I could not help thinkingthat Colonel MacAndrew might have some difficulty in doing this, since Stricklandhad struck me as a hefty fellow, but I did not say anything. It is alwaysdistressing when outraged morality does not possess the strength of arm toadminister direct chastisement on the sinner. I was making up my mind toanother attempt at going when Mrs. Strickland came back. She had dried her eyesand powdered her nose.

"I'm sorry I brokedown, " she said. "I'm glad you didn't go away. "

She sat down. I did not atall know what to say. I felt a certain shyness at referring to matters whichwere no concern of mine. I did not then know the besetting sin of woman, thepassion to discuss her private affairs with anyone who is willing to listen.Mrs. Strickland seemed to make an effort over herself.

"Are people talkingabout it?" she asked.

I was taken aback by herassumption that I knew all about her domestic misfortune.

"I've only just comeback. The only person I've seen is Rose Waterford. "

我禁不住想，麦克安德鲁上校做这件事并不很容易，因为思特里克兰德身强力壮，给我留下的印象很深，但是我并没有说什么。如果一个人受到侮辱损害而又没有力量对罪人直接施行惩罚，这实在是一件痛苦不堪的事。我正准备再作一次努力向他告辞，这时思特里克兰德太太又回到屋子里来了。她已经把眼泪揩干，在鼻子上扑了点儿粉。

“真是对不起，我的感情太脆弱了，”她说，“我很高兴你没有走。”

她坐了下来。我一点儿也不知道该说什么。我不太好意思谈论同自己毫不相干的事。那时候我还不懂女人的一种无法摆脱的恶习——热衷于同任何一个愿意倾听的人讨论自己的私事。思特里克兰德太太似乎在努力克制着自己。

“人们是不是都在议论这件事啊？”她问。我非常吃惊，她竟认为我知道她家的这件不幸是想当然的事。

“我刚刚回来。我就见到了柔斯·瓦特尔芙德一个人。”