You're bragging. If I really did you'd be overwhelmed with remorse.

“你在说大话。如果我真的上了吊你会后悔一辈子的。”

Try it, and we'll see, I retorted.

“你不妨试一试，就知道我后悔不后悔了。”

A smile flickered in his eyes, and he stirred his absinthe in silence.

他的眼睛里露出一丝笑意，默默地搅和着他的苦艾酒。

Would you like to play chess? I asked.

“想不想下棋？”我问他说。

I don't mind.

“我不反对。”

We set up the pieces, and when the board was ready he considered it with a comfortable eye. There is a sense of satisfaction in looking at your men all ready for the fray.

我们开始摆棋子，摆好以后，他注视着面前的棋盘，带着一副自得其乐的样子。当你看到自己兵马都已进入阵地，就要开始一场大厮杀，总禁不住有一种快慰的感觉。

Did you really think I'd lend you money? I asked.

“你真的以为我会借钱给你吗？”我问他。

I didn't see why you shouldn't.

“我想不出来为什么你会不借给我。”

You surprise me.

“你使我感到吃惊。”

Why?

“为什么？”

It's disappointing to find that at heart you are sentimental. I should have liked you better if you hadn't made that ingenuous appeal to my sympathies.

“发现你心里还是人情味十足让我失望。如果你不那么天真，想利用我的同情心来打动我，我会更喜欢你一些。”

I should have despised you if you'd been moved by it, he answered.

“如果你被我打动，我会鄙视你的。”他回答说。

That's better, I laughed.

“那就好了。”我笑起来。

We began to play. We were both absorbed in the game. When it was finished I said to him:

我们开始走棋。两个人的精神都被当前的一局棋吸引住。一盘棋下完以后，我对他说：

Look here, if you're hard up, let me see your pictures. If there's anything I like I'll buy it.

“你听我说，如果你缺钱花，让我去看看你的画怎么样？如果有我喜欢的，我会买你一幅。”

Go to hell, he answered.

“你见鬼去吧！”他说。

He got up and was about to go away. I stopped him.

他站起来准备走，我把他拦住了。

You haven't paid for your absinthe, I said, smiling.

“你还没有付酒帐呢。”我笑着说。

He cursed me, flung down the money and left.

他骂了我一句，把钱往桌上一扔就走了。

I did not see him for several days after that, but one evening, when I was sitting in the cafe, reading a paper, he came up and sat beside me.

这件事过去以后，我有几天没有看见他，但是有一天晚上我正坐在咖啡馆里看报纸的时候，思特里克兰德走了过来，在我身旁边坐下。

You haven't hanged yourself after all, I remarked.

“你原来并没有上吊啊。”我说。

No. I've got a commission. I'm painting the portrait of a retired plumber for two hundred francs.

“没有。有人请我画一幅画。我现在正给一个退休的铅管工画像，可以拿到两百法郎。”