"I shouldhave thought sometimes you couldn't help thinking of the past. I don't mean thepast of seven or eight years ago, but further back still, when you first metyour wife, and loved her, and married her. Don't you remember the joy withwhich you first took her in your arms?"

"I don't thinkof the past. The only thing that matters is the everlasting present. "

I thought for amoment over this reply. It was obscure, perhaps, but I thought that I saw dimlyhis meaning.

"Are youhappy?" I asked.

"Yes."

I was silent. Ilooked at him reflectively. He held my stare, and presently a sardonic twinklelit up his eyes.

"I'mafraid you disapprove of me?"

"Nonsense," I answered promptly; "I don't disapprove of the boa-constrictor; onthe contrary, I'm interested in his mental processes. "

"It's apurely professional interest you take in me?"

"Purely."

"It's onlyright that you shouldn't disapprove of me. You have a despicable character."

"Perhapsthat's why you feel at home with me, " I retorted.

“我能想象得出，有时候你还是会不由自主地想起过去的。我不是说想起六七年以前的事，我是说更早以前，你和你妻子刚刚认识的时候，你爱她，同她结了婚。你难道就忘了第一次把她抱在怀里的时候你感到的喜悦？”

“我不想过去。对我说来，最重要的是永恒的现在。”

我想了想他这句答话的意思。也许他的语义很隐晦，但是我想我还是懂得他大概指的是什么了。

“你快活吗？”我问。

“当然了。”

我没有说什么。我沉思地凝视着他。他也目不转睛地望着我，没过一会儿他的眼睛又闪烁起讥笑的光芒。

“我想你对我有点儿意见吧？”

“你这话问得没意义，”我马上接口说，“我对蟒蛇的习性并不反对，相反地我对它的心理活动倒很感兴趣。”

“这么说来，你纯粹是从职业的角度对我发生兴趣啰？”

“纯粹是这样。”

“你不反对我是理所当然的，你的性格也实在讨厌。”

“也许这正是你同我在一起感到很自然的原故，”我反唇相讥说。