对比，当时他忙着做股票生意，那时的生活我是亲眼见过的。但是我也非常清楚，尼柯尔斯船长是个大言不惭的牛皮大王，他告诉我的这些事也有可能没有一句是真话。今后我如果发现思特里克兰德在世的时候根本不认识他，他对马赛的知识完全来自一本杂志，我是一点也不会感到吃惊的。