"I'vewritten over and over again. I didn't expect her to answer. I don't think shereads the letters. "

"You makeno account of feminine curiosity. Do you think she could resist?"

"She could-- mine. "

I looked at himquickly. He lowered his eyes. That answer of his seemed to me strangelyhumiliating. He was conscious that she regarded him with an indifference soprofound that the sight of his handwriting would have not the slightest effecton her.

"Do youreally believe that she'll ever come back to you?" I asked.

"I wanther to know that if the worst comes to the worst she can count on me. That'swhat I want you to tell her. "

I took a sheetof paper.

"What isit exactly you wish me to say?"

This is what Iwrote:

DEAR MRS.STROEVE, Dirk wishes me to tell you that if at any time you want him he will begrateful for the opportunity of being of service to you. He has no ill-feelingtowards you on account of anything that has happened. His love for you isunaltered. You will always find him at the following address:

“我已经写了不知多少封了。我早就想到她不会回信。我猜我写的那些信她根本就不看。”

“你没有把妇女的好奇心考虑在内。你认为她抵拒得了自己的好奇心吗？”

“她没有好奇心——对于我。”

我很快地看了他一眼。他垂下了眼皮。他的这句回答我听着有一种奇怪的自暴自弃的味道。他清楚地意识到她对他冷漠到极点，见到他的笔迹一丝一毫的反响也没有。

“你真的相信有一天她会回到你身边来吗？”我问道。

“我想叫她知道，万一有什么不幸的事情发生，她还是可以指望我的。我要让你写信告诉她的就是这一点。”

我拿出来一张信纸。

“你要说的具体是什么？”

下面是我写的信：

亲爱的施特略夫太太：

戴尔克让我告诉你，不论任何时候如果你要他做什么事，他将会非常感激你给他一个替你效劳的机会。对于已经发生的事，他对你并无嫌怨。他对你的爱情始终如一。你在下列地址随时可以和他取得联系。