The Moon and Sixpence

The Moon and Sixpencethey have abused. But Stroeve, the unconquerablebuffoon, had a love and an understanding “He gave me the picture of Blanche.”some other phrase to indicate his refusal.of beauty which were as honest and sincere as I wondered why Strickland had done that. Butwas his own sincere and honest soul. It meant to I made no remark, and for some time we kepthim what God means to the believer, and when silence.he saw it he was afraid.“What have you done with all your things?” I“What did you say to Strickland when you saw said at last.him?”“I got a Jew in, and he gave me a round sum“I asked him to come with me to Holland.” for the lot. I’m taking my pictures home withI was dumbfounded. I could only look at Stroeve me. Beside them I own nothing in the world nowin stupid amazement.but a box of clothes and a few books.”“ We both loved Blanche. There would have “I’m glad you’re going home,” I said.been room for him in my mother’s house. I think I felt that his chance was to put all the pastthe company of poor, simple people would have behind him. I hoped that the grief which nowdone his soul a great good. I think he might have seemed intolerable would be softened by thelearnt from them something that would be very lapse of time, and a merciful forgetfulness woulduseful to him.”help him to take up once more the burden of life.“What did he say?”He was young still, and in a few years he would“He smiled a little. I suppose he thought me look back on all his misery with a sadness invery silly. He said he had other fish to fry. ” which there would be something notI could have wished that Strickland had used unpleasurable. Sooner or later he would marry148