Having arrived in Paris, the narrator finds out that Strickland lives in the cheapest hotel without a woman, and what is more surprising, Charles has become interested in painting. The narrator tries to persuade him to return home, but Charles refuses telling that he is not interested in the fate of his wife and children, as well as in other people’s opinion about him. Having known of the reasons of her husband leaving her, Mrs. Strickland becomes shocked as she cannot understand Charles’ sudden devotion to art. Moreover, she decides not to return him and asks the narrator to float a rumour that her husband left her because of a pretty French dancer. Eventually, Mrs. Strickland starts her own typewriting business while her sister takes care of her children.
Five years later the narrator moves to Paris where he meets his old friend Dirk Strove, a talented critic with a very delicate feeling for art, but a bad artist. It turns out that Dirk knows Strickland, who once lent money from him. Dirk tells the narrator that Strickland is a man of a great talent, almost a genius in spite of the fact that his paintings are not sold, because no one except Dirk can appreciate them.
Very good!
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...Charles refuses to tell...