His callousnesswas inhuman, and in my indignation I was not inclined to mince my words.

"As a merematter of curiosity I wish you'd tell me, have you felt the smallest twinge ofremorse for Blanche Stroeve's death?"

I watched hisface for some change of expression, but it remained impassive.

"Whyshould I?" he asked.

"Let meput the facts before you. You were dying, and Dirk Stroeve took you into hisown house. He nursed you like a mother. He sacrificed his time and his comfortand his money for you. He snatched you from the jaws of death. "

Stricklandshrugged his shoulders.

"Theabsurd little man enjoys doing things for other people. That's his life. "

"Grantingthat you owed him no gratitude, were you obliged to go out of your way to takehis wife from him? Until you came on the scene they were happy. Why couldn'tyou leave them alone?"

"Whatmakes you think they were happy?"

"It wasevident. "

"You are adiscerning fellow. Do you think she could ever have forgiven him for what hedid for her?"

"What doyou mean by that?"

"Don't youknow why he married her?"

I shook myhead.

他心肠冷酷到没有人性的地步，我气愤得要命，一点儿也不想给他留情面。

“我想你可以不可以告诉我——我问这个问题只是出于好奇——，你对勃朗什·施特略夫的惨死良心上一点儿也不感到内疚吗？”

我瞅着他的脸，看他的面容有没有什么变化，但是他的脸仍然毫无表情。

“为什么我要内疚？”

“让我把事情的经过向你摆一摆。你病得都快死了，戴尔克·施特略夫把你接到自己家里，象你亲生父母一样服侍你。为了你，他牺牲了自己的时间、金钱和安逸的生活。他把你从死神的手里夺了回来。”

思特里克兰德耸了耸肩膀。

“那个滑稽的小胖子喜欢为别人服务。这是他的习性。”

“就说你用不着对他感恩，难道你就该霸占住他的老婆？在你出现在他们家门以前，人家生活得非常幸福。为什么你非要插进来不可呢？”

“你怎么知道他们生活得幸福？”

“这不是明摆着的事吗？”

“你什么事都看得很透。你认为他为她做了那件事，她会原谅他？”

“你说的是什么事？”

“你不知道他为什么同她结婚吗？”

我摇了摇头。