What followedshowed that Mrs. Strickland was a woman of character. Whatever anguish shesuffered she concealed. She saw shrewdly that the world is quickly bored by therecital of misfortune, and willingly avoids the sight of distress. Whenever shewent out -- and compassion for her misadventure made her friends eager toentertain her -- she bore a demeanour that was perfect. She was brave, but nottoo obviously; cheerful, but not brazenly; and she seemed more anxious tolisten to the troubles of others than to discuss her own. Whenever she spoke ofher husband it was with pity. Her attitude towards him at first perplexed me.One day she said to me:

"You know,I'm convinced you were mistaken about Charles being alone. From what I've beenable to gather from certain sources that I can't tell you, I know that hedidn't leave England by himself. "

"In thatcase he has a positive genius for covering up his tracks. "

She looked awayand slightly coloured.

"What Imean is, if anyone talks to you about it, please don't contradict it if theysay he eloped with somebody. "

"Of coursenot. "

以后发生的事说明思特里克兰德太太是一个性格坚强的女人。不论她心里委屈多大，她都没有显露出来。她很聪明，知道老是诉说自己的不幸，人们很快就会厌烦，总是摆着一副可怜相也不会讨人喜欢。每逢她外出作客的时候——因为同情她的遭遇，很多朋友有意地邀请她——，她的举止总是十分得体。她表现得很勇敢，但又不露骨；高高兴兴，但又不惹人生厌；她好象更愿意听别人诉说自己的烦恼而不想议论她自己的不幸。每逢谈到自己丈夫的时候，她总是表示很可怜他。她对他的这种态度最初使我感到困惑。有一天她对我说：

“你知道，你告诉我说查理斯一个人在巴黎，你肯定是弄错了。根据我听到的消息——我不能告诉你这消息的来源——，我知道他不是独自离开英国的。”

“要是这样的话，他真可以说是不露行迹，简直是个天才了。”

思特里克兰德太太的目光避开了我，脸有些发红。

“我的意思是说，如果有人同你谈论这件事，要是说他是同哪个女人私奔的话，你用不着辩驳。”

“当然我不辩驳。”