Луна и грош

Chapter XIX

           "Hewentovertoherandkissedbothherhands."Shedoesn’tlikehim.HowstrangethatyoushouldknowStrickland!"

           "Idon’tlikebadmanners,"saidMrs.Stroeve.

           Dirk,laughingstill,turnedtometoexplain.

           "Yousee,Iaskedhimtocomehereonedayandlookatmypictures.Well,hecame,andIshowedhimeverythingIhad."Stroevehesitatedamomentwithembarrassment.Idonotknowwhyhehadbegunthestoryagainsthimself;hefeltanawkwardnessatfinishingit."Helookedat—atmypictures,andhedidn’tsayanything.Ithoughthewasreservinghisjudgmenttilltheend.AndatlastIsaid:’There,that’sthelot!’Hesaid:’Icametoaskyoutolendmetwentyfrancs.’"

           "AndDirkactuallygaveithim,"saidhiswifeindignantly.

           "Iwassotakenaback.Ididn’tliketorefuse.Heputthemoneyinhispocket,justnodded,said’Thanks,’andwalkedout."

           DirkStroeve,tellingthestory,hadsuchalookofblankastonishmentonhisround,foolishfacethatitwasalmostimpossiblenottolaugh.

           "Ishouldn’thavemindedifhe’dsaidmypictureswerebad,buthesaidnothing—nothing."

           "Andyouwilltellthestory,Dirk,"Saidhiswife.

           ItwaslamentablethatonewasmoreamusedbytheridiculousfigurecutbytheDutchmanthanoutragedbyStrickland’sbrutaltreatmentofhim.

           "IhopeIshallneverseehimagain,"saidMrs.Stroeve.

           Stroevesmiledandshruggedhisshoulders.Hehadalreadyrecoveredhisgood-humour.

           "Thefactremainsthathe’sagreatartist,averygreatartist."

           "Strickland?"Iexclaimed."Itcan’tbethesameman."

           "Abigfellowwitharedbeard.

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