I scarcely knowhow we got through that day. Stroeve could not bear to be alone, and Iexhausted myself in efforts to distract him. I took him to the Louvre, and hepretended to look at pictures, but I saw that his thoughts were constantly withhis wife. I forced him to eat, and after luncheon I induced him to lie down,but he could not sleep. He accepted willingly my invitation to remain for a fewdays in my apartment. I gave him books to read, but after a page or two hewould put the book down and stare miserably into space. During the evening weplayed innumerable games of piquet, and bravely, not to disappoint my efforts,he tried to appear interested. Finally I gave him a draught, and he sank intouneasy slumber.

When we wentagain to the hospital we saw a nursing sister. She told us that Blanche seemeda little better, and she went in to ask if she would see her husband. We heardvoices in the room in which she lay, and presently the nurse returned to saythat the patient refused to see anyone. We had told her that if she refused tosee Dirk the nurse was to ask if she would see me, but this she refused also.Dirk's lips trembled.

"I darenot insist, " said the nurse. "She is too ill. Perhaps in a day ortwo she may change her mind. "

"Is thereanyone else she wants to see?" asked Dirk, in a voice so low it was almosta whisper.

"She saysshe only wants to be left in peace. "

我几乎说不清这一天我们是怎么过的了。施特略夫没人陪着根本不成，我想尽办法把他的思想岔开，因而弄得自己也疲劳不堪。我带他到卢佛尔宫去，他假装在欣赏图画，但是我看得出来他的思想一刻也没有离开他的妻子。我硬逼着他吃了一点东西；午饭以后，我又劝他躺下休息，但是他一丝睡意也没有。我留他在我的公寓住几天，他欣然接受了我的邀请。我找了几本书给他看，他只翻看一两页就把书放下，凄凄惨惨地茫然凝视着半空。吃过晚饭以后我们玩了无数局皮克牌，为了不叫我失望，他强自打起精神，装作玩得津津有味的样子。最后我让他喝了一口药水，尽管他睡得并不安宁，总算入了梦乡。

当我们再次去医院的时候，见到了一个女护士。她告诉我们勃朗什看上去好了一些。她走进病房，问她是否愿意见自己的丈夫。我们听到从勃朗什住的屋子里传出来的话语声，没过多久护士便走出来，告诉我们病人拒绝会见任何来探视她的人。我们事前已经同护士讲过，如果病人不愿见戴尔克，护士还可以问她一下愿意不愿意见我，但是病人也同样回绝了。戴尔克的嘴唇抖动起来。

“我不敢过分逼她，”护士说，“她病得很厉害。再过一两天也许她会改变主意的。”

“她想见什么人吗？”戴尔克问，他说话的声音非常低，几乎象是耳语。

“她说她只求不要有人打搅她。”