Now the warhas come, bringing with it a new attitude. Youth has turned to gods we of anearlier He looked round the studio ruefully. On the easel was a half-finishedpicture of a smiling Italian peasant, holding a bunch of grapes over the headof a dark-eyed girl.

"Even ifhe didn't like them he should have been civil. He needn't have insulted you. Heshowed that he despised you, and you lick his hand. Oh, I hate him. "

"Dearchild, he has genius. You don't think I believe that I have it. I wish I had;but I know it when I see it, and I honour it with all my heart. It's the mostwonderful thing in the world. It's a great burden to its possessors. We shouldbe very tolerant with them, and very patient. "

I stoodapart, somewhat embarrassed by the domestic scene, and wondered why Stroeve hadinsisted on my coming with him. I saw that his wife was on the verge of tears.

"Butit's not only because he's a genius that I ask you to let me bring him here;it's because he's a human being, and he is ill and poor. "

"I willnever have him in my house -- never. "

Stroeveturned to me.

"Tellher that it's a matter of life and death. It's impossible to leave him in thatwretched hole. "

"It'squite obvious that it would be much easier to nurse him here, " I said,"but of course it would be very inconvenient. I have an idea that someonewill have to be with him day and night. "

"Mylove, it's not you who would shirk a little trouble. "

"If hecomes here, I shall go, " said Mrs. Stroeve violently.

"I don'trecognize you. You're so good and kind. "

"Oh, forgoodness sake, let me be. You drive me to distraction. "

他懊丧地环顾了一下画室。画架上立着一幅未完成的油画——一个意大利农民笑容满面地拿着一串葡萄，在一个黑眼睛的小女孩头顶上擎着。

“即使他不喜欢你的画也应该有一点礼貌啊。他没有必要侮辱你。他的态度很清楚地表现出对你非常鄙视，可是你却还要舔他的手。啊，我讨厌这个人。”

“亲爱的孩子，他是有天才的。不要认为我相信自己也有天才。我倒希望我有呢。但是别人谁是天才我看得出来，我从心眼里尊重这种人。天才是世界上最奇妙的东西。对于他们本人说来，天才是一个很大的负担。我们对这些人必须非常容忍，非常耐心才行。”

我站在一旁听着，这幕家庭冲突使我有些尴尬。我不了解施特略夫为什么非要我同他一起来不可。我看到他的妻子眼泪已经快要流出来了。

“但是我求你让我把他带来，并不只因为他是个天才。我要这样做是因为他是个人，是因为他害着病，因为他一个钱也没有。”

“我永远也不让他进咱们的家门——永远也不让。”

施特略夫转过身来，面对着我。

“你对她讲一讲吧，这是一件生死攸关的事。无论如何也不能把他扔在那个倒霉的地方不管。”

“事情非常清楚，让他到这里来调养要好得多，”我说，“但是当然了，这对你们是很不方便的。我想得有一个人日夜照看着他。”

“亲爱的，你不是那种怕麻烦不肯伸手帮忙的人。”

“如果他到这里来，我就走，”施特略夫太太气冲冲地说。

“我简直认不出你来了。你不是一向心肠很软吗？”

“啊，看在老天爷面上，别逼我了。你快要把我逼疯了。”