Chapter 6 six

But in the end I was with Charles.The meeting with Strickland was not under the circumstances Mrs. Strickland said.On the night she invited me to dinner, I met several other people besides her husband.Mrs. Strickland sent me a note this morning, informing me that she had a party that evening, and that one of her guests was unable to attend.She asked me to fill the void.The note reads: I'll be forewarning, you're going to be bored as hell.From the start I knew it was going to be a dull treat.But I would be very grateful if you could come.The two of us can always talk. I couldn't help her; I accepted her invitation.

When Mrs. Strickland introduced me to her husband, he shook my hand lukewarmly.Mrs. Strickland, in high spirits, turned to him with a joking remark. I asked him to come to show him that I really do have a husband.I think he's already getting suspicious. Strickland smiled politely, like someone who admits you told a joke and didn't find it funny, he didn't say anything.Another guest came again, and the host needed to deal with it, so I was left aside.When at last all the guests had arrived and were just waiting for the announcement of dinner, I was chatting casually with a female guest who asked me to accompany me, and at the same time I thought: Civilized society wastes its mind and wastes its short life on boring entertainment It is really puzzling.Take this day's banquet as an example, you can't help but wonder why the hostess invited these guests, and why these guests took the trouble to accept the invitation.There were ten guests in total.These people are cold and indifferent when they meet, and there is a sense of relief when they break up.Of course, this is just to complete a social obligation.The Stricklands had dined at homes and owed a great deal to people in whom they had no interest at all.But they still had to invite these people back, and these people also came.Why did you do this?Is it to avoid the boredom of always sitting opposite each other when eating, to give the servants a half-day rest, or because there is no reason not to treat someone else to a meal?No one can tell.

The restaurant is very crowded and makes people feel very uncomfortable.Among these were a Crown Counsel and his wife, a government officer and his wife, Mrs Strickland's sister and brother-in-law, Colonel MacAndrew, and the wife of a Member of Parliament.It was because the MPs found themselves unable to leave the House that I was called upon at the last minute to fill the vacancy.The status of these guests is very noble.Ladies, knowing their own dignity, do not care much about their dress, and knowing their position, they do not try to please others.The men are all graceful and luxurious.In short, all the people here have an air of prosperity and self-satisfaction.

Everyone wanted to make the party lively, so the voices of the conversation were much higher than usual, and the house was buzzing.But there was never a time when everyone was talking about the same thing, everyone was talking to his neighbor, to the person on the right while eating soup, fish, and main course, to the person on the right while eating roast meat, sweets, and savory snacks. The person on the left talks.They talked about the political situation, about golf, about the children and the new play, about the paintings at the Royal Academy, about the weather, about plans for a holiday.The conversation was never interrupted for a moment, and the voices grew louder and louder.Mrs. Strickland's party was a success, and she could be thankful.Her husband behaved very well.Maybe he didn't talk much, and I think the faces of the women sitting on either side of him looked a little tired towards the end of the meal.They must have found it difficult to talk to him.Once or twice Mrs. Strickland's eyes rested on him with some anxiety.

At last she stood up and led a group of ladies out of the house.After they had gone out, Strickland closed the door and went to the other side of the table and sat down between the Crown Counsel and the Government official.Again he passed around the red wine and passed the guests cigars.The Crown Counsel praised the wine as good, and Strickland told us where he got it.We started talking about wine and tobacco.The Crown Counsel told them all about a case he was trying, and the Colonel talked about playing polo.I had nothing to say, so I just sat there, pretending to be very polite and interested in listening to the conversation.Since I knew that none of these people had anything to do with me, I took my time to look at Strickland carefully.He's a bit taller and bigger than I thought; I don't know why I used to think he was slim and unremarkable.In reality he was a stocky, big-handed man, clumsy in his evening dress, and gave the impression of a coachman dressed up for a party.He was about forty years old, and his appearance was not so beautiful, but he was not ugly, because his facial features were all correct, but they were all one size bigger than the average person, so he looked a bit clumsy.He was clean-shaven, and his large face was uncomfortably bald.His hair was reddish and cropped very short, and his eyes were small, blue or gray.His appearance is very ordinary.I no longer wondered why Mrs. Strickland was always a little embarrassed to speak of him; he was hardly a bright addition to a woman who was trying to gain a place in the world of letters and arts.It was clear that he had no social skills at all, but that's not necessarily the case for everyone.He didn't even have any eccentricities to save him from being commonplace.He was just an honest, uninteresting, ordinary guy.A man may admire him for what he is, but not want to be with him.He is an unobtrusive person.He may be a respectable member of society, an honest broker, a dutiful husband and father, but you don't need to waste any time on him.