月亮与六便士【中英字幕】

"Does heever talk to you in the night?" I asked her once.

"Never."

"Do youdislike him as much as you did?"

"More,if anything. "

She looked atme with her calm gray eyes. Her expression was so placid, it was hard tobelieve that she was capable of the violent emotion I had witnessed.

"Has heever thanked you for what you do for him?"

"No," she smiled.

"He'sinhuman. "

"He'sabominable. "

Stroeve was,of course, delighted with her. He could not do enough to show his gratitude forthe whole-hearted devotion with which she had accepted the burden he laid onher. But he was a little puzzled by the behaviour of Blanche and Stricklandtowards one another.

"Do youknow, I've seen them sit there for hours together without saying a word?"

On oneoccasion, when Strickland was so much better that in a day or two he was to getup, I sat with them in the studio. Dirk and I were talking. Mrs. Stroeve sewed,and I thought I recognised the shirt she was mending as Strickland's. He lay onhis back; he did not speak. Once I saw that his eyes were fixed on BlancheStroeve, and there was in them a curious irony. Feeling their gaze, she raisedher own, and for a moment they stared at one another. I could not quiteunderstand her expression. Her eyes had in them a strange perplexity, andperhaps -- but why? -- alarm. In a moment Strickland looked away and idlysurveyed the ceiling, but she continued to stare at him, and now her look wasquite inexplicable.

“夜里他跟你说过话吗？”有一次我问她。

“从来没有。”

“你还象过去那样不喜欢他吗？”

“比以前更厉害了。”

她用一双安详的、灰色的眼睛望着我。她的神色非常恬静，我很难相信她居然能象那次我看到的那样大发脾气。

“你替他做了这么多事，他谢过你吗？”

“没有。”她笑了笑说。

“这人真不通人情。”

“简直太可恶了。”

施特略夫对她自然非常满意。她这样把他撂给她的挑子担了过来，而且全心全意地履行自己的职责，他无论怎样做也无法表示对她的感激。但是他对勃朗什同思特里克兰德彼此的关系又有些不解。

“你知道，我看见过他们在一起坐了好几个钟头，谁也一句话不说。”

有一次我和这一家人一同坐在画室里，这时思特里克兰德的身体已经快好了，再过一两天就要起床了。戴尔克同我闲聊。施特略夫太太在缝补什么；她缝的东西我是认得的，那是思特里克兰德的一件衬衣。思特里克兰德仰面躺着，一句话也不说。有一次我看到他的目光停在勃朗什·施特略夫身上，带着一种奇怪的嘲弄神情。勃朗什感到他正在看自己，抬起眼睛，他们俩彼此凝视了一会儿。我不知道为什么她脸上会有这样的表情。她的目光里有一种奇怪的困惑，也许是——但为什么啊？ ——惊惧的神色。思特里克兰德马上把眼睛移开了，开始悠闲地打量起天花板来；但是她却一直注视着他，脸上的神情更加不可解释了。

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。

Dirk Stroeve,giving up his work entirely, nursed Strickland with tenderness and sympathy. Hewas dexterous to make him comfortable, and he exercised a cunning of which Ishould never have thought him capable to induce him to take the medicinesprescribed by the doctor. Nothing was too much trouble for him. Though hismeans were adequate to the needs of himself and his wife, he certainly had nomoney to waste; but now he was wantonly extravagant in the purchase ofdelicacies, out of season and dear, which might tempt Strickland's capriciousappetite. I shall never forget the tactful patience with which he persuaded himto take nourishment. He was never put out by Strickland's rudeness; if it wasmerely sullen, he appeared not to notice it; if it was aggressive, he onlychuckled. When Strickland, recovering somewhat, was in a good humour and amusedhimself by laughing at him, he deliberately did absurd things to excite hisridicule. Then he would give me little happy glances, so that I might notice inhow much better form the patient was. Stroeve was sublime.

戴尔克·施特略夫把自己的工作全部撂下，整天服侍病人，又体贴，又关切。他的手脚非常利索，把病人弄得舒舒服服。大夫开了药，他总是连哄带骗地劝病人按时服用，我从来没想到他的手段这么巧妙。无论做什么事他都不嫌麻烦。尽管他的收入一向只够维持夫妻两人的生活，从来就不宽裕，现在他却大手大脚，购买时令已过、价钱昂贵的美味，想方设法叫思特里克兰德多吃一点东西（他的胃口时好时坏，叫人无法捉摸）。我什么时候也忘不了他劝说思特里克兰德增加营养的那种耐心和手腕。不论思特里克兰德对他多么没礼貌，他也从来不动火。如果对方只是郁闷懊丧，他就假装看不到；如果对方顶撞他，他只是一笑置之。当思特里克兰德身体好了一些，情绪高起来，嘲笑他几句开开心，他就做出一些滑稽的举动来，故意给对方更多讥笑的机会。他会高兴地递给我几个眼色，叫我知道病人已经大有起色了。施特略夫实在是个大好人。

Next day wemoved Strickland. It needed a good deal of firmness and still more patience toinduce him to come, but he was really too ill to offer any effective resistanceto Stroeve's entreaties and to my determination. We dressed him, while hefeebly cursed us, got him downstairs, into a cab, and eventually to Stroeve'sstudio. He was so exhausted by the time we arrived that he allowed us to puthim to bed without a word. He was ill for six weeks. At one time it looked asthough he could not live more than a few hours, and I am convinced that it wasonly through the Dutchman's doggedness that he pulled through. I have neverknown a more difficult patient. It was not that he was exacting and querulous;on the contrary, he never complained, he asked for nothing, he was perfectlysilent; but he seemed to resent the care that was taken of him; he received allinquiries about his feelings or his needs with a jibe, a sneer, or an oath. Ifound him detestable, and as soon as he was out of danger I had no hesitationin telling him so.

"Go tohell, " he answered briefly.

第二天我们就去给思特里克兰德搬家。劝说他搬到施特略夫家里来需要绝大的毅力和更多的耐心，幸而思特里克兰德病得实在太重，对于施特略夫的央求和我的决心都做不出有效的抵抗了。在他的软弱无力的咒骂声中，我们给他穿好衣服，扶着他走下楼梯，安置在一辆马车里，最后终于把他弄到施特略夫的画室里。当我们到达以后，他已经一点气力也没有了，只好一言不发地由我们把他放在一张床上。他的病延续了六个星期。有一段日子看上去他连几个钟头也活不过去了，我毫不怀疑，他之所以能够活下来完全要归功这位荷兰画家任劳任怨的护理。我从来也没有见到过比他更难伺候的病人。倒不是说他挑剔、抱怨；恰恰相反，他从来也不诉苦，从来不提出什么要求，他躺在那里一语不发。但是他似乎非常厌恨你对他的照顾；谁要是问一问他觉得怎么样、有什么需要，他轻则挖苦你一句，重则破口大骂。我发现这个人实在让人厌恶，他刚一脱离危险，我就把我的想法告诉了他。

“见鬼去吧，你，”他一点不客气地回敬了我一句。

"You aremy wife; you are dearer to me than anyone in the world. No one shall come herewithout your entire consent. "

She closedher eyes for a moment, and I thought she was going to faint. I was a littleimpatient with her; I had not suspected that she was so neurotic a woman. ThenI heard Stroeve's voice again. It seemed to break oddly on the silence.

"Haven'tyou been in bitter distress once when a helping hand was held out to you? Youknow how much it means. Couldn't you like to do someone a good turn when youhave the chance?"

The wordswere ordinary enough, and to my mind there was in them something so hortatorythat I almost smiled. I was astonished at the effect they had on BlancheStroeve. She started a little, and gave her husband a long look. His eyes werefixed on the ground. I did not know why he seemed embarrassed. A faint colourcame into her cheeks, and then her face became white -- more than white,ghastly; you felt that the blood had shrunk away from the whole surface of herbody; and even her hands were pale. A shiver passed through her. The silence ofthe studio seemed to gather body, so that it became an almost palpablepresence. I was bewildered.

"BringStrickland here, Dirk. I'll do my best for him. "

"Myprecious, " he smiled.

He wanted totake her in his arms, but she avoided him.

"Don'tbe affectionate before strangers, Dirk, " she said. "It makes me feelsuch a fool. "

Her mannerwas quite normal again, and no one could have told that so shortly before shehad been shaken by such a great emotion.

“你是我的妻子，对我说来，你比任何事物都宝贵。如果你没有完全同意谁也不会到咱们家来。”

她闭了一会儿眼睛，我以为她或许要晕过去了。我对她有些不耐烦。我没想到她是这样神经质的女人。接着我又听到施特略夫的话语声，沉寂似乎奇怪地被他的声音打破了。

“你自己是不是也一度陷于非常悲惨的境地，恰好有人把援助的手伸给你？你知道那对你是多么重要的事。如果遇到这种情况，你不愿意也帮别人一下儿吗？”

他这番话一点也不新鲜，我甚至觉得这里面还有一些教训的意味；我差点儿笑了出未。但是它对勃朗什·施特略夫的影响却叫我大吃一惊。她身体抖动了一下，好久好久凝视着她的丈夫。施特略夫紧紧盯住地面。我不懂为什么他的样子显得非常困窘。施特略夫太太的脸上泛上一层淡淡的红晕，接着又变白——变得惨白；你会觉得她身上的血液都从表面收缩回去，连两只手也一点血色没有了。她全身颤抖起来。画室寂静无声，好象那寂静已经变成了实体，只要伸出手就摸得到似的。我奇怪得不得了。

“把思特里克兰德带来吧，戴尔克。我会尽量照顾他。”

“我的亲爱的，”他笑了。

他想抱住她，但是她却避开了。

“当着生人的面别这么多情了，戴尔克，”她说，“叫人多下不来台啊。”

她的神情已经完全自然了；没有人敢说几分钟以前她还被一种强烈的感情激动着。

"Oh,Dirk, I've never since we met asked you to do anything for me. "

"Youknow there's nothing in the world that I wouldn't do for you. "

"I begyou not to let Strickland come here. Anyone else you like. Bring a thief, adrunkard, any outcast off the streets, and I promise you I'll do everything Ican for them gladly. But I beseech you not to bring Strickland here. "

"Butwhy?"

"I'mfrightened of him. I don't know why, but there's something in him thatterrifies me. He'll do us some great harm. I know it. I feel it. If you bringhim here it can only end badly. "

"But howunreasonable!"

"No, no.I know I'm right. Something terrible will happen to us. "

"Becausewe do a good action?"

She waspanting now, and in her face was a terror which was inexplicable. I do not knowwhat she thought. I felt that she was possessed by some shapeless dread whichrobbed her of all self-control. As a rule she was so calm; her agitation nowwas amazing. Stroeve looked at her for a while with puzzled consternation.

“噢，戴尔克，自从咱们认识以后我还没有求你做过什么事呢。”

“你自己也知道，只要你说一句话，天底下没有一件事我不肯为你做的。”

“我求你别叫思特里克兰德到这里来。你叫谁来都成，不管是小偷，是醉鬼，还是街头的流浪汉，我敢保证，我都服侍他们，尽我的一切力量服侍他们。但是我恳求你，千万别把思特里克兰德带回家里。”

“可是为什么呀？”

“我怕他。我也不知道为什么，他这个人叫我怕得要死。他会给我们带来祸害。我知道得非常清楚。我感觉得出来。如果你把他招来，不会有好结局的。”

“你真是没有道理。”

“不，不，我知道我是对的。咱们家会发生可怕的事的。”

“为什么？因为咱们做了一件好事？”

她的呼吸非常急促，脸上有一种无法解释的恐惧。我不知道她想的是什么。我觉得她好象正被一种无形的恐怖紧紧抓住，完全失去控制自己的能力了。她一向总是沉着稳重，现在这种惊惧不安的样子着实令人吃惊。施特略夫带着困惑、惊愕的神情打量了她一会儿。

Then at lastthe tears came. She sank into a chair, and buried her face in her hands. Hershoulders shook convulsively. In a moment Dirk was on his knees beside her,with his arms round her, kissing her, calling her all sorts of pet names, andthe facile tears ran down his own cheeks. Presently she released herself anddried her eyes.

"Leaveme alone, " she said, not unkindly; and then to me, trying to smile:"What must you think of me?"

Stroeve,looking at her with perplexity, hesitated. His forehead was all puckered, andhis red mouth set in a pout. He reminded me oddly of an agitated guinea-pig.

"Thenit's No, darling?" he said at last.

She gave a gestureof lassitude. She was exhausted.

"Thestudio is yours. Everything belongs to you. If you want to bring him here, howcan I prevent you?"

A suddensmile flashed across his round face.

"Thenyou consent? I knew you would. Oh, my precious. "

Suddenly shepulled herself together. She looked at him with haggard eyes. She clasped herhands over her heart as though its beating were intolerable.

最后，她终于落下眼泪来。她瘫在一把椅子上，两手捂着脸，肩膀抽搐着。戴尔克一下子跪在她身边，搂着她，又是亲吻，又是呼叫她各式各样亲昵的名字，廉价的泪水也从他的面颊上淌下来。没有过一会，她就从他的怀抱里挣脱出来，揩干了眼泪。

“让我好好地待一会吧，”她说，语气平顺多了。接着，她强笑着对我说：“我刚才那样，真不知道你会把我当成怎样个人了。”

施特略夫困惑地望着她，不知怎样才好。他紧皱着眉头，撅着通红的嘴巴。他那副怪样子使我联想到一只慌乱的豚鼠。

“那么你不答应吗，亲爱的？”最后他说。

她有气无力地挥了一下手。她已经精疲力尽了。

“画室是你的。这个家都是你的。如果你要让他搬到这里来，我怎么拦得住呢？”

施特略夫的一张胖脸马上绽露出笑容。

“这么一说你同意了？我知道你不会不答应的。噢，我的亲爱的。”

但是她立刻又克制住自己。她用一对暗淡无神的眼睛望着他，十指交叠着按在胸口，仿佛心跳得叫她受不了似的。

Now the warhas come, bringing with it a new attitude. Youth has turned to gods we of anearlier He looked round the studio ruefully. On the easel was a half-finishedpicture of a smiling Italian peasant, holding a bunch of grapes over the headof a dark-eyed girl.

"Even ifhe didn't like them he should have been civil. He needn't have insulted you. Heshowed that he despised you, and you lick his hand. Oh, I hate him. "

"Dearchild, he has genius. You don't think I believe that I have it. I wish I had;but I know it when I see it, and I honour it with all my heart. It's the mostwonderful thing in the world. It's a great burden to its possessors. We shouldbe very tolerant with them, and very patient. "

I stoodapart, somewhat embarrassed by the domestic scene, and wondered why Stroeve hadinsisted on my coming with him. I saw that his wife was on the verge of tears.

"Butit's not only because he's a genius that I ask you to let me bring him here;it's because he's a human being, and he is ill and poor. "

"I willnever have him in my house -- never. "

Stroeveturned to me.

"Tellher that it's a matter of life and death. It's impossible to leave him in thatwretched hole. "

"It'squite obvious that it would be much easier to nurse him here, " I said,"but of course it would be very inconvenient. I have an idea that someonewill have to be with him day and night. "

"Mylove, it's not you who would shirk a little trouble. "

"If hecomes here, I shall go, " said Mrs. Stroeve violently.

"I don'trecognize you. You're so good and kind. "

"Oh, forgoodness sake, let me be. You drive me to distraction. "

他懊丧地环顾了一下画室。画架上立着一幅未完成的油画——一个意大利农民笑容满面地拿着一串葡萄，在一个黑眼睛的小女孩头顶上擎着。

“即使他不喜欢你的画也应该有一点礼貌啊。他没有必要侮辱你。他的态度很清楚地表现出对你非常鄙视，可是你却还要舔他的手。啊，我讨厌这个人。”

“亲爱的孩子，他是有天才的。不要认为我相信自己也有天才。我倒希望我有呢。但是别人谁是天才我看得出来，我从心眼里尊重这种人。天才是世界上最奇妙的东西。对于他们本人说来，天才是一个很大的负担。我们对这些人必须非常容忍，非常耐心才行。”

我站在一旁听着，这幕家庭冲突使我有些尴尬。我不了解施特略夫为什么非要我同他一起来不可。我看到他的妻子眼泪已经快要流出来了。

“但是我求你让我把他带来，并不只因为他是个天才。我要这样做是因为他是个人，是因为他害着病，因为他一个钱也没有。”

“我永远也不让他进咱们的家门——永远也不让。”

施特略夫转过身来，面对着我。

“你对她讲一讲吧，这是一件生死攸关的事。无论如何也不能把他扔在那个倒霉的地方不管。”

“事情非常清楚，让他到这里来调养要好得多，”我说，“但是当然了，这对你们是很不方便的。我想得有一个人日夜照看着他。”

“亲爱的，你不是那种怕麻烦不肯伸手帮忙的人。”

“如果他到这里来，我就走，”施特略夫太太气冲冲地说。

“我简直认不出你来了。你不是一向心肠很软吗？”

“啊，看在老天爷面上，别逼我了。你快要把我逼疯了。”

Stroeve gavea little gasp. He wiped his face. He turned to me for support, but I did notknow what to say.

"He's agreat artist. "

"What doI care? I hate him. "

"Oh, mylove, my precious, you don't mean that. I beseech you to let me bring him here.We can make him comfortable. Perhaps we can save him. He shall be no trouble toyou. I will do everything. We'll make him up a bed in the studio. We can't lethim die like a dog. It would be inhuman. "

"Whycan't he go to a hospital?"

"Ahospital! He needs the care of loving hands. He must be treated with infinitetact. "

I wassurprised to see how moved she was. She went on laying the table, but her handstrembled.

"I haveno patience with you. Do you think if you were ill he would stir a finger tohelp you?"

"Butwhat does that matter? I should have you to nurse me. It wouldn't be necessary.And besides, I'm different; I'm not of any importance. "

"Youhave no more spirit than a mongrel cur. You lie down on the ground and askpeople to trample on you. "

Stroeve gavea little laugh. He thought he understood the reason of his wife's attitude.

"Oh, mypoor dear, you're thinking of that day he came here to look at my pictures.What does it matter if he didn't think them any good? It was stupid of me toshow them to him. I dare say they're not very good. "

施特略夫倒吸了一口气，抹了抹脸。他转过身来请求我支援，但是我不知道该说什么好。

“他是个了不起的画家。”

“那同我有什么关系？我讨厌这个人。”

“啊，我的亲爱的，我的宝贝，你不是这个意思吧！我求求你，让我把他弄到咱们家里吧。我们可以叫他过得舒服一些。也许我们能救他一命。他不会给你带来麻烦的。什么事都由我来做。我们可以在画室里给他架一张床。我们不能叫他象一条野狗似地死掉。太不人道了。”

“为什么他不能去医院呢？”

“医院！他需要爱抚的手来照顾。护理他必需要极其体贴才成。”

我发现勃朗什·施特略夫感情波动得这么厉害，觉得有点奇怪。她继续往桌上摆餐具，但是两只手却抖个不停。

“我对你简直失去耐心了。你认为如果你生了病，他会动一根手指头来帮助你吗？”

“那又有什么关系？我有你照顾啊。不需要他来帮忙。再说，我同他不一样；我这人一点也不重要。”

“你简直还不如一条杂种小狗有血性呢！你躺在地上叫人往你身上踩。”

施特略夫笑了一下。他以为自己了解他的妻子为什么采取这种态度。

“啊，可怜的宝贝，你还想着那次他来看我画的事呢。如果他认为我的画不好又有什么关系呢？那天我真不应该把画给他看，我敢说我画的画并不很好。”

Presently weleft him. Dirk was going home to dinner, and I proposed to find a doctor andbring him to see Strickland; but when we got down into the street, fresh afterthe stuffy attic, the Dutchman begged me to go immediately to his studio. Hehad something in mind which he would not tell me, but he insisted that it wasvery necessary for me to accompany him. Since I did not think a doctor could atthe moment do any more than we had done, I consented. We found Blanche Stroevelaying the table for dinner. Dirk went up to her, and took both her hands.

"Dearone, I want you to do something for me, " he said.

She looked athim with the grave cheerfulness which was one of her charms. His red face wasshining with sweat, and he had a look of comic agitation, but there was in hisround, surprised eyes an eager light.

"Stricklandis very ill. He may be dying. He is alone in a filthy attic, and there is not asoul to look after him. I want you to let me bring him here. "

She withdrewher hands quickly, I had never seen her make so rapid a movement; and hercheeks flushed.

"Oh no."

"Oh, mydear one, don't refuse. I couldn't bear to leave him where he is. I shouldn'tsleep a wink for thinking of him. "

"I haveno objection to your nursing him. "

Her voice wascold and distant.

"Buthe'll die. "

"Lethim. "

过了一会儿我们便离开那里。戴尔克回家吃晚饭，我自告奋勇去找一位医生，带他来看看思特里克兰德的病。当我们走到街上的时候——从那间闷浊的阁楼出来感到外面的空气特别清新——，荷兰人叫我马上到他的画室去一趟。他有一件什么心事，只是不肯对我讲。他一定要我陪他回家去。我想，即使马上把医生请到，除了我们替思特里克兰德做到的那些事外，暂时也不会有更多的事好做，于是我就同意了。我们发现勃朗什·施特略夫正在摆桌子准备吃晚饭。戴尔克走到她跟前，握住她的两只手。

“亲爱的，我求你做一件事。”他说。

她望着他，欢快中带着某种严肃，这正是她迷人的地方。施特略夫脸上冒着汗珠，闪着亮光，激动不安的神情使他的脸相显得很滑稽，但是在他的滚圆的、好象受到惊吓的眼睛里却射出来一道热切的光芒。

“思特里克兰德病得很厉害，可能快要死了。他一个人住在一间肮脏的阁楼里，没有人照料他。我求你答应我把他带到咱们家来。”

她很快地把手缩回来——我从来没有看到过她的动作这么快过——，面颊一下子涨红了。

“啊，不成。”

“哎呀，亲爱的，不要拒绝吧。我叫他一个人在那里实在受不了。我会因为惦记着他连觉也睡不着的。”

“你去照顾他我不反对。”

她的声音听起来非常冷漠而遥远。

“但是他会死的。”

“让他死去吧。”