世界经典英文名著文库(GUOMAIENGLISHLIBRARY)包含30本全世界范围内超受欢迎的原版经典图书:《小王子》《老人与海》《了不起的盖茨比》《月亮和六便士》《喧嚣与骚动》《瓦尔登湖》《欧o亨利短篇小说精选》《双城记》……

TheMoonandSixpence,中文译名为《月亮和六便士》,书中的主人公"我"是伦敦怀才不遇的作家,偶然间认识了一位证券经纪人,对方在人届中年后突然响应内心的呼唤,离经叛道舍弃一切,先是奔赴巴黎,后又到南太平洋的塔希提岛与土著人一起生活,全身心投入绘画,并在死后声名大噪。"我"在他成名后开始追溯与艺术家家曾经的来往与对方之后的人生经历。
艺术家的故事以生极落魄、死备哀荣的法国后印象派画家高更的生平为基础。

IconfessthatwhenfirstImadeacquaintancewithCharlesStricklandIneverforamomentdiscernedthattherewasinhimanythingoutoftheordinary.Yetnowfewwillbefoundtodenyhisgreatness.Idonotspeakofthatgreatnesswhichisachievedbythefortunatepoliticianorthesuccessfulsoldier;thatisaqualitywhichbelongstotheplaceheoccupiesratherthantotheman;andachangeofcircumstancereducesittoverydiscreetproportions.ThePrimeMinisteroutofofficeisseen,toooften,tohavebeenbutapompousrhetorician,andtheGeneralwithoutanarmyisbutthetameheroofamarkettown.ThegreatnessofCharlesStricklandwasauthentic.Itmaybethatyoudonotlikehisart,butatalleventsyoucanhardlyrefuseitthetributeofyourinterest.Hedisturbsandarrests.Thetimehaspassedwhenhewasanobjectofridicule,anditisnolongeramarkofeccentricitytodefendorofperversitytoextolhim.Hisfaultsareacceptedasthenecessarycomplementtohismerits.Itisstillpossibletodiscusshisplaceinart,andtheadulationofhisadmirersisperhapsnolesscapriciousthanthedisparagementofhisdetractors;butonethingcanneverbedoubtful,andthatisthathehadgenius.Tomymindthemostinterestingthinginartisthepersonalityoftheartist;andifthatissingular,Iamwillingtoexcuseathousandfaults.IsupposeVelasquezwasabetterpainterthanElGreco,butcustomstalesone'sadmirationforhim:theCretan,sensualandtragic,proffersthemysteryofhissoullikeastandingsacrifice.Theartist,painter,poet,ormusician,byhisdecoration,sublimeorbeautiful,satisfiestheaestheticsense;butthatisakintothesexualinstinct,andsharesitsbarbarity:helaysbeforeyoualsothegreatergiftofhimself.Topursuehissecrethassomethingofthefascinationofadetectivestory.Itisariddlewhichshareswiththeuniversethemeritofhavingnoanswer.ThemostinsignificantofStrickland'sworkssuggestsapersonalitywhichisstrange,tormented,andcomplex;anditisthissurelywhichpreventseventhosewhodonotlikehispicturesfrombeingindifferenttothem;itisthiswhichhasexcitedsocuriousaninterestinhislifeandcharacter.
ItwasnottillfouryearsafterStrickland'sdeaththatMauriceHuretwrotethatarticleintheMercuredeFrancewhichrescuedtheunknownpainterfromoblivionandblazedthetrailwhichsucceedingwriters,withmoreorlessdocility,havefollowed.ForalongtimenocritichasenjoyedinFranceamoreincontestableauthority,anditwasimpossiblenottobeimpressedbytheclaimshemade;theyseemedextravagant;butlaterjudgmentshaveconfirmedhisestimate,andthereputationofCharlesStricklandisnowfirmlyestablishedonthelineswhichhelaiddown.Theriseofthisreputationisoneofthemostromanticincidentsinthehistoryofart.ButIdonotproposetodealwithCharlesStrickland'sworkexceptinsofarasittouchesuponhischaracter.Icannotagreewiththepainterswhoclaimsuperciliouslythatthelaymancanunderstandnothingofpainting,andthathecanbestshowhisappreciationoftheirworksbysilenceandacheque-book.Itisagrotesquemisapprehensionwhichseesinartnomorethanacraftcomprehensibleperfectlyonlytothecraftsman:artisamanifestationofemotion,andemotionspeaksalanguagethatallmayunderstand.ButIwillallowthatthecriticwhohasnotapracticalknowledgeoftechniqueisseldomabletosayanythingonthesubjectofrealvalue,andmyignoranceofpaintingisextreme.Fortunately,thereisnoneedformetorisktheadventure,sincemyfriend,Mr.EdwardLeggatt,anablewriteraswellasanadmirablepainter,hasexhaustivelydiscussedCharlesStrickland'sworkinalittlebookwhichisacharmingexampleofastyle,forthemostpart,lesshappilycultivatedinEnglandthaninFrance.
MauriceHuretinhisfamousarticlegaveanoutlineofCharlesStrickland'slifewhichwaswellcalculatedtowhettheappetitesoftheinquiring.Withhisdisinterestedpassionforart,hehadarealdesiretocalltheattentionofthewisetoatalentwhichwasinthehighestdegreeoriginal;buthewastoogoodajournalisttobeunawarethatthe"humaninterest"wouldenablehimmoreeasilytoeffecthispurpose.AndwhensuchashadcomeincontactwithStricklandinthepast,writerswhohadknownhiminLondon,painterswhohadmethiminthecafésofMontmartre,discoveredtotheiramazementthatwheretheyhadseenbutanunsuccessfulartist,likeanother,authenticgeniushadrubbedshoulderswiththemtherebegantoappearinthemagazinesofFranceandAmericaasuccessionofarticles,thereminiscencesofone,theappreciationofanother,whichaddedtoStrickland'snotoriety,andfedwithoutsatisfyingthecuriosityofthepublic.Thesubjectwasgrateful,andtheindustriousWeitbrecht-Rotholzinhisimposingmonographhasbeenabletogivearemarkablelistofauthorities.