Individual Reading Chapters 17 - 30

Having just moved to Paris, the narrator pays a visit to the studio of his old friend Dirk Strove. Strove’s pictures are not masterpieces but just funny paintings. His wife Blanche tells how good they are. To change the subject of their conversation, the main character asks Dirk if he knows Charles Strickland. Dirk is surprised to hear that Crabbe also knows this man and says that Strickland is certainly an artistic genius. Then the narrator and Dirk meet Charles at the same restaurant as some time Crabbe met him 5 years ago. Mr Strickland looks not so well, he continues to make paintings but he doesn't try to sell them to get long shillings and food, and the comfortable conditions for living. After their meeting Charles disappears and Dirk starts to worry about him in spie of the fact that Strickland doesn't want to hear anything from him. Meanwhile, the main character and Strove find him very ill in his little room. Strove makes a decision on taking Charles to his studio to carry about him but Blanche can't hear it but then she agrees. When  Strickland becomes better, Dirk offers him to paint in his workshop together but Charles, in his turn, doesn't wish to share the room with anybody and shases away Strove. The hero of the story doesn't understand why Strove lets Charles to treat with him such insolent way. One week later everything is  found out. Strove comes to Crabbe and informs him about Blanche's leaving from him with Strickland. The narrator is amazed after hearing such news and knows that Strove has left  them himself in his studio as he can't imagine how his beloved will suffer without comfortable conditions.