the glimpses of the moon-第12部分

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

her　that　it　would　be　foolish　to　wait。〃



Susy　felt　a　hardly　perceptible　shifting　of　her　husband's

lounging　body；　and　was　aware；　through　all　her　watchful

tentacles；　of　a　widening　of　his　half…closed　lids。



〃You　'managed'？〃　　She　fancied　he　paused　on　the　word

ironically。　　〃But　why？〃



〃Whywhat？〃



〃Why　on　earth　should　you　try　to　prevent　Ellie's　waiting　for

Nelson；　if　for　once　in　her　life　she　wants　to？〃



Susy；　conscious　of　reddening　suddenly；　drew　back　as　though　the

leap　of　her　tell…tale　heart　might　have　penetrated　the　blue

flannel　shoulder　against　which　she　leaned。



〃Really；　dearest！〃　she　murmured；　but　with　a　sudden　doggedness

he　renewed　his　〃Why？〃



〃Because　she's　in　such　a　fever　to　get　to　St。　Moritzand　in　such

a　funk　lest　the　hotel　shouldn't　keep　her　rooms；〃　Susy　somewhat

breathlessly　produced。



〃AhI　see。〃　　Nick　paused　again。　　〃You're　a　devoted　friend；

aren't　you！〃



〃What　an　odd　question！　　There's　hardly　anyone　I've　reason　to　be

more　devoted　to　than　Ellie；〃　his　wife　answered；　and　she　felt　his

contrite　clasp　on　her　hand。



〃Darling！　　No；　nor　I。　　Or　more　grateful　to　for　leaving　us

alone　in　this　heaven。〃



Dimness　had　fallen　on　the　waters；　and　her　lifted　lips　met　his

bending　ones。



Trailing　late　into　dinner　that　evening；　Ellie　announced　that；

after　all；　she　had　decided　it　was　safest　to　wait　for　Nelson。



〃I　should　simply　worry　myself　ill　if　I　weren't　sure　of　getting

my　things；〃　she　said；　in　the　tone　of　tender　solicitude　with

which　she　always　discussed　her　own　difficulties。　　〃After　all；

people　who　deny　themselves　everything　do　get　warped　and　bitter；

don't　they？〃　she　argued　plaintively；　her　lovely　eyes　wandering

from　one　to　the　other　of　her　assembled　friends。



Strefford　remarked　gravely　that　it　was　the　complaint　which　had

fatally　undermined　his　own　health；　and　in　the　laugh　that

followed　the　party　drifted　into　the　great　vaulted　dining…room。



〃Oh；　I　don't　mind　your　laughing　at　me；　Streffy　darling；〃　his

hostess　retorted；　pressing　his　arm　against　her　own；　and　Susy；

receiving　the　shock　of　their　rapidly　exchanged　glance；　said　to

herself；　with　a　sharp　twinge　of　apprehension：　　〃Of　course

Streffy　knows　everything；　he　showed　no　surprise　at　finding　Ellie

away　when　he　arrived。　　And　if　he　knows；　what's　to　prevent

Nelson's　finding　out？〃　　For　Strefford；　in　a　mood　of　mischief；

was　no　more　to　be　trusted　than　a　malicious　child。



Susy　instantly　resolved　to　risk　speaking　to　him；　if　need　be　even

betraying　to　him　the　secret　of　the　letters。　　Only　by　revealing

the　depth　of　her　own　danger　could　she　hope　to　secure　his

silence。



On　the　balcony；　late　in　the　evening；　while　the　others　were

listening　indoors　to　the　low　modulations　of　a　young　composer　who

had　embroidered　his　fancies　on　Browning's　〃Toccata；〃　Susy　found

her　chance。　　Strefford；　unsummoned；　had　followed　her　out；　and

stood　silently　smoking　at　her　side。



〃You　see；　Streffoh；　why　should　you　and　I　make　mysteries　to

each　other？〃　she　suddenly　began。



〃Why；　indeed：　　but　do　we？〃



Susy　glanced　back　at　the　group　around　the　piano。　　〃About　Ellie；

I　meanand　Nelson。〃



〃Lord！　　Ellie　and　Nelson？　　You　call　that　a　mystery？　　I　should　as

soon　apply　the　term　to　one　of　the　million　candle…power

advertisements　that　adorn　your　native　thoroughfares。〃



〃Well；　yes。　But〃　She　stopped　again。　　Had　she　not　tacitly

promised　Ellie　not　to　speak？



〃My　Susan；　what's　wrong？〃　　Strefford　asked。



〃I　don't　know。。。。〃



〃Well；　I　do；　then：　you're　afraid　that；　if　Ellie　and　Nelson　meet

here；　she'll　blurt　out　somethinginjudicious。〃



〃Oh；　she　won't！〃　　Susy　cried　with　conviction。



〃Well；　thenwho　will！　　I　trust　that　superhuman　child　not　to。

And　you　and　I　and　Nick〃



〃Oh；〃　she　gasped；　interrupting　him；　〃that's　just　it。　　Nick

doesn't　know　。。。　doesn't　even　suspect。　　And　if　he　did。。。。〃



Strefford　flung　away　his　cigar　and　turned　to　scrutinize　her。　　〃I

don't　seehanged　if　I　do。　　What　business　is　it　of　any　of　us；

after　all？〃



That；　of　course；　was　the　old　view　that　cloaked　connivance　in　an

air　of　decency。　　But　to　Susy　it　no　longer　carried　conviction；

and　she　hesitated。



〃If　Nick　should　find　out　that　I　know。。。。〃



〃Good　Lorddoesn't　he　know　that　you　know？　　After　all；　I　suppose

it's　not　the　first　time〃



She　remained　silent。



〃The　first　time　you've　received　confidencesfrom　married

friends。　　Does　Nick　suppose　you've　lived　even　to　your　tender　age

without　。。。　Hang　it；　what's　come　over　you；　child？〃



What　had；　indeed；　that　she　could　make　clear　to　him？　　And　yet

more　than　ever　she　felt　the　need　of　having　him　securely　on　her

side。　　Once　his　word　was　pledged；　he　was　safe：　　otherwise　there

was　no　limit　to　his　capacity　for　wilful　harmfulness。



〃Look　here；　Streff；　you　and　I　know　that　Ellie　hasn't　been　away

for　a　cure；　and　that　if　poor　Clarissa　was　sworn　to　secrecy　it

was　not　because　it　'worries　father'　to　think　that　mother　needs

to　take　care　of　her　health。〃　　She　paused；　hating　herself　for　the

ironic　note　she　had　tried　to　sound。



〃Well？〃　he　questioned；　from　the　depths　of　the　chair　into　which

he　had　sunk。



〃Well；　Nick　doesn't　。。。　doesn't　dream　of　it。　　If　he　knew　that　we

owed　our　summer　here　to　。。。　to　my　knowing。。。。〃



Strefford　sat　silent：　　she　felt　his　astonished　stare　through　the

darkness。　　〃Jove！〃　he　said　at　last；　with　a　low　whistle　Susy　bent

over　the　balustrade；　her　heart　thumping　against　the　stone　rail。



〃What　was　left　of　soul；　I　wonder？〃　　the　young　composer's　voice

shrilled　through　the　open　windows。



Strefford　sank　into　another　silence；　from　which　he　roused

himself　only　as　Susy　turned　back　toward　the　lighted　threshold。



〃Well；　my　dear；　we'll　see　it　through　between　us；　you　and　I…and

Clarissa；〃　he　said　with　his　rasping　laugh；　rising　to　follow　her。

He　caught　her　hand　and　gave　it　a　short　pressure　as　they　re…

entered　the　drawing…room；　where　Ellie　was　saying　plaintively　to

Fred　Gillow：　　〃I　can　never　hear　that　thing　sung　without　wanting

to　cry　like　a　baby。〃







IX。



NELSON　VANDERLYN；　still　in　his　travelling　clothes；　paused　on　the

threshold　of　his　own　dining…room　and　surveyed　the　scene　with

pardonable　satisfaction。



He　was　a　short　round　man；　with　a　grizzled　head；　small　facetious

eyes　and　a　large　and　credulous　smile。



At　the　luncheon　table　sat　his　wife；　between　Charlie　Strefford

and　Nick　Lansing。　　Next　to　Strefford；　perched　on　her　high　chair；

Clarissa　throned　in　infant　beauty；　while　Susy　Lansing　cut　up　a

peach　for　her。　　Through　wide　orange　awnings　the　sun　slanted　in

upon　the　white…clad　group。



〃Wellwellwell！　　So　I've　caught　you　at　it！〃　cried　the　happy

father；　whose　inveterate　habit　it　was　to　address　his　wife　and

friends　as　if　he　had　surprised　them　at　an　inopportune　moment。

Stealing　up　from　behind；　he　lifted　his　daughter　into　the　air；

while　a　chorus　of　〃Hello；　old　Nelson；〃　hailed　his　appearance。



It　was　two　or　three　years　since　Nick　Lansing　had　seen　Mr。

Vanderlyn；　who　was　now　the　London　representative　of　the　big　New

York　bank　of　Vanderlyn　&　Co。；　and　had　exchanged　his　sumptuous

house　in　Fifth　Avenue　for　another；　more　sumptuous　still；　in

Mayfair；　and　the　young　man　looked　curiously　and　attentively　at

his　host。



Mr。　Vanderlyn　had　grown　older　and　stouter；　but　his　face　still

kept　its　look　of　somewhat　worn　optimism。　　He　embraced　his　wife；

greeted　Susy　affectionately；　and　distributed　cordial　hand…grasps

to　the　two　men。



〃Hullo；〃　he　exclaimed；　suddenly　noticing　a　pearl　and　coral

trinket　hanging　from　Clarissa's　neck。　　〃Who's　been　giving　my

daughter　jewellery；　I'd　like　to　know！〃



〃Oh；　Streffy　didjust　think；　father！　　Because　I　said　I'd　rather

have　it　than　a　book；　you　know；〃　Clarissa　lucidly　explained；　her

arms　tight　about　her　father's　neck；　her　beaming　eyes　on

Strefford。



Nelson　Vanderlyn's　own　eyes　took　on　the　look　of　shrewdness　which

came　into　them　whenever　there　was　a　question　of　material　values。



〃What；　Streffy？　　Caught　you　at　it；　eh？　　Upon　my　soul…spoiling

the　brat　like　that！　　You'd　no　business　to；　my　dear　chap…a

lovely　baroque　pearl〃　he　protested；　with　the　half…apologetic

tone　of　the　rich　man　embarrassed　by　too　costly　a　gift　from　an

impecunious　friend。



〃Oh；　hadn't　I？　　Why？　　Because　it's　too　good　for　Clarissa；　or　too

expensive　for　me？　　Of　course　you　daren't　imply　the　first；　and　as

for　meI've　had　a　windfall；　and　am　blowing　it　in　on　the

ladies。〃



Strefford；　Lansing　had　noticed；　always　used　American　slang　when

he　was　slightly　at　a　loss；　and　wished　to　divert　attention　from

the　main　point。　　But　why　was　he　embarrassed；　whose　attention　did

he　wish　to　divert；　It　was　plain　that　Vanderlyn's　protest　had

been　merely　formal：　　like　most　of　the　wealthy；　he　had　only　the

dimmest　notion　of　what　money　represented　to　the　poor。　　But　it

was　unusual　for　Strefford　to　give　any　one　a　present；　and

especially　an　expensive　one：　　perhaps　that　was　what　had　fixed

Vanderlyn's　attention。



〃A　windfall？〃　he　gaily　repeated。



〃Oh；　a　tiny　one：　　I　was　offered　a　thumping　rent　for　my　little

place　at　Como；　and　dashed　over　here　to　squander　my　millions　with

the　rest　of　you；〃　said　Strefford　imperturbably。



Vanderlyn's　look　immediately　became　interested　and　sympathetic。

〃Whatthe　scene　of　the　honey…moon？〃　　He　included　Nick　and　Susy

in　his　friendly　smile。



〃Just　so：　　the　reward　of　virtue。　　I　say；　give　me　a　cigar；　will

you；　old　man；　I　left　some　awfully　good　ones　at　Como；　worse

luckand　I　don't　mind　telling　you　that　Ellie's　no　judge　of

tobacco；　and　that　Nick's　too　far　gone　in　bliss　to　care　what　he

smokes；〃　Strefford　grumbled；　stretching　a　hand　toward　his　host's

cigar…case。



〃I　do　like　jewellery　best；〃　Clarissa　murmured；　hugging　her

father。



Nelson　Vanderlyn's　first　word　to　his　wife　had　been　that　he　had

brought　her　all　her　toggery；　and　she　had　welcomed　him　with

appropriate　enthusias