the moon and sixpence(月球和六便士)-第19章
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could get her a part to…morrow； but I shouldn't like her to mix with all sorts
of people。〃
I was a little chilled by Mrs。 Strickland's exclusiveness。
〃Do you ever hear of your husband？〃
〃No； I haven't heard a word。 He may be dead for all I know。〃
〃I may run across him in Paris。 Would you like me to let you know
about him？〃
She hesitated a minute。
〃If he's in any real want I'm prepared to help him a little。 I'd send you a
certain sum of money； and you could give it him gradually； as he needed
it。〃
〃That's very good of you；〃 I said。
But I knew it was not kindness that prompted the offer。 It is not true
that suffering ennobles the character； happiness does that sometimes； but
suffering； for the most part； makes men petty and vindictive。
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Chapter XVIII
In point of fact； I met Strickland before I had been a fortnight in
Paris。
I quickly found myself a tiny apartment on the fifth floor of a house in
the Rue des Dames； and for a couple of hundred francs bought at a
second…hand dealer's enough furniture to make it habitable。 I arranged
with the concierge to make my coffee in the morning and to keep the place
clean。 Then I went to see my friend Dirk Stroeve。
Dirk Stroeve was one of those persons whom； according to your
character； you cannot think of without derisive laughter or an embarrassed
shrug of the shoulders。 Nature had made him a buffoon。 He was a
painter； but a very bad one； whom I had met in Rome； and I still
remembered his pictures。 He had a genuine enthusiasm for the
commonplace。 His soul palpitating with love of art； he painted the
models who hung about the stairway of Bernini in the Piazza de Spagna；
undaunted by their obvious picturesqueness； and his studio was full of
canvases on which were portrayed moustachioed； large…eyed peasants in
peaked hats； urchins in becoming rags； and women in bright petticoats。
Sometimes they lounged at the steps of a church； and sometimes dallied
among cypresses against a cloudless sky； sometimes they made love by a
Renaissance well…head； and sometimes they wandered through the
Campagna by the side of an ox…waggon。 They were carefully drawn and
carefully painted。 A photograph could not have been more exact。 One of
the painters at the Villa Medici had called him To look at his pictures you would have thought that Monet；
Manet； and the rest of the Impressionists had never been。
〃I don't pretend to be a great painter；〃 he said； 〃I'm not a Michael
Angelo； no； but I have something。 I sell。 I bring romance into the
homes of all sorts of people。 Do you know； they buy my pictures not
only in Holland； but in Norway and Sweden and Denmark？ It's mostly
merchants who buy them； and rich tradesmen。 You can't imagine what
the winters are like in those countries； so long and dark and cold。 They
like to think that Italy is like my pictures。 That's what they expect。
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The Moon and Sixpence
That's what I expected Italy to be before I came here。〃
And I think that was the vision that had remained with him always；
dazzling his eyes so that he could not see the truth； and notwithstanding
the brutality of fact； he continued to see with the eyes of the spirit an Italy
of romantic brigands and picturesque ruins。 It was an ideal that he
painted a poor one； common and shop…soiled； but still it was an ideal；
and it gave his character a peculiar charm。
It was because I felt this that Dirk Stroeve was not to me； as to others；
merely an object of ridicule。 His fellow…painters made no secret of their
contempt for his work； but he earned a fair amount of money； and they did
not hesitate to make free use of his purse。 He was generous； and the
needy； laughing at him because he believed so naively their stories of
distress； borrowed from him with effrontery。 He was very emotional； yet
his feeling； so easily aroused； had in it something absurd； so that you
accepted his kindness； but felt no gratitude。 To take money from him was
like robbing a child； and you despised him because he was so foolish。 I
imagine that a pickpocket； proud of his light fingers； must feel a sort of
indignation with the careless woman who leaves in a cab a vanity…bag with
all her jewels in it。 Nature had made him a butt； but had denied him
insensibility。 He writhed under the jokes； practical and otherwise； which
were perpetually made at his expense； and yet never ceased； it seemed
wilfully； to expose himself to them。 He was constantly wounded； and yet
his good… nature was such that he could not bear malice： the viper might
sting him； but he never learned by experience； and had no sooner
recovered from his pain than he tenderly placed it once more in his bosom。
His life was a tragedy written in the terms of knockabout farce。 Because
I did not laugh at him he was grateful to me； and he used to pour into my
sympathetic ear the long list of his troubles。 The saddest thing about
them was that they were grotesque； and the more pathetic they were； the
more you wanted to laugh。
But though so bad a painter； he had a very delicate feeling for art； and
to go with him to picture…galleries was a rare treat。 His enthusiasm was
sincere and his criticism acute。 He was catholic。 He had not only a true
appreciation of the old masters； but sympathy with the moderns。 He was
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The Moon and Sixpence
quick to discover talent； and his praise was generous。 I think I have
never known a man whose judgment was surer。 And he was better
educated than most painters。 He was not； like most of them； ignorant of
kindred arts； and his taste for music and literature gave depth and variety
to his comprehension of painting。 To a young man like myself his advice
and guidance were of incomparable value。
When I left Rome I corresponded with him； and about once in two
months received from him long letters in queer English； which brought
before me vividly his spluttering； enthusiastic； gesticulating conversation。
Some time before I went to Paris he had married an Englishwoman； and
was now settled in a studio in Montmartre。 I had not seen him for four
years； and had never met his wife。
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The Moon and Sixpence
Chapter XIX
I had not announced my arrival to Stroeve； and when I rang the bell
of his studio； on opening the door himself； for a moment he did not know
