"Oh,Dirk, I've never since we met asked you to do anything for me. "

"Youknow there's nothing in the world that I wouldn't do for you. "

"I begyou not to let Strickland come here. Anyone else you like. Bring a thief, adrunkard, any outcast off the streets, and I promise you I'll do everything Ican for them gladly. But I beseech you not to bring Strickland here. "

"Butwhy?"

"I'mfrightened of him. I don't know why, but there's something in him thatterrifies me. He'll do us some great harm. I know it. I feel it. If you bringhim here it can only end badly. "

"But howunreasonable!"

"No, no.I know I'm right. Something terrible will happen to us. "

"Becausewe do a good action?"

She waspanting now, and in her face was a terror which was inexplicable. I do not knowwhat she thought. I felt that she was possessed by some shapeless dread whichrobbed her of all self-control. As a rule she was so calm; her agitation nowwas amazing. Stroeve looked at her for a while with puzzled consternation.

“噢，戴尔克，自从咱们认识以后我还没有求你做过什么事呢。”

“你自己也知道，只要你说一句话，天底下没有一件事我不肯为你做的。”

“我求你别叫思特里克兰德到这里来。你叫谁来都成，不管是小偷，是醉鬼，还是街头的流浪汉，我敢保证，我都服侍他们，尽我的一切力量服侍他们。但是我恳求你，千万别把思特里克兰德带回家里。”

“可是为什么呀？”

“我怕他。我也不知道为什么，他这个人叫我怕得要死。他会给我们带来祸害。我知道得非常清楚。我感觉得出来。如果你把他招来，不会有好结局的。”

“你真是没有道理。”

“不，不，我知道我是对的。咱们家会发生可怕的事的。”

“为什么？因为咱们做了一件好事？”

她的呼吸非常急促，脸上有一种无法解释的恐惧。我不知道她想的是什么。我觉得她好象正被一种无形的恐怖紧紧抓住，完全失去控制自己的能力了。她一向总是沉着稳重，现在这种惊惧不安的样子着实令人吃惊。施特略夫带着困惑、惊愕的神情打量了她一会儿。