Chapter 2 chastity

Almost nothing can match the taste of a premium cigar.When I was young, I was very poor, and only once in a while someone gave me a cigarette to get over the addiction.I secretly made up my mind at that time that once I had money, I would smoke a cigar every day after lunch and dinner.Speaking of which, among the goals I set when I was young, this was the only thing that came true.And I am very pleased that this is the only thing I have dreamed of that has not been lost.I like cigars that are full-flavored but not too punchy, with a decent length of smoke.If the cigar is too short, the smoke will be exhausted before you taste the taste; if the cigar is too long, it will make you feel bored.The tightness of the cigar roll should also be just right.If it is too tight, it will take a lot of effort to suck it, and if it is too loose, at the end of the suction, there will be only a small piece of broken tobacco leaf left on the mouth.Only such a cigar, after smoking, you will have a feeling of unfinished.When you take the last puff, throw away the remaining cigarette butt, and look at the last wisp of smoke that is gradually disappearing in the surrounding air, if you are a sentimental person, think of condensing in your half-hour satisfaction You must feel a sense of sentimentality that all the toil, care, and pain, and the complicated organization and problems that were necessary to produce it, have now vanished with the cigar.For a person like me who has been sweating under the scorching tropical sun all year round and traveled the seven seas by boat, drinking half a bottle of dry white wine and eating a dozen oysters makes this sentiment even more intense.Swap the oysters for lamb chops, and the sentimentality is overwhelming.Because sheep is an animal.You can't help but think, since there are living things on the surface of the earth, and after hundreds of millions of years of changes, the result of countless generations of animals is that they are finally cut into strips of meat and stacked on a plate with crushed ice at the bottom , or place on a silver grill.Perhaps having an oyster in your mouth hardly conjures up such utterly serious associations.We know from our knowledge of biological evolution that the bivalves have hardly changed over millions of years, making it difficult to command human sympathy.The detachment with which such a creature lives on the earth is nothing short of an affront to our human enterprise; the creature lies there so complacently that our pompous human beings are disgusted.But if there is a plate of lamb chops in front of you, I am afraid that everyone will be inspired to infinite reverie.In the evolutionary history of animals like sheep, we can be seen everywhere. Our gentle sip at the dinner table is inseparable from this animal.

When you think about it sometimes, even our human destiny is just as elusive.Looking at the ordinary people around us, whether they are bank clerks, cleaners or middle-aged girls standing in the second row of the choir, we will have a sense of curiosity.We can't help thinking, how did human beings start from the original plasma of life, go through long historical changes and evolution of life, and after countless long catastrophic events, how did they become what they are now?When such great vicissitudes and vicissitudes have created our current human beings, you can't help but think that there must be some kind of great meaning attached to these people.You must think that whatever difficulties these people had in their lives were trivial compared to the spirit of life or the things that made their lives.The train of thought was suddenly interrupted.While thinking about the origin of the world, you suddenly think of something else, and there seems to be no connection between the two.This is simply an idiot telling a story!If it weren't for the strangeness of this matter and the dramatic plot, who would listen to me talking about these trivial things here?

No one could have expected that a small event that might not have happened had major consequences.Everything seems to depend on chance.One of our smallest actions may have a major impact on the lives of others who have nothing to do with us.If I hadn't walked across the street one day, the story I'm about to tell would never have happened.Life is really absurd sometimes, and only a person with a special sense of humor can taste the fun. I was wandering around Bond Street one spring morning.At noon, I suddenly remembered that I should go to Sotheby's auction house to see if there was anything I was interested in auctioning.There's a traffic jam on the street right now, and I'm walking through the traffic to the other side of the street when I bump into a man I knew in Borneo.He had just walked out of a cloakroom.

"Hello, Morton," I greeted him, "when did you get home?" "I've been back to China for about a week." He is a Home Affairs Commissioner.The Governor of British North Borneo wrote me a letter of introduction to him.I wrote to him and said I was going to stay with him for a week.I said I planned to stay in a guest house run by the government.When I got there by boat, he picked me up on the boat and asked me to stay with him during this time.I disagree with his arrangement.I can't spend a week with a complete stranger, and I don't want him to pay for me.In addition, I think it will be more free to live in a hostel by myself.But he didn't listen to my explanation.

“I have a lot of rooms in my place,” he said, “and the hostel is in terrible condition. Also, I haven’t spoken to a white person in six months. I’m sick of the people around me.” When Morton and I disembarked in the motorboat and returned to his bungalow, he bought me a drink.Facing me as a guest, he was a little at a loss.He suddenly felt a little embarrassed, and his tone of voice was unnatural.I can only try to create a relaxed atmosphere and make him relax (but this is his own home, and I shouldn't be doing this in the first place).I asked him if he had any new records, and he turned on the gramophone, and the ragtime tunes began to play, and he regained his confidence.

The living room of his residence is set on a large balcony overlooking the meandering river.The furnishings in the living room are very dull, befitting the homeowner's identity as a government official who often changes places of work.Decorations hang on the walls, including various hats worn by the locals, as well as animal horns, blowpipes and spears; bookshelves hold detective novels and old magazines.There is also a baby upright piano in the living room, and the keys have turned yellow.Although the living room was very messy, it was comfortable to stay in. Unfortunately, I forgot what he looked like at the time.He was very young, I later learned that he was only twenty-eight at the time.He's kind of like a big boy, and he has a charming smile.I spent a week with him and it was a pleasure.We went to the upper and lower reaches of the big river together, and went climbing together.One day we also had lunch with some plantation owners.The planters lived two miles from here.We also go to the club every night.The only members of the club were the manager and his assistant of a local tannin factory.But they have a close relationship and rarely communicate with outsiders.It was only after Morton protested, saying "I've brought guests and you can't disgrace me" that they agreed to play a game of bridge with us, but the atmosphere was not friendly.We went back to the house from the club, had dinner, listened to music, and then went to bed.Morton rarely works in the office.You would think that his life must be dull, but he is full of energy and high spirits all day long.It was his first time in this type of role and he was happy to be able to do a job on his own.His only anxiety was that he would be transferred elsewhere before the road he oversaw was completed.He loves this job from the bottom of his heart.It was he who proposed the construction of this road, and then coaxed the authorities to pay for it and let him supervise the construction of the road.He surveyed and surveyed and mapped himself, and solved the technical problems in the construction alone.Before going to the office every morning, he would drive the old Ford that was falling apart to the construction site to check the progress of the previous day's construction.There was only one thing in his mind, and he even dreamed about this road at night.He predicts the road will be finished within a year, and he doesn't want to be transferred until it's done.No painter or sculptor could create a work of art with as much enthusiasm as he does now.I think it was his enthusiasm that made me like him.I like his enthusiasm for his work and his sincerity and simplicity.He had lost himself in the work he was doing, and was indifferent to his solitary life, to his promotion, or even to his return home.I forgot how long it was, maybe fifteen or twenty miles; I forgot what it was for, and I don't think Morton cared much for what it was for.He is concentrating on his work like an artist completing a work of art. He completes this work with the purpose of conquering nature, and in the process he acquires knowledge.He had to deal with tropical rainforests, where weeks of construction could be washed away in torrential downpours, and road surveys were problematic.He is responsible for recruiting and organizing the construction team, and he also faces the problem of shortage of funds.He sustains himself with his imagination.His work is like a grand epic, and the ups and downs in his work are like a heroic legend with countless plots.

The only thing he complained about was that the days were too short.During the day he has official duties.He was a judge, a tax-collector; and when he was twenty-eight years old he was godfather and godmother of the parish to which he belonged, and he had to visit from time to time.Unless he is watching the construction site, those laborers who are dedicated to foreign work will not work at all.He wished he could be on the construction site twenty-four hours a day.It so happened that soon after my arrival there happened an incident which greatly pleased him.He had offered to subcontract a section of the road to a Chinese, but the contractor charged too much and exceeded Morton's budget.After lengthy haggling, they were unable to reach a compromise.Seeing that the progress of the road construction could not be completed, Morton was furious, but there was nothing he could do.However, when he came to the office one morning, he heard that there had been a fight in a casino run by a Chinese last night.A Chinese coolie was seriously injured in the fight, and the perpetrator has been arrested.The injured person was the contractor.The contractor was brought to court, the evidence was overwhelming, and Morton punished him with eight months of hard labor.

"Now he has to fix the damn road, and he's not getting any money." Morton's eyes sparkled as he told me the story. One morning we saw this guy at work.Dressed in the sarong worn by prisoners, he worked indifferently.He accepted his unfortunate fate with equanimity. "I told him I would pardon him for the rest of his sentence if the road was completed sooner," Morton said. "He was so arrogant that he said no. It's not a small thing to me, is it?" When I said goodbye to Morton, I asked him to contact me as soon as he got back to the UK.The first thing he did after he promised to return home was to write to me.One person may make this type of invitation on the spur of the moment, while another may be completely sincere about it.But if one person does take it seriously, the other is somewhat taken aback.People often return home completely differently than when they were overseas.When overseas they are peaceful, natural and friendly.They will have a lot of interesting things to tell you, and they will be very friendly to you.You will be very eager to do something to show your appreciation for the hospitality.But it's hard to really pay back.Some people are great hosts who make guests feel at home.But they can be boring guests.They can appear nervous and shy.When you introduce them to your friends, your friends will think they are boring.Your friends will try to be polite.But when the strangers were gone, the friends felt much more at ease, and the conversation returned to its usual relaxed vibe.I think people who are working early and living in remote areas feel it a little bit more, because what they get out of it is bitterness and humiliation.So I found that those who lived on the edge of the forest and worked in branches far from the headquarters rarely accepted invitations from others.Although these invitations were very sincere, and they themselves accepted the invitation very sincerely in the first place, they still would not keep their promises.But Morton was different. He was a young bachelor.Often the wives of these men have a harder time socializing.The other women only had to glance at their unfashionable clothes and look to tell they were provincials, and then put them aside with indifference.And a man can play bridge, play tennis, and dance.Morton has a charming temperament, and I have no doubt that he will be able to acclimatize to such surroundings after a day or two.

"Why didn't you tell me when you returned home?" I asked him. "I think you might not want me to disturb you." He smiled. "You're really talking nonsense." We stood there on the curb in Bond Street talking for a while, and of course it seemed to me that he had changed a lot.When I was there, he never wore anything but khaki shorts or tennis shirts, and the only time he would change into a pajamas top and a Malay shirt at night when we got back to the house from the club. Wearing an apron to dinner.This attire is arguably the most comfortable evening attire ever invented by man.Now he is wearing a blue serge suit, which looks a bit restrained.Against the backdrop of the white shirt collar, his face looked even darker.

"How's the road going?" I asked. "It's finished. I was worried that the project would not be completed on time, which would delay my trip back home. I encountered one or two obstacles when it was almost finished, but I urged them to rush forward. I drove that Ford car the day before returning home He ran from the beginning to the end of this road without stopping all the way." I laughed.His happy look is charming. "What have you been up to since you got back to London?" "buying clothes." "How's the time?" "Excellent. I'm kind of lonely, you know. But I don't mind. I go to a movie every night. The Palmers are going back to London. I thought you met in Sarawak They. We're going to have some fun. But they're going back to Scotland first, because Mrs. Palmer's mother is ill."

Although his words were an understatement, they hit my sore spot.People like them all have such a common experience.The experience is heartbreaking to think about.With months to go before returning home, they start making plans for their return home; when they step off the ship and set foot on London soil, they can't contain their excitement.London!It is full of shops, clubs, theaters and restaurants.London!They are going to live here.London!They are about to drown in it.London was to them a strange and chaotic city, not hostile but full of indifference, and they were about to lose themselves in it.They have no friends here, they have nothing in common with their acquaintances here.They are more alone here than in the jungle.If at the theater they ran into an acquaintance they knew in the East, they were very happy (perhaps not, and even bored with them).They might make an appointment to meet one evening, laugh and laugh about their happy times together, talk about mutual friends, and finally reveal a little secret about their time.Of course, they won't regret it later.When they want to break up, they will also agree on the time to meet next time.They would visit each other's homes and of course it was nice to see their families again.But today is not what it used to be, the environment is different.They can feel a bit like an outsider.They finally realized that life in London is so lifeless.It was indeed very happy to go back to China, but now they find life here a bit unbearable.Sometimes you miss your bungalow overlooking the river and your life as a tourist there.What a joy to visit Sandakan, Kuching or Singapore under the blue moonlight. I remembered the expectations Morton poured out on me at the time.He said at the time that he would take leave to return home once the road was completed.Now he was back in London, but he was sitting desolately alone at dinner in a club with no acquaintances, or alone in a restaurant in Soho, going to a movie after dinner.He watched the movie by himself, and no one even accompanied him for a drink between screenings.Thinking of this, there was a sharp pain in my heart.At the same time it occurred to me that even if I knew he was back in London, I couldn't be of much help.I was so busy last week that I didn't have any time.Just the night before I was going abroad, I was still having dinner and watching a movie with my friends. "How did you arrange tonight?" I asked him. "I'm going to eat at the Brighton Hotel. It's always packed and it's hard to get a table. But there's a very capable guy down the road who booked me a table. Someone else turned me down, of course. You know, even if it's hard to get two seats back, it's not hard to get one seat back." "You can come and dine with me tonight. I'm going to dine with some friends at the Haymarket tonight. After dinner we're going to play at the Sirlods Club." "OK." We agreed to meet at eleven o'clock.Then I broke up with him to go on a date. I'm a little worried that the friends I'm having dinner with tonight might upset Morton.But I really can't think of another young person I can catch emergency at this time of year.I can't think of any girl I know who is willing to agree to dinner and dance with a shy young man from Malaya.But I'm sure the Bishops will do what they can to help him.Anyway, he must be very happy to have a few people to accompany him to dinner in a club, where he can watch beautiful women dance.It was better than going home and going to bed at eleven o'clock in the morning by himself.Because he has nowhere else to go.I've known Charlie Bishop since I was a medical student.He was thin and small then, with light brown hair and plain features.Although he has a pair of beautiful black and bright eyes, he wears a pair of glasses.His round, red face was always cheerful.He is very fond of beautiful women.I think they have no money, no friends and relatives to accompany them, which is a good match in some places.He can always manage to gather a group of young people to travel with him to various places.He is intelligent, but rather conceited, argumentative, and quick-tempered.He always spoke with a sarcastic taste.Looking back, I daresay he was a not-so-good young man at the time, but he wasn't annoying.He was about fifty-five now, with a big bald head and a plump build, but his eyes were still alert and alive under the gold-rimmed glasses.He was still assertive, even pompous; still argumentative and sarcastic; but he was good-natured and humorous.When such a person has become your old friend, his habits will not annoy you any more.You can tolerate his faults just as you can tolerate your own physical defects.He is a pathologist.He often sends me his just-published, thin book.The content of the book is very professional, with a large number of bacterial photos for illustrations.I haven't read any of these books.I learned from hearsay that Charlie's academic views were wrong.I think he doesn't get on well with his peers either.He made no secret of his opinion of his peers, who he regarded as incompetent fools.But he has been working as a pathologist, which earns him between £600 and £800 a year.I think he doesn't care at all what other people think of him. I like Charlie Bishop because I've known him for thirty years, but I also like his wife, Margerie, because she's a wonderful person.I was very surprised when he told me he was getting married.At that time, he was in his early forties, and he was not specific in his use of emotions.So I concluded at the time that he was probably going to be a bachelor for the rest of his life.He liked women very much, but he was not at all emotionally involved.Nor did he particularly care what type of woman he wanted.His comments about women would be considered vulgar in today's idealistic world.He knows what he needs, as long as the needs of the body are met.If a woman wanted love or money from him, he would just shrug his shoulders and walk away.In short, he doesn't need a woman to satisfy his spiritual ideal, as long as he can have an affair with him.Although he was thin, small and plain-looking, it was strange how many women were willing to let him have his way.As for his spiritual needs, he can get satisfaction from the single-celled body.He's a guy who always gets right to the point.When he told me he was going to marry a young woman named Margerie Hobson, I asked him why.He grinned. "There are three reasons," he said, "first, she won't sleep with me unless I marry her; second, she makes me happy and makes me laugh until my stomach hurts; Without a loved one, someone has to take care of her." "The first reason is that you are showing off, the second reason is empty words, and the third reason is the real reason. It seems that you are completely at her mercy." His eyes shone brightly under a pair of large glasses, but they were soft. "You guy, you can see through everything at a glance." "Now you are not only obedient to her, but also proud of it." "Come over for lunch tomorrow and get to know her. She's not ugly." Charlie is a member of an unisex club.I used to go to this club a lot then.We agreed to have dinner at this club tomorrow.I found Margerie to be a very attractive young woman.She was almost thirty at that time, and she was very cultivated.This made me happy, but also kind of surprised.Because Charlie is usually only interested in less well-bred women, that doesn't escape me.She wasn't very good-looking, but she was pretty, with pretty black hair and pretty eyes.Fair complexion, looks healthy.She speaks very candidly and is very comfortable to hear.She seemed like an honest, simple, trustworthy person.I liked her immediately.It was easy to talk to her, and although she didn't say anything fancy, she was understanding.She can immediately understand the ridiculousness of the jokes told by others, and she is also a hearty person.She comes across as competent and pragmatic.Her gaiety and peace speak of a good temper and a high level of understanding. The two of them seem very happy with each other.When I first met her, I asked myself: Why did Margery marry such a short-tempered little man?Not only has he started to bald, but he's not getting any younger either.But I soon discovered that the answer was that she loved this man.They often teased each other and laughed; their eyes sometimes met with meaning, as if they were conveying a message that only they could understand.This is really touching. A week later, they went through the marriage formalities at a marriage registration office.This marriage is very happy.Looking back now, sixteen years later, I can't help sniggering sympathetically at the thought of the play that bound them together.They are very affectionate, and although they are not always financially well off, they enjoy themselves happily.They don't have big aspirations, and life to them is like a never-ending picnic.They lived in an apartment on Pantone Avenue, the smallest apartment I have ever seen, including a small bedroom, a small living room, and a bathroom.But they have no sense of home.They usually only eat breakfast in the apartment and go to the restaurant for dinner.It's just a place for them to sleep.Their little home was comfortably furnished, though it got a little cramped when a visitor had a whiskey and soda.Margery hired a cleaning lady who was paid by the day to clean the room very neatly.It's just that Charlie is used to being sloppy, and he feels a little uncomfortable with it.Almost all indoor facilities are shared by two people.They also had a miniature car in which they would get in and travel across the Continent whenever Charlie was on vacation.Each person can put all their luggage in a big bag, and go wherever they want.They never bothered if the car broke down on the road.Bad weather is considered a happy thing; even if a tire blows out, they just treat it as another joke.If they got lost and had to spend the night in the open, they both considered it the happiest day of their life. Charlie is still argumentative and short-tempered.But Ma Geli can always maintain a peaceful attitude.One word from her can calm him down, and a few more words can make him laugh.She typed for his paper on little-known bacteria, scouting scientific journals.Once I asked them if they had quarreled. "No," she answered, "we never seem to have any quarrel. Charlie has a very good temper." "Bullshit," I retorted, "he's a brutal, aggressive, curmudgeon, as he always has been." She looked at her husband and giggled.I understand she thinks I'm joking. "He's talking nonsense," said Charlie, "and he's such a fool that he doesn't even know what he's talking about." They are very sweet when they are together and really enjoy each other's company.Whenever possible, they try to stay together.Even though they have been married for a long time, Charlie drives to the west of the city every day at noon to have dinner with Margerie in a restaurant.If someone invited them to spend a weekend in the country, Margery would write to the hostess asking if a double bed could be prepared for them.If it worked, they would gladly accept the invitation.They are often well-meaningly teased for it, but the voice can be a little weird.They have slept together for so many years, but they still can't sleep separately.The average person might be a little embarrassed by this.Generally speaking, not only do husbands and wives sleep in their own bedrooms, but if they are asked to share a bathroom, they will probably not be happy.Nowadays, most people's bedrooms are single rooms, but if you want to invite the Bishops to your house for a temporary stay, you must prepare a room with a double bed.This is already well known in their circle of friends.Of course, some people think that it is inappropriate for them to do so, but it is not troublesome to meet their request.Plus they're both likable as a couple, and it's worth the eccentricity.Charlie was always in high spirits, and had a sarcastic, very funny voice.Margerie is demure and easy-going.It was a joy to have them both as guests.But for them there was nothing more agreeable than a walk in the country together, and they often went a long way. After a man marries, sooner or later he alienates his old friends.But Margery was the opposite.Instead, she brought Charlie closer to his friend.Not only did she make him more tolerant of others, she made him a more gregarious person.What makes people laugh is that they don't look like a married couple, but rather a pair of middle-aged bachelors living together.Usually it was half a dozen men arguing and joking, making dirty jokes, and only Margerie, a woman, was with them.Instead of making them feel constrained, her presence made them happier.As soon as I'm back in the UK I'll definitely be visiting them both.They generally eat at the clubs I mentioned earlier.If I am free, I will dine with them. I had snacks with the couple that night, and then we were going to play together for a while.I told them both that I had invited Morton over for dinner. "He might be a bit of a dull guy," I explained, "but he's a very decent fellow. He treated me very well when I was in Borneo." "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" cried Margerie, "otherwise I would have brought a girl." "What are you looking for a girl for? You're not here." "I don't think a guy would be very happy to let a woman my age dance with him," Margery said. "Nonsense! What does age have to do with dancing!" Charlie said, turning to me. "Is there any woman you've ever danced with who is a better dancer?" The answer is of course yes.But she does dance really well.Her dance steps are very light and her rhythm is very well grasped. "Never." I said sincerely. When the three of us arrived at the Schloss Club, Morton was there waiting for us.He was wearing an evening dress, which made his complexion darker.Maybe it's because I know that these suits have been lying in a metal box for four years with the hygienic ball, I always feel that he is a bit unnatural in a suit.He must have felt more at ease in short khakis and shorts. Charlie Bishop is a talkative person and likes to be alone.Morton, on the other hand, was somewhat shy.I ordered him a cocktail and some champagne.I have a feeling he might want to dance, but I don't know if it occurred to him to ask Margerie to dance.I deeply felt the generation gap between us. "I think I should tell you that Mrs. Bishop is a good dancer." "Really?" His face flushed a little, "Can I ask you to dance?" She stood up and they started dancing.Her outfit that night looked not only stylish, but beautiful.I reckon her plain black dress is worth no more than six guineas, but it makes her look like a lady.She had very nicely shaped legs, and she benefited from very short skirts, which were fashionable at the time.I guess she has a little makeup on, but it looks very natural compared to other women.She has a short hairstyle, and her hair is black and shiny, without a single gray hair mixed in.This hairstyle suits her very well.Her appearance is not beautiful, but her friendly attitude towards people, her energetic demeanor, and her healthy body all give you a feeling that she is a beautiful woman.At least you'll also think it doesn't matter if she's pretty or not.When she returned to her seat from the dance, her eyes sparkled and her face was flushed. "How does he dance?" asked her husband. "great." "You dance very well, too, and it's easy to work with you," Morton said. Charlie resumed his spouting speech.He spoke with sarcasm and humor, and what made him amusing was that he was first captivated by his own words.But Morton knew nothing of what he said.Although Morton put on an air of polite interest, I could see that he was thrilled by the convivial atmosphere, paying more attention to the music and champagne than to the conversation.When the dance music sounded again, he immediately looked at Margery inquiringly.Charlie saw what he meant and smiled. "Dance with him again, Margery. Dancing is good exercise, and I'd love you to." They went dancing again.Charlie gave her a loving look. "Margerie is very happy today. She likes to dance very much, but I can't breathe when I dance with her. The chap is nice." My little party was a success.When Morton and I said goodbye to the Bishops, we walked together to Piccadilly Circus.On the way he thanked me very sincerely.He said he really enjoyed the party.I waved him goodbye.The next morning, I left the country. I regret that I couldn't have been more helpful to Morton.I knew he might be on his way back to Borneo by the time I got back to England.I think of him from time to time.But when I returned to England in the autumn, I had forgotten him.About a week or so after I was back in London, I chanced one evening to hang out at the club of which Charlie Bishop was a member, and saw him sitting at a table with three or four men, and these I do know the person, so I go forward.I haven't seen these people since I came back this time.One of them was Bill Marsh, whose wife Janet was an old friend of mine.He invited me for a drink. "Where have you been?" Charlie asked, "I haven't seen you lately." I noticed right away that Charlie was drunk.I was very surprised.Charlie likes to drink, but he is very measured and never drinks too much.时光荏苒，我俩都很年轻的时候，他偶尔也喝醉过。也许这件事最能说明他的伟大，而把他年轻时偶尔喝过量的事翻出来不大公平。但在我的记忆中，查理只要喝醉了就会丑态百出。他会显得更加盛气凌人。他的话也更多了，说话的声音也更大了，他会更爱吵架了。他现在就是这样，说话武断，指手画脚，鲁莽地就下了结论，听不得他人的不同意见。其他人知道他喝醉了，一方面对他无理搅三分的劲儿感到生气，一方面又觉得他既然喝醉了，就不要与他计较了。他是一个很难相处的家伙。他这么大岁数了，有点儿发福，还秃了顶，戴着一副眼镜，却醉得一塌糊涂。正常的时候他都是衣冠楚楚，但现在却是衣衫凌乱，全身沾满了烟灰。查理叫服务生过来，又要了一杯威士忌。这个服务生已经在这家俱乐部工作了三十年。 “您桌上还有一杯呢，先生。” “让你干啥你就干啥，”查理·毕肖普说道，“马上给我拿两杯威士忌来，否则我就要投诉你怠慢客人。” “好吧，先生。” 查理端起桌上的那杯威士忌，一饮而尽。但他的手有些颤抖，因此有一些酒洒落到身上。 “好了，查理，老伙计，咱们该走了。”比尔·马什说道。然后他转身对我说：“查理今天来这里的时间不长。” 这就更奇怪了。我感到有什么事不对劲，但最好还是什么都不说。 “我这就走，”查理说道，“但我走之前要再喝一杯。这样我今晚就能睡个好觉了。” 在我看来这个聚会没有马上散伙的意思，因此我站了起来，说我要走着回家了。 “我说，”看我要走，比尔说道，“明天晚上你过来跟我们一起吃饭，好不好？就我、珍妮特和查理三个人。” “好的，我很高兴过来。”我答应道。 肯定是有什么事了。 马什夫妇住在摄政公园东侧的一排住房内。为我开门的女佣将我让进马什先生的书房。他正在那里等我。 “我想在你上楼前最后还是与你唠几句，”他一面与我握手一面说道，“你知道马热丽把查理给甩了吗？” “是吗？不知道啊。” “他对这始终不能释怀。珍妮特认为让他自己一个人待在那套凌乱的小公寓内太残酷了，因此我俩邀请他到我们这里住一段时间。我们尽可能地安抚他。他这段时间喝酒没个够。他失眠有两个星期的时间了。” “她不会永远离开他吧？” 我感到非常震惊。 “她是要这样。为了一个叫莫顿的家伙，她简直疯了。” “莫顿？哪个莫顿？” 我压根儿也没有想到他可能是我在婆罗洲认识的那个朋友。 “该死，还问呢。是你介绍的他。看你做的这件好事吧。现在咱俩上楼去。我想最好还是让你先明白一下自己的处境。” 他推开门，我俩走出书房。我心里七上八下的。 “但你给我解释解释。”我说。 “去听珍妮特解释好了。她了解事情的前后经过。这件事真让我莫名其妙。马热丽干的这件事让我无法容忍。他这下肯定垮了。” 他引着我走进客厅。我进屋后，珍妮特·马什站起身，走上前来欢迎我。查理正坐在窗前，读着晚报。看到我走到身边，他把报纸放到一边，同我握握手。他十分清醒，说话依然是那种快活的语气。但我注意到他看起来状态很差。我们喝了一杯雪利酒，然后走下楼去吃饭。珍妮特是个精力十足的女人。她个子高挑，容貌姣好。她机警地使谈话持续进行下去。当我们几个男人要去喝杯葡萄酒的时候，她命令我们不许超过十分钟。比尔平时是一个沉默寡言的人，现在却要千方百计找话说。我恍然大悟。我刚才光想着到底出了什么事，却没有意会到他们夫妇的苦心。显然，马什夫妇是不想让查理陷入到沉思中去，因此，我尽力说些有趣的事，查理似乎也愿意尽量配合我们。他总是喜欢滔滔不绝地说个没完。现在，他又站在一个病理学家的角度，开始分析最近发生的一起谋杀案。这起案件已经开始引起公众的注意。但他的话听起来干巴巴的。看来他现在干什么都没有心思了。你会感觉到他为了回应主人的好意而强迫自己说话，但他的心思在别的地方。这时头顶上的地板跺响了，这是珍妮特不耐烦的信号，我们大家都感到如释重负。这种场合最需要一个女人来缓解气氛了。我们走上楼去，一起打了会儿桥牌。时间很晚了。当我要与他们告别的时候，查理说他要送我一程，可以一直走到马里波恩路尽头。 “查理，现在太晚了，你最好还是上床睡觉吧。”珍妮特说道。 “我睡觉前散散步，这样能睡得实一些。”他回答道。 她有些担心地瞅瞅他。但一个年岁已到中年的病理学教授要出去走走，你是拦不住的。她眼睛一亮，瞅了一眼她丈夫。 “我想比尔也该去散散步。” 我想这句话不大明智。女人们往往有点儿过于独断专行了。查理不高兴地瞅了她一眼。 “完全不需要比尔跟我们出去。”他口气坚决地说道。 “我一点儿也不想出去。”比尔笑着说道，“我累坏了，要上床睡觉了。” 我想，我俩出去后，比尔·马什跟他妻子一定会拌几句嘴。 当我俩沿着栅栏向前走去的时候，查理对我说：“他们两口子对我太好了。如果没有他们，我真不知道自己会干些什么蠢事。有两个星期我都没有合眼。” 我对此表示遗憾，但并没有询问原因。我俩就这样静静地走了一段路。我猜他和我一起出来是想要告诉我这件事的来龙去脉。但我感到他并不急于讲述。我急着要表达我的同情，但又担心说错了地方。我不想让自己表现得似乎要急于使查理失去自信。我不知道该怎样引导他说这件事。我相信他也不需要别人去引导。他不是一个说话拐弯抹角的人。我想他是在考虑怎么说才好。我们走到了街道的拐角处。 “你可以在前面的教堂打到出租车，”他说，“我再溜达一会儿。晚安。” 他点点头，然后没精打采地走了。我简直是惊呆了。我无可奈何，只能继续向前走，直到打了一辆出租车。第二天早上我正洗澡呢，电话铃声响了起来。我在身上裹了一条毛巾，就浑身湿漉漉地跑出来接电话。电话是珍妮特打来的。 “喂，你对这一切怎么看？”她问道，“昨晚你跟查理一起待了很长时间啊。我听说他回家的时候已经是凌晨三点了。” “他在马里波恩大街就跟我分手了，”我回答道，“他什么也没跟我说。” "yes?" 珍妮特的语气中透露出她想要跟我长唠一阵。我猜她是在用床边的电话。 “我正在洗澡呢。”我赶紧说。 “哦，你在洗澡间安了一部电话？”她热情地问道。 “没有。”我赶快而坚决地回答，心里有几分不快，“我把地毯都弄湿了。” “哦！”我感到她的语气中有些失望，还有一点儿不高兴，“好吧，什么时候我可以见你？你能在十二点的时候来一趟吗？” 这个时间不太方便，但我不打算跟她争辩了。 “可以，再见。” 我不容她再说什么就把电话挂断了。天堂里的人们打电话时肯定也是一句废话也没有。 我很挺喜欢珍妮特。但我知道一旦她的哪个朋友遇到了不幸的事，她是最感兴奋了。她是真为这些朋友着急，真心实意地想要帮助他们。但她总要深深地卷入这些事情里面。她是一个人在逆境中的朋友。她愿意卷入别人遇上的麻烦事，乐此不疲。只要有谁的伴侣出了一桩风流韵事，她就肯定会来对你表示同情，并成为你的知己；谁家要是闹离婚，她肯定也会在里面插一手。而她同时又是一个很不错的女人。第二天中午，珍妮特将我让进客厅。看着她急不可耐的样子，我禁不住偷偷乐了。她对毕肖普的不幸极为不安，但这件事很刺激，如果能遇上一个人，她能把这件事的前前后后都告许他，她会乐死了。珍妮特期待这场谈话，就像一个母亲期待与家庭医生讨论她已婚女儿的第一次月子一样。珍妮特知道这件事很严重，她也不可能轻看这件事。她打定主意要从这件事中挖掘出所有的快乐。 “我想，当马热丽告诉我，她已经打定主意要与查理分手时，没有谁比我更感震惊了。”她非常流利地说道。一个人只有一字不落地把这句话至少说上十来遍，才能达到这种流利程度。“他俩是我所认识的人中关系最密切的一对了。他们一见如故，缔结了一桩完美的婚姻。当然，比尔和我的关系很不错，但我俩也要不时地大吵一顿。我想，我有时真想杀了他。” “我对你与比尔的关系一点儿兴趣都没有，”我说道，“跟我说说毕肖普夫妇的关系吧。我过来就是想听这个的。” “我就是感觉要见见你。你是唯一能把这件事解释清楚的人。” “哦，上帝，千万别这么说。如果不是前天晚上比尔告诉我，我对这件事一无所知。” “是我让他先告诉你的。我突然想到你也许还不知道这件事，我担心你冒冒失失地说错话。” “你就从头说起吧。”我说道。 “好吧，就从你开始吧。不管怎么说，你是这场麻烦的始作俑者。你向他俩介绍了这个年轻人。这也是我为什么急着见你的原因。你非常了解这个人，而我从来没有见过他。我对他的所有了解也就是马热丽告诉我的那些话。” “你几点吃午饭？”我问道。 “一点半。” “我也是在这个时间吃午饭。接着讲这个故事吧。” 但我的话使珍妮特有了一个主意。 “听我说，你把你订的午餐退掉，我也退掉。咱俩可以在这里吃点儿便餐。我这里还有一些冷盘肉，这样咱俩就不用着急了。我三点钟去做头发，这样我们就有的是时间了。” “别，别，别。”我连忙拒绝，“我不同意这个主意。我至多只能待到一点二十分。” “那我就只能简单说了。你认为格里这个人怎么样？” “谁是格里？” “格里·莫顿。他的名字叫杰拉尔德。” “这我哪知道？” “你跟他在一起待过。他的住处没有什么信件吗？” “可能有，但我不可能碰巧去读这些信。”我回答的语气有些辛辣。 “别说这样的蠢话了。我指的是信封。他是一个什么样的人？” “好吧。他有点儿像吉卜林。你知道这个类型的人是什么样。他工作非常卖力，为人真诚，是为大英帝国扩张疆土立下汗马功劳的人。” “我说的不是这个意思。”珍妮特有点儿不耐烦了，大声说道，“我是说，他长得怎么样？” “我想，他长得很普通。当然，如果我再次见到他，我还能认出他来。但我无法把他非常清晰地描绘出来。他看起来很干净。” “哦，上帝，”珍妮特喊道，“你还是不是一个小说家了？他的眼睛是什么颜色的？” “这我不知道。” “你肯定知道。你跟任何一个人在一起待上一个星期，都不可能不知道他的眼睛是蓝色还是棕色。他的皮肤是黑还是白？” “既不太黑，也不太白。” “他的个子是高还是矮？” “我想应该算中等个吧。” “你故意想惹我发火吗？” “绝对不敢。他确实就是一个普通人。他身上没有任何地方能引起你的注意。他长得既不丑，也算不上英俊。他看起来很正派，像是个绅士。” “马热丽说他长得很可爱，笑起来很迷人。” "Probably so." “他疯狂地爱上了她。” “你是怎么得出这个结论的？”我冷淡地问道。 “我看过他写的信了。” “你是说她把他写的信都给你看了？” “这有什么奇怪吗？当然是了。” 对于一个男人来讲，他们对女人们将他们的隐私泄露给他人总是感到难以保持克制。这些女人真是不知廉耻。她们可以在一起谈论男女间最私密的事情而丝毫不感到尴尬。庄重是男性特有的美德。一个男人虽然知道这一点，但每逢女人们做出缺乏矜持之事的时候，他还是感到极为震惊。莫顿的信件不仅是被马热丽读了，珍妮特·马什也跟着读了，而且马热丽把他迷恋于她的状况也逐日随时告知了珍妮特。根据珍妮特的描述，他对马热丽是一见钟情。自打他俩在席罗兹俱乐部我的那个小型晚餐聚会上相识后，第二天早上他就给她打电话，邀请她过来，找一个能跳舞的地方跟他一起吃早点。我一边听着珍妮特的故事，一边想，她的叙述显然是根据马热丽的描述而来。我决定不带偏见地听下去。让我感到有趣的是，珍妮特同情的一方是马热丽。当马热丽抛弃了她的丈夫后，是珍妮特出主意让查理跟他们在一起住两三个星期，免得他孤零零地待在那个小公寓内，一个人伤神。珍妮特对他照顾得也确实非常到位。她几乎每天都陪查理吃午饭，因为他已经习惯了每天都与马热丽一起吃午饭。她每天都陪他到摄政公园去散步，让比尔在周日陪他打高尔夫球。她非常耐心地听他讲自己不幸的故事，尽其可能给他抚慰。她为他感到非常难过。尽管如此，她显然是站在马热丽一边。当我表示不赞成她这样的做法时，她气势汹汹地申斥我。这件事让她非常兴奋。她从一开始就参与到这件事中。开始时，马热丽面有得色，又犹疑不决地到她这里，微笑着告诉她，自己有了一个相好的年轻人；直到最后，马热丽怒气冲冲又心神不宁地来到她这里，宣布自己再也无法忍受了，已经带着自己的行李离开了公寓。 “当然，起初我也无法相信自己的耳朵。”她解释道，“你非常了解查理与马热丽。他俩简直就是形影不离。他俩的关系这样亲密，别人禁不住都要笑话他们了。他这样一个矮小的男人，我从来都不认为有什么吸引力。但我无法不喜欢他，因为他对马热丽太好了。我有时甚至有些嫉妒她。他们没有钱，住的地方也是一片混乱。但他俩非常快活。当然，我从没想过他俩的关系会出现问题。马热丽也只是把这当作一件有趣的事而已。她对我说：'自然我没有非常认真地对待这件事。但到了我这样的年龄还能有一个年轻人来追求，确实让人感到开心。已经有好多年没人给我送鲜花了。我告诉他不要再送了，因为查理会认为这样太傻帽了。他在伦敦没有任何亲人和朋友，而且他喜欢跳舞。他说跟我跳舞就像在做一场梦。他总是自己一个人去电影院太凄惨了。我俩一起看了两次日场电影。每次我答应与他一起出去时，他那副感激的样子真让人可怜。'她接着说道：'我知道你能理解我。你不会责怪我吧？''当然不会，亲爱的。'我这样回答她，'你对我还不了解吗？我要是处在你这样的情况下，也会这样做的。'” 马热丽并不向她丈夫隐瞒她与莫顿出去游玩的事。而查理只是宽厚地揶揄一番她和男友的事。但查理认为莫顿是一个非常彬彬有礼、讲话讨人喜欢的小伙子，很高兴在自己忙碌的时候，能有个人陪着马热丽一起玩。他从未吃过莫顿的醋。他们三人还一起吃过几次饭，还一起看了一场电影。但不久后格里·莫顿就恳求马热丽在晚上单独跟他出去。马热丽说这不可能。但他不断恳求，让她不得安宁。最后，有一天她找到珍妮特，让她帮忙给查理打电话，叫他晚上过来吃饭，并告诉他要打桥牌，独缺他一人。查理从不在晚上撇开妻子，一个人外出。但马什夫妇是他的老朋友了，而珍妮特又特别重视这件事。珍妮特编造了一些荒诞无稽的借口，让这个聚会看起来很重要，使查理无法不参加。第二天马热丽与她见了面，告诉她昨晚妙极了。他俩一起在梅登黑德饭店吃的饭，还跳了舞，然后在夏日的深夜开车回家。 “他说他疯狂地迷上了我。”马热丽这样告诉她。 “他吻你了吗？”珍妮特问道。 “当然吻了。”马热丽咯咯地笑道，“别说傻话了，珍妮特。他非常可爱，性格非常好。当然，我并不全信他对我说的话。” “亲爱的，你不会爱上他了吧？” “我已经爱上他了。”马热丽回答说。 “亲爱的，这不是要有点儿难办了吗？” “这场恋情不会很长的。他秋天就要返回婆罗洲。” “哦，你现在确实显得年轻了好几岁。” “这我知道，我自己也感觉年轻了好几岁。” 不久，他俩就每天都要见面了。他俩在上午见面，然后一起到公园去散步，或者一起去美术馆。中午时分他俩就分手了。因为马热丽要陪她丈夫一起吃午饭。午餐后他俩又会一起开车去郊外兜风，或者开到河边的一处地方。这些事马热丽没有告诉她丈夫。她很自然地认为他无法理解。 “你怎么就从来没有见过莫顿呢？”我问珍妮特。 “哦，是她不让我见。你看，我跟马热丽属于同一代人。我完全能理解她的这个做法。” "I see." “当然，我是尽可能帮她的忙。只要她跟格里出去时，她总是借口上我这来。” 我是一个非常注重细节的人。 “他们俩就没有做出轨的事吗？”我问道。 “哦，没有。马热丽不是那种人。” "How did you know?" “如果真有这种事，她会告诉我的。” “我猜她应该干了这样的事。” “我当然问过她。但她断然否认了。我相信她对我说的是实话。她俩之间从来没有发生这类事。” “对我来说似乎有点儿难以理解。” “这你知道，马热丽是一个品质非常好的女人。” 我耸了耸肩膀。 “她对查理绝对忠诚。无论如何她都不会欺骗他。她不能忍受自己有任何瞒着查理的念头。当她意识到自己爱上了格里时，马上就想把这件事告诉查理。我当然恳求她别这样做。我告诉她，这样做不会有任何好处，只能使查理感到伤心。不管怎么说，这个小伙子两个月后就要走了。把一件不会持续很长时间的事闹得满城风雨的不会有什么好处。” 但格里返程的日子越来越近，这促使了这个事件的爆发。毕肖普夫妇早已计划像往常一样出国去旅行。他们这次打算驾车穿越比利时、荷兰和德国北部。查理忙着寻找各地的地图和旅游手册。他从朋友们那里收集到了旅馆和道路的信息。他盼着自己的这个假期，像一个中学生一样兴奋不已。马热丽沮丧地听着他议论这次旅行。他俩要离开四个星期，而格里在九月份就要乘船走了。她与格里在一起的时间本来就不长了，现在又要浪费掉这么长一段时间。这让她难以忍受。她想起这趟驾车旅行就生气。随着假期一天天逼近，她的情绪也越来越不安。最终，她决定只能跟他摊牌了。 一天，他正在跟她谈论刚听人说起的一家餐厅，她突然打断了他的话。“查理，我不想进行这次旅行了。我希望你另找个人跟你一起去。” 他目瞪口呆地望着她。她对自己刚才脱口而出的话感到吃惊，嘴唇也有些颤抖了。 “为什么？出什么事了么？” “没什么事。我就是不想去了。我想自己一个人待一段时间。” “你感觉不舒服吗？” 她从他的眼神中看到了突然降临的恐惧。他的关心使她更加难以忍受。 “我感觉挺好。我的一生中都没有这么好过了。我爱上了一个人。” “你？你爱上谁了？” “格里。” 他极为震惊地看着她。他无法相信自己的耳朵。而她误解了他的表情。 “责怪我也没有用。我不由自主地就爱上了他。他几个星期后就要走了。我不想把这点儿宝贵的时间浪费掉。” 他突然大笑起来。 “马热丽，你怎么这么傻呀？你的岁数差不多可以做他的母亲了。” She blushed. “他也同样爱我。” “他是这样告诉你的吗？” “他这样说了无数遍。” “他是一个该死的骗子，就是这么回事。” 他咯咯地笑个不停。他的胖肚子乐得直抖。他认为这是一个天大的笑话。我猜查理这样对待他妻子的方式不对。珍妮特似乎认为查理应该表现出体贴和同情的态度。他应该能够理解这件事。我看得出来，她认为应该出现这样的情形：查理嘴唇紧绷，默默地伤心，最后宣布两人断绝关系。女人对他人表现出来的自我牺牲之美总是非常敏感。如果他勃然大怒，打碎一两件家什（当然，他还会买一件新的补上），或者朝马热丽的下巴重重地打上一拳，珍妮特也会对他表示同情。但对她进行嘲笑却是不可原谅的错误。对于一个矮胖的、年龄已达五十五岁的病理学教授而言，要让他像一个洞穴人一样对突然的变故做出反应，这也太难了一点儿。但我并没有指明这一点。不管怎么说，他俩预定去荷兰的旅行取消了，毕肖普夫妇在伦敦度过了八月份。他俩都不怎么开心。他俩的中饭和晚饭依然在一起吃。因为这么多年来形成的习惯难以改变。而其余的时间则是马热丽与格里一起度过。她与他在一起的时间极大地弥补了她所忍受的痛苦。查理喜欢开粗俗的玩笑，对她和格里百般挖苦嘲弄，以此为乐事。他断然拒绝严肃地对待这件事情。他为马热丽如此愚蠢而发火，但显然他从未想过她会干不忠于自己的事情。对此，我与珍妮特有不同的看法。 “他甚至从未怀疑这一点。”她说，“他太了解马热丽了。” 几个星期过去了，格里终于搭船离开了。他是从蒂尔伯里上的船，马热丽为他送了行。她回来后哭了两天两夜。查理看着她，愈来愈生气。他的脾气变得非常暴躁。 “听我说，马热丽，”最后他说道，“我对你一直很有耐心，但现在你必须重新振作起来。这件事已经超过开玩笑的限度了。” “你就不能让我自己待一会儿吗？”她喊道，“我什么都没有了，生活对我而言已经没有什么意义了。” “别犯这样的傻气了。”他说。 我不知道他还说了些别的什么话。但他将自己对格里的评价说给她听就太不明智了。我推测他一定是用极其恶毒的语言描述了格里。他俩大吵了一架。以前他俩从未这样激烈地吵过。她过去之所以能够忍受查理的冷嘲热讽，是因为她知道，再过一个小时或一天，她就又能见到格里了。而现在她永远也见不到格里了，就再也无法忍受这样的语言刺激了。她已经忍耐了几个星期，现在，她把自我控制抛到九霄云外去了。也许她根本就不知道自己都对查理喊了些什么。他本来就是一个脾气暴躁的人，最后他动手打了她一巴掌。这一下将俩人都吓了一跳。他抓起帽子，转身冲出了公寓。婚后尽管生活艰辛，但他们始终共享着一张床。但当他后半夜返回家中后，他发现她在客厅的沙发上为自己搭了一个地铺。 “你不能睡在这儿，”他说道，“别犯傻气了，到床上睡去。” “不，我不会去的。让我自己在这里待着。” 这一晚他俩接着争吵。她已经打定主意，以后每晚都在沙发上睡。但公寓这么小，他俩谁也逃离不了对方。甚至对方的一举一动自己都能看见，对方说的话也都得灌进自己的耳朵里。他俩在一起亲密地生活了这么多年，出于本能他俩也要待在一起。他试图跟她讲清道理。他认为她傻得令人不可思议，不断跟她争吵，想要让她知道自己是多么执迷不悟。他不让她自己一个人待着，也不让她睡觉。他一讲就讲到后半夜，直到俩人都精疲力竭为止。他认为自己通过讲道理，能让她摆脱这场爱情。有一段时间，他俩两三天时间都不说话。一天，他回家后发现她正在痛哭。看到她在流泪，他乱了方寸。他告诉她，自己多么爱她。他回忆起两人这么多年来所度过的幸福时光，试图用这个办法来感动她。他打算让这件事就这样过去。他许诺再也不提起格里了。他俩真的能忘记经历的这场噩梦吗？但这样一种和解的想法已经使她感到厌恶了。她对他说，自己头痛欲裂，让他给自己拿瓶安眠药水来。第二天早上他出门的时候，她还假装在睡着。但他一离开家门，她就将自己的东西打上包裹，离开了公寓。她有几件继承来的廉价首饰。变卖掉这些首饰后，她手上有了一小笔钱。她在一家廉价寄宿公寓内租了一间屋，没有告诉查理自己的住址。 查理发现马热丽离开了自己后就垮了。她逃离带来的打击彻底击溃了他。他告诉珍妮特，自己无法忍受这种孤独。他给马热丽写信，乞求她回来；他请珍妮特为他求情，他愿意做出任何保证，他卑躬屈膝。但马热丽执拗地不愿回去。 “你认为她终有一天会回去吗？”我问珍妮特。 “她说绝不回去。” 现在已经是近一点半了，我必须走了。我驾车向伦敦城另一端驶去。 两三天后，我接到了马热丽打来的一个电话。她问我能否见她一面，提议到我的住处来。我招待她喝茶。我尽量对她表现得友好一些。虽说她的风流韵事与我无关，但我内心深处认为她是干了一件非常愚蠢的事。我猜自己的态度也有几分冷冰冰的。她的长相从来也称不上漂亮，流逝的岁月也改变不了这一点。她的一双黑眼睛还是那样好看，让人感到吃惊的是，她脸上一点儿皱纹都没有。她的穿着很普通，即使是化了妆的话，她也是非常在行，反正我没有看出来。她仍然透出那么一种魅力。她是一个非常自然的人，和蔼中带着幽默，使你感受到她的魅力。 “如果你愿意的话，我想请你为我做件事。”她开门见山，一点儿也不拐弯抹角。 "What's up?" “查理今天就要离开马什夫妇的家，回到自己的公寓了。我担心他头几天会很难过。如果你能请他吃晚饭或陪他活动活动，那就太好了。” “我得看看我的书。” “据说他现在喝酒喝得很凶。他是在作践自己。我希望你能提醒提醒他。” “据我所知，他最近是在为家里的事而烦恼。”我说话的语气可能有几分讥讽的味道。 马热丽的脸红了。她痛苦地看了我一眼。她的脸部扭曲着，就好像我刚在她脸上打了一拳