評論
打印
The writer is more concerned to know than to judge.
作家更關(guān)心的是了解人性，而不是判斷人性。
There was in my soul a perfectly genuine horror of Strickland, and side by side with it a cold curiosity to discover his motives. I was puzzled by him, and I was eager to see how he regarded the tragedy he had caused in the lives of people who had used him with so much kindness. I applied the scalpel boldly.
我的靈魂對思特里克蘭德確實(shí)感到恐怖，但與恐怖并存的還有一種叫我心寒的好奇心：我想尋找出他行為的動機(jī)。他使我困惑莫解，他對那些那么關(guān)懷他的人制造了一出悲劇，我很想知道他對自己一手制造的這出悲劇究竟抱什么態(tài)度。我大膽地?fù)]舞起手術(shù)刀來。
"Stroeve told me that picture you painted of his wife was the best thing you've ever done."
“施特略夫?qū)ξ艺f，你給他妻子畫的那幅畫是你的最好的作品。”
Strickland took his pipe out of his mouth, and a smile lit up his eyes.
思特里克蘭德把煙斗從嘴里拿出來，微笑使他的眼睛發(fā)出亮光。
"It was great fun to do."
“畫那幅畫我非常開心。”
"Why did you give it him?"
“為什么你要給他？”
"I'd finished it. It wasn't any good to me."
“我已經(jīng)畫完了。對我沒有用了。”
"Do you know that Stroeve nearly destroyed it?"
“你知道施特略夫差點(diǎn)兒把它毀掉嗎？”
"It wasn't altogether satisfactory."
“那幅畫一點(diǎn)兒也不令人滿意。”
He was quiet for a moment or two, then he took his pipe out of his mouth again, and chuckled.
他沉默了一會兒，接著又把煙斗從嘴里拿出來，呵呵地笑出聲來。
"Do you know that the little man came to see me?"
“你知道那個小胖子來找過我嗎？”他說。
"Weren't you rather touched by what he had to say?"
“他說的話沒有使你感動嗎？”
"No; I thought it damned silly and sentimental."
“沒有。我覺得他的話軟綿綿的非常傻氣。”
"I suppose it escaped your memory that you'd ruined his life?" I remarked.
“我想你大概忘了，是你把他的生活毀了的，”我說。
He rubbed his bearded chin reflectively.
他沉思地摩挲著自己長滿胡須的下巴。
"He's a very bad painter."
“他是個很蹩腳的畫家。”
"But a very good man."
“可是他是個很好的人。”
"And an excellent cook," Strickland added derisively.
“還是一個手藝高超的廚師，”思特里克蘭德嘲弄地加添了一句。
His callousness was inhuman, and in my indignation I was not inclined to mince my words.
他心腸冷酷到?jīng)]有人性的地步，我氣憤得要命，一點(diǎn)兒也不想給他留情面。
"As a mere matter of curiosity I wish you'd tell me, have you felt the smallest twinge of remorse for Blanche Stroeve's death?"
“我想你可以不可以告訴我——我問這個問題只是出于好奇——你對勃朗什·施特略夫的慘死良心上一點(diǎn)兒也不感到內(nèi)疚嗎？”
I watched his face for some change of expression, but it remained impassive.
我瞅著他的臉，看他的面容有沒有什么變化，但是他的臉仍然毫無表情。
