We left not long after, Delke was going home for supper, and I was going to find a doctor to see Strickland. When we went back to the streets--it immediately felt that the air outside was much fresher than in the attic--the Dutchman asked me to go to his studio. I saw that he was unwilling to tell me. I thought that since he wanted me to go home with him, and even if we invited the doctor first, we could not help for the time being, so we agreed to his request. When we arrived at his house, we found that the supper was ready, and Bronsh Stellov was setting the table. Delke walked towards her and held her hands tightly.

"Dear, I have one thing to ask you to agree," he said.

She looked at him with a serious expression. Stellov looked excited and the sweat on his face shone brightly. Although his expression was a little funny at this time, his eyes were flashing with a eager light.

"Strickland is dying of illness. He lives alone in a scruffy attic with no one to take care of him. I want him to live in my house, and I sincerely hope you agree to this request."

She quickly retracted her hand - it was the first time I saw her so agile - her face turned red.

"Ah, no."

"Dear, don't refuse so quickly. It's really not possible for him to live there alone. I will always be thinking about him and cannot sleep or eat."

"You can move over and take care of him for the time being."

Her tone was cold.

"But he will die."

"Then let him die."

Stellov looked at her in disbelief and raised his hand to wipe the sweat off his face. He looked at me, hoping that I could help him, but I had no idea.

"He is a great painter."

"So what? I hate this person very much."

"No, my dear baby, do you really think so? I beg you, agree to my request. With us, he will be more comfortable. We can save his life. And he will not cause trouble for you. I will do anything. You don't have to worry about it. You can put another bed in the studio and he will sleep there. We can't let him die, like a homeless wild dog. He is so pitiful."

"Why didn't he go to the hospital?"

"You said the hospital! How can you take care of him without caressing hands? He needs the most considerate care."

After hearing his words, Bronsh Stellov was very excited. She did not stop posing the tableware, but her hands were trembling.

"I can't stand you anymore. If the person who is sick is you, do you think he will take care of you?"

"It doesn't matter, I have your care. It doesn't matter if he doesn't help. Besides, he is much more important than me."

"You are so bloodless that you can bully like this. Even a bastard puppy is more powerful than you!"

Stellov laughed. He thought he understood his wife's thoughts.

"Ah, poor baby, are you still thinking about the last time he came to see the painting but borrowed money from me? It doesn't matter. Even if he thinks my painting is not good, it's no big deal. But I really shouldn't have shown him my painting that day, because my paintings are indeed average."

He looked around the studio in frustration. There was an oil painting that had not been finished on the easel - an Italian farmer with joy looked holding a bunch of grapes in his hand, holding it on the head of a little girl with black eyes. "Even if he doesn't like your paintings, he must at least behave politely. He insults you and despises you like a puppy begging for you. Oh my God, I hate him to death."

"Dear baby, he is a genius. Don't think I am a genius, but I hope I am. But I can tell whether others are geniuses at a glance. I respect genius, because nothing in the world is more wonderful than genius. But having talent is also a burden, we must tolerate them and treat them patiently."

I stood quietly aside, feeling very embarrassed. I didn't know why Stellov asked me to come together. I felt that I couldn't help, and his wife was almost in tears.

"But I ask you to promise me to bring him to our house. Not only because he has talent, but I want to bring him because he is a human being, because he is seriously ill, because he is penniless."

"I will never accept your request. He will not step into our house--never think about it."

Stellov turned to look at me.

"Tell her, this matter is at stake. I can't let him stay there alone and die alone."

"It's clear, and it's better for him to live here to recover," I said, "but of course, this will affect you both. It's better to have someone to take care of him."

"Dear, I understand your personality, you shouldn't interfere, right?"

"If he comes to live, I will move away." Mrs. Stelloff got angry.

"How did you become like this? Aren't you a soft-hearted person?"

"Ah, my God, please don't force me, I'm almost driven crazy by you."

Finally, she collapsed on a chair, covering her face and crying in a low voice. Delk hugged her gently, kissing her while calling her name. He also burst into tears. After a while, she broke free from his arms and raised her hand to wipe her tears.

"Let me be quiet." After saying that, she turned to look at me and showed a reluctant smile, "I made you laugh. I just did not know what you would think of me."

Stelloff looked at her with a confused look. His brows were frowning and his mouth was pouting high, and his funny look really looked like a panicked guinea pig.

"Dear, have you finally agreed?" he said.

She waved exhausted.

"This studio and this home are all yours, how can I stop it?"

Stellov immediately smiled.

"Did you really agree? Oh, my dear, I knew you would agree."

But she immediately restrained herself. She looked at him with a pair of dull eyes, pressing her fingers against her chest, as if her heart was beating so hard that she couldn't stand it.

"Oh, Delk, I've never asked you to do anything."

"You know, as long as you speak, I'm willing to do anything for you."

"Then I beg you, don't let Strickland come here. Anyone can come, thieves, drunks, and tramps can do my best to serve them, but he alone cannot. I beg you, don't bring Strickland."

"But why?"

"I'm afraid of him. I can't make a good reason. Anyway, I'm afraid he's going to die. He will bring us harm. I know very well, because I can feel that if you bring him, good things will not happen."

“This is really unreasonable.”

"No, no, I believe in my intuition. Something will happen to our family."

"Why? Because we did a good deed?" She breathed heavily, looking very scared. I don't understand what she thought. She seemed to be tightly grasped by fear and had no power to resist. You know, she was a calm woman, and the current situation was really uneasy. Straffer looked at her and was also very confused.

"You are my wife, my priceless treasure. If you don't agree, I will not bring anyone to my house."

Her eyes were closed, and I suspected that she was about to faint. I was a little impatient, but I didn't expect that she was such a nervous woman. Stellov broke the brief silence.

"Think about it, have you been in danger and happened to be helped by someone else? You should know how important the help you get in times of danger is. If you see others in a miserable situation, won't you lend a helping hand?"

His words were purely cliché, and I was about to laugh out loud.

But I didn't expect Branche Stellov to hear it. She moved her body and looked at Stellov for a long time. Stellov's eyes seemed to be stuck to the ground, and she looked very embarrassed. Mrs. Stellov's face first appeared a thin red color, then suddenly lost its blood color, becoming pale, and her hands were also not covered with blood. Her whole body was shaking. The studio was silent, and the air seemed to have frozen, which made me feel very strange.

"Dalke, bring Strickland, I will try my best to take care of him."

"My dear baby." He smiled.

He wanted to give her a hug, but she gently avoided it.
Chapter completed!