But it wasBlanche who most surprised me. She proved herself not only a capable, but adevoted nurse. There was nothing in her to remind you that she had sovehemently struggled against her husband's wish to bring Strickland to thestudio. She insisted on doing her share of the offices needful to the sick. Shearranged his bed so that it was possible to change the sheet without disturbinghim. She washed him. When I remarked on her competence, she told me with thatpleasant little smile of hers that for a while she had worked in a hospital.She gave no sign that she hated Strickland so desperately. She did not speak tohim much, but she was quick to forestall his wants. For a fortnight it wasnecessary that someone should stay with him all night, and she took turns atwatching with her husband. I wondered what she thought during the long darknessas she sat by the bedside. Strickland was a weird figure as he lay there,thinner than ever, with his ragged red beard and his eyes staring feverishlyinto vacancy; his illness seemed to have made them larger, and they had anunnatural brightness.

但是更使我感到吃惊的还是勃朗什。她证明了自己不仅是一个能干的、而且是一个专心致志的护士。你再也不会想到她曾一度激烈地反对过自己的丈夫，坚决不同意把思特里克兰德带回到家里来。病人需要照料的地方很多，她坚持要尽到自己一部分责任。她整理病人的床铺，尽量做到在撤换床单时不惊扰病人。她给病人洗浴。当我称赞她的能干时，她脸上露出惯有的微笑，告诉我她曾经在一家医院做过一段事。她丝毫不让人看出来，她曾经那样讨厌过思特里克兰德。她同他说话不多，但是不管他有什么需要，她都很快地就能知道。有两个星期思特里克兰德整夜都需要有人看护，她就和她丈夫轮班守夜。我真想知道，在她坐在病床旁边度过漫漫长夜时心里在想些什么。思特里克兰德躺在床上，样子古怪怕人，他的身躯比平常更加削瘦，红色的胡子乱成一团，眼睛兴奋地凝视着半空；因为生病，他的眼睛显得非常大，炯炯发光，但那光亮显得很不自然。