The Moon And Sixpence 12.6

He looked at mewith an astonishment that was certainly not feigned. The smile abandoned hislips, and he spoke quite seriously."But, mydear fellow, I don't care. It doesn't matter a twopenny damn to me one way orthe other. "I laughed."Oh, comenow; you mustn't think us such fools as all that. We happen to know that youcame away with a woman. "He gave alittle start, and then suddenly burst into a shout of laughter. He laughed souproariously that people sitting near us looked round, and some of them beganto laugh too."I don'tsee anything very amusing in that. ""Poor Amy," he grinned.Then his facegrew bitterly scornful."What poorminds women have got! Love. It's always love. They think a man leaves onlybecause he wants others. Do you think I should be such a fool as to do whatI've done for a woman?""Do youmean to say you didn't leave your wife for another woman?""Of coursenot. ""On yourword of honour?"I don't knowwhy I asked for that. It was very ingenuous of me."On myword of honour. ""Then,what in God's name have you left her for?""I want topaint. "I looked at himfor quite a long time. I did not understand. I thought he was mad. It must beremembered that I was very young, and I looked upon him as a middle-aged man. Iforgot everything but my own amazement.他非常惊讶地紧紧盯着我，显然不是在装假。笑容从他嘴角上消失了，他一本正经地说：“但是，亲爱的朋友，我才不管她怎么做呢。她同我离婚也好，不离婚也好，我都无所谓。”我笑了起来。“噢，算了吧！你别把我们当成那样的傻瓜了。我们凑巧知道你是同一个女人一起走的。”他愣了一下，但是马上就哈哈大笑起来。他笑得声音那么响，连坐在我们旁边的人都好奇地转过头来，甚至还有几个人也跟着笑起来。“我看不出这有什么可笑的。”“可怜的阿美，”他笑容未消地说。接着，他的面容一变而为鄙夷不屑的样子。“女人的脑子太可怜了！爱情。她们就知道爱情。她们认为如果男人离开了她们就是因为又有了新宠。你是不是认为我是这么一个傻瓜，还要再做一遍我已经为一个女人做过了的那些事？”“你是说你不是因为另外一个女人才离开你妻子？”“当然不是。”“你敢发誓？”我不知道为什么我这样要求他。我问这句话完全没有动脑子。“我发誓。”“那么你到底是为什么离开她的？”“我要画画儿。”我半天半天目不转睛地盯着他。我一点儿也不理解。我想这个人准是疯了。读者应该记住，我那时还很年轻，我把他看做是一个中年人。我除了感到自己的惊诧外什么都不记得了。

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