the glimpses of the moon-第11部分

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brought　out；　as　from　the　depth　of　a　rankling　grievance：　　〃I

thought　it　was　all　understood。〃



〃Why；〃　Nick　asked　his　wife　that　night；　as　they　re…entered

Ellie's　cool　drawing…room　after　a　late　dinner　at　the　Lido；　〃did

Gillow　think　it　was　understood　that　we　were　going　to　his　moor　in

August？〃　　He　was　conscious　of　the　oddness　of　speaking　of　their

friend　by　his　surname；　and　reddened　at　his　blunder。



Susy　had　let　her　lace　cloak　slide　to　her　feet；　and　stood　before

him　in　the　faintly…lit　room；　slim　and　shimmering…white　through

black　transparencies。



She　raised　her　eyebrows　carelessly。　　〃I　told　you　long　ago　he'd

asked　us　there　for　August。〃



〃You　didn't　tell　me　you'd　accepted。〃



She　smiled　as　if　he　had　said　something　as　simple　as　Fred。　　〃I

accepted　everythingfrom　everybody！〃



What　could　he　answer？　　It　was　the　very　principle　on　which　their

bargain　had　been　struck。　　And　if　he　were　to　say：　　〃Ah；　but　this

is　different；　because　I'm　jealous　of　Gillow；〃　what　light　would

such　an　answer　shed　on　his　past？　　The　time　for　being　jealous…if

so　antiquated　an　attitude　were　on　any　ground　defensible…would

have　been　before　his　marriage；　and　before　the　acceptance　of　the

bounties　which　had　helped　to　make　it　possible。　　He　wondered　a

little　now　that　in　those　days　such　scruples　had　not　troubled

him。　　His　inconsistency　irritated　him；　and　increased　his

irritation　against　Gillow。　　〃I　suppose　he　thinks　he　owns　us！〃　he

grumbled　inwardly。



He　had　thrown　himself　into　an　armchair；　and　Susy；　advancing

across　the　shining　arabesques　of　the　floor；　slid　down　at　his

feet；　pressed　her　slender　length　against　him；　and　whispered　with

lifted　face　and　lips　close　to　his：　　〃We　needn't　ever　go　anywhere

you　don't　want　to。〃　　For　once　her　submission　was　sweet；　and

folding　her　close　he　whispered　back　through　his　kiss：　　〃Not

there；　then。〃



In　her　response　to　his　embrace　he　felt　the　acquiescence　of　her

whole　happy　self　in　whatever　future　he　decided　on；　if　only　it

gave　them　enough　of　such　moments　as　this；　and　as　they　held　each

other　fast　in　silence　his　doubts　and　distrust　began　to　seem　like

a　silly　injustice。



〃Let　us　stay　here　as　long　as　ever　Ellie　will　let　us；〃　he　said；

as　if　the　shadowy　walls　and　shining　floors　were　a　magic　boundary

drawn　about　his　happiness。



She　murmured　her　assent　and　stood　up；　stretching　her　sleepy　arm

above　her　shoulders。　　〃How　dreadfully　late　it　is　。。。。　　Will　you

unhook　me？　。。。　Oh；　there's　a　telegram。〃



She　picked　it　up　from　the　table；　and　tearing　it　open　stared　a

moment　at　the　message。　　〃It's　from　Ellie。　　She's　coming　to…

morrow。〃



She　turned　to　the　window　and　strayed　out　onto　the　balcony。　　Nick

followed　her　with　enlacing　arm。　　The　canal　below　them　lay　in

moonless　shadow；　barred　with　a　few　lingering　lights。　　A　last

snatch　of　gondola…music　came　from　far　off；　carried　upward　on　a

sultry　gust。



〃Dear　old　Ellie。　　All　the　same　。。。　I　wish　all　this　belonged　to

you　and　me。〃　　Susy　sighed。







VIII。



IT　was　not　Mrs。　Vanderlyn's　fault　if；　after　her　arrival；　her

palace　seemed　to　belong　any　less　to　the　Lansings。



She　arrived　in　a　mood　of　such　general　benevolence　that　it　was

impossible　for　Susy；　when　they　finally　found　themselves　alone；

to　make　her　view　even　her　own　recent　conduct　in　any　but　the　most

benevolent　light。



〃I　knew　you'd　be　the　veriest　angel　about　it　all；　darling；

because　I　knew　you'd　understand　me　especially　now；〃　she

declared；　her　slim　hands　in　Susy's；　her　big　eyes　（so　like

Clarissa's）　resplendent　with　past　pleasures　and　future　plans。



The　expression　of　her　confidence　was　unexpectedly　distasteful　to

Susy　Lansing；　who　had　never　lent　so　cold　an　ear　to　such　warm

avowals。　　She　had　always　imagined　that　being　happy　one's　self

made　oneas　Mrs。　Vanderlyn　appeared　to　assume　more　tolerant

of　the　happiness　of　others；　of　however　doubtful　elements

composed；　and　she　was　almost　ashamed　of　responding　so　languidly

to　her　friend's　outpourings。　　But　she　herself　had　no　desire　to

confide　her　bliss　to　Ellie；　and　why　should　not　Ellie　observe　a

similar　reticence？



〃It　was　all　so　perfectyou　see；　dearest；　I　was　meant　to　be

happy；〃　that　lady　continued；　as　if　the　possession　of　so　unusual

a　characteristic　singled　her　out　for　special　privileges。



Susy；　with　a　certain　sharpness；　responded　that　she　had　always

supposed　we　all　were。



〃Oh；　no；　dearest：　　not　governesses　and　mothers…in…law　and

companions；　and　that　sort　of　people。　　They　wouldn't　know　how　if

they　tried。　　But　you　and　I；　darling〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　consider　myself　in　any　way　exceptional；〃　Susy

intervened。　　She　longed　to　add：　　〃Not　in　your　way；　at　any

rate〃　but　a　few　minutes　earlier　Mrs。　Vanderlyn　had　told　her

that　the　palace　was　at　her　disposal　for　the　rest　of　the　summer；

and　that　she　herself　was　only　going　to　perch　thereif　they'd

let　her！long　enough　to　gather　up　her　things　and　start　for　St。

Moritz。　　The　memory　of　this　announcement　had　the　effect　of

curbing　Susy's　irony；　and　of　making　her　shift　the　conversation

to　the　safer　if　scarcely　less　absorbing　topic　of　the　number　of

day　and　evening　dresses　required　for　a　season　at　St。　Moritz。



As　she　listened　to　Mrs。　Vanderlynno　less　eloquent　on　this

theme　than　on　the　otherSusy　began　to　measure　the　gulf　between

her　past　and　present。　　〃This　is　the　life　I　used　to　lead；　these

are　the　things　I　used　to　live　for；〃　she　thought；　as　she　stood

before　the　outspread　glories　of　Mrs。　Vanderlyn's　wardrobe。　　Not

that　she　did　not　still　care：　　she　could　not　look　at　Ellie's

laces　and　silks　and　furs　without　picturing　herself　in　them；　and

wondering　by　what　new　miracle　of　management　she　could　give

herself　the　air　of　being　dressed　by　the　same　consummate　artists。

But　these　had　become　minor　interests：　　the　past　few　months　had

given　her　a　new　perspective；　and　the　thing　that　most　puzzled　and

disconcerted　her　about　Ellie　was　the　fact　that　love　and　finery

and　bridge　and　dining…out　were　seemingly　all　on　the　same　plane

to　her。



The　inspection　of　the　dresses　lasted　a　long　time；　and　was　marked

by　many　fluctuations　of　mood　on　the　part　of　Mrs。　Vanderlyn；　who

passed　from　comparative　hopefulness　to　despair　at　the　total

inadequacy　of　her　wardrobe。　　It　wouldn't　do　to　go　to　St。　Moritz

looking　like　a　frump；　and　yet　there　was　no　time　to　get　anything

sent　from　Paris；　and；　whatever　she　did；　she　wasn't　going　to　show

herself　in　any　dowdy　re…arrangements　done　at　home。　But　suddenly

light　broke　on　her；　and　she　clasped　her　hands　for　joy。　　〃Why；

Nelson'll　bring　themI'd　forgotten　all　about　Nelson！　　There'll

be　just　time　if　I　wire　to　him　at　once。〃



〃Is　Nelson　going　to　join　you　at　St。　Moritz？〃　　Susy　asked；

surprised。



〃Heavens；　no！　　He's　coming　here　to　pick　up　Clarissa　and　take　her

to　some　stuffy　cure　in　Austria　with　his　mother。　　It's　too　lucky：

there's　just　time　to　telegraph　him　to　bring　my　things。　　I　didn't

mean　to　wait　for　him；　but　it　won't　delay　me　more　than　day　or

two。〃



Susy's　heart　sank。　　She　was　not　much　afraid　of　Ellie　alone；　but

Ellie　and　Nelson　together　formed　an　incalculable　menace。　　No　one

could　tell　what　spark　of　truth　might　dash　from　their　collision。

Susy　felt　that　she　could　deal　with　the　two　dangers　separately

and　successively；　but　not　together　and　simultaneously。



〃But；　Ellie；　why　should　you　wait　for　Nelson？　　I'm　certain　to

find　someone　here　who's　going　to　St。　Moritz　and　will　take　your

things　if　he　brings　them。　　It's　a　pity　to　risk　losing　your

rooms。〃



This　argument　appealed　for　a　moment　to　Mrs。　Vanderlyn。　　〃That's

true；　they　say　all　the　hotels　are　jammed。　　You　dear；　you're

always　so　practical！〃　　She　clasped　Susy　to　her　scented　bosom。

〃And　you　know；　darling；　I'm　sure　you'll　be　glad　to　get　rid　of

meyou　and　Nick！　　Oh；　don't　be　hypocritical　and　say　'Nonsense！'

You　see；　I　understand　。。。　I　used　to　think　of　you　so　often；　you

two　。。。　during　those　blessed　weeks　when　we　two　were　alone。。。。〃



The　sudden　tears；　brimming　over　Ellie's　lovely　eyes；　and

threatening　to　make　the　blue　circles　below　them　run　into　the

adjoining　carmine；　filled　Susy　with　compunction。



〃Poor　thingoh；　poor　thing！〃　she　thought；　and　hearing　herself

called　by　Nick；　who　was　waiting　to　take　her　out　for　their　usual

sunset　on　the　lagoon；　she　felt　a　wave　of　pity　for　the　deluded

creature　who　would　never　taste　that　highest　of　imaginable　joys。

〃But　all　the　same；〃　Susy　reflected；　as　she　hurried　down　to　her

husband；　〃I'm　glad　I　persuaded　her　not　to　wait　for　Nelson。〃



Some　days　had　elapsed　since　Susy　and　Nick　had　had　a　sunset　to

themselves；　and　in　the　interval　Susy　had　once　again　learned　the

superior　quality　of　the　sympathy　that　held　them　together。　　She

now　viewed　all　the　rest　of　life　as　no　more　than　a　show：　　a　jolly

show　which　it　would　have　been　a　thousand　pities　to　miss；　but

which；　if　the　need　arose；　they　could　get　up　and　leave　at　any

momentprovided　that　they　left　it　together。



In　the　dusk；　while　their　prow　slid　over　inverted　palaces；　and

through　the　scent　of　hidden　gardens；　she　leaned　against　him　and

murmured；　her　mind　returning　to　the　recent　scene　with　Ellie：

〃Nick；　should　you　hate　me　dreadfully　if　I　had　no　clothes？〃



Her　husband　was　kindling　a　cigarette；　and　the　match　lit　up　the

grin　with　which　he　answered：　　〃But；　my　dear；　have　I　ever　shown

the　slightest　symptom？〃



〃Oh；　rubbish！　　When　a　woman　says：　　'No　clothes；'　she　means：

'Not　the　right　clothes。'〃



He　took　a　meditative　puff。　　〃Ah；　you've　been　going　over　Ellie's

finery　with　her。〃



〃Yes：　　all　those　trunks　and　trunks　full。　　And　she　finds　she's

got　nothing　for　St。　Moritz！〃



〃Of　course；〃　he　murmured；　drowsy　with　content；　and　manifesting

but　a　languid　interest　in　the　subject　of　Mrs。　Vanderlyn's

wardrobe。



〃Only　fancyshe　very　nearly　decided　to　stop　over　for　Nelson's

arrival　next　week；　so　that　he　might　bring　her　two　or　three　more

trunkfuls　from　Paris。　　But　mercifully　I've　managed　to　persuade

her　that　it　would　be　foolish　to　wait。〃