the glimpses of the moon-第13部分

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

appropriate　enthusiasm。　　In　fact；　to　the　lookers…on　her　joy　at

seeing　him　seemed　rather　too　patently　in　proportion　to　her

satisfaction　at　getting　her　clothes。　　But　no　such　suspicion

appeared　to　mar　Mr。　Vanderlyn's　happiness　in　being；　for　once；

and　for　nearly　twenty…four　hours；　under　the　same　roof　with　his

wife　and　child。　　He　did　not　conceal　his　regret　at　having

promised　his　mother　to　join　her　the　next　day；　and　added；　with　a

wistful　glance　at　Ellie：　　〃If　only　I'd　known　you　meant　to　wait

for　me！〃



But　being　a　man　of　duty；　in　domestic　as　well　as　business

affairs；　he　did　not　even　consider　the　possibility　of

disappointing　the　exacting　old　lady　to　whom　he　owed　his　being。

〃Mother　cares　for　so　few　people；〃　he　used　to　say；　not　without　a

touch　of　filial　pride　in　the　parental　exclusiveness；　〃that　I

have　to　be　with　her　rather　more　than　if　she　were　more　sociable〃；

and　with　smiling　resignation　he　gave　orders　that　Clarissa　should

be　ready　to　start　the　next　evening。



〃And　meanwhile；〃　he　concluded；　〃we'll　have　all　the　good　time

that's　going。〃



The　ladies　of　the　party　seemed　united　in　the　desire　to　further

this　resolve；　and　it　was　settled　that　as　soon　as　Mr。　Vanderlyn

had　despatched　a　hasty　luncheon；　his　wife；　Clarissa　and　Susy

should　carry　him　off　for　a　tea…picnic　at　Torcello。　　They　did　not

even　suggest　that　Strefford　or　Nick　should　be　of　the　party；　or

that　any　of　the　other　young　men　of　the　group　should　be　summoned；

as　Susy　said；　Nelson　wanted　to　go　off　alone　with　his　harem。　　And

Lansing　and　Strefford　were　left　to　watch　the　departure　of　the

happy　Pasha　ensconced　between　attentive　beauties。



〃Wellthat's　what　you　call　being　married！〃　　Strefford

commented；　waving　his　battered　Panama　at　Clarissa。



〃Oh；　no；　I　don't！〃　　Lansing　laughed。



〃He　does。　　But　do　you　know〃　Strefford　paused　and　swung　about

on　his　companion〃do　you　know；　when　the　Rude　Awakening　comes；　I

don't　care　to　be　there。　　I　believe　there'll　be　some　crockery

broken。〃



〃Shouldn't　wonder；〃　Lansing　answered　indifferently。　　He　wandered

away　to　his　own　room；　leaving　Strefford　to　philosophize　to　his

pipe。



Lansing　had　always　known　about　poor　old　Nelson：　　who　hadn't；

except　poor　old　Nelson？　　The　case　had　once　seemed　amusing

because　so　typical；　now；　it　rather　irritated　Nick　that　Vanderlyn

should　be　so　complete　an　ass。　　But　he　would　be　off　the　next　day；

and　so　would　Ellie；　and　then；　for　many　enchanted　weeks；　the

palace　would　once　more　be　the　property　of　Nick　and　Susy。　　Of　all

the　people　who　came　and　went　in　it；　they　were　the　only　ones　who

appreciated　it；　or　knew　how　it　was　meant　to　be　lived　in；　and

that　made　it　theirs　in　the　only　valid　sense。　　In　this　light　it

became　easy　to　regard　the　Vanderlyns　as　mere　transient

intruders。



Having　relegated　them　to　this　convenient　distance；　Lansing　shut

himself　up　with　his　book。　　He　had　returned　to　it　with　fresh

energy　after　his　few　weeks　of　holiday…making；　and　was　determined

to　finish　it　quickly。　　He　did　not　expect　that　it　would　bring　in

much　money；　but　if　it　were　moderately　successful　it　might　give

him　an　opening　in　the　reviews　and　magazines；　and　in　that　case　he

meant　to　abandon　archaeology　for　novels；　since　it　was　only　as　a

purveyor　of　fiction　that　he　could　count　on　earning　a　living　for

himself　and　Susy。



Late　in　the　afternoon　he　laid　down　his　pen　and　wandered　out　of

doors。　　He　loved　the　increasing　heat　of　the　Venetian　summer；　the

bruised　peach…tints　of　worn　house…fronts；　the　enamelling　of

sunlight　on　dark　green　canals；　the　smell　of　half…decayed　fruits

and　flowers　thickening　the　languid　air。　　What　visions　he　could

build；　if　he　dared；　of　being　tucked　away　with　Susy　in　the　attic

of　some　tumble…down　palace；　above　a　jade…green　waterway；　with　a

terrace　overhanging　a　scrap　of　neglected　gardenand　cheques

from　the　publishers　dropping　in　at　convenient　intervals！　　Why

should　they　not　settle　in　Venice　if　he　pulled　it　off！



He　found　himself　before　the　church　of　the　Scalzi；　and　pushing

open　the　leathern　door　wandered　up　the　nave　under　the　whirl　of

rose…and…lemon　angels　in　Tiepolo's　great　vault。　　It　was　not　a

church　in　which　one　was　likely　to　run　across　sight…seers；　but　he

presently　remarked　a　young　lady　standing　alone　near　the　choir；

and　assiduously　applying　her　field…glass　to　the　celestial

vortex；　from　which　she　occasionally　glanced　down　at　an　open

manual。



As　Lansing's　step　sounded　on　the　pavement；　the　young　lady；

turning；　revealed　herself　as　Miss　Hicks。



〃Ahyou　like　this　too？　　It's　several　centuries　out　of　your

line；　though；　isn't　it！〃　　Nick　asked　as　they　shook　hands。



She　gazed　at　him　gravely。　　〃Why　shouldn't　one　like　things　that

are　out　of　one's　line？〃　　she　answered；　and　he　agreed；　with　a

laugh；　that　it　was　often　an　incentive。



She　continued　to　fix　her　grave　eyes　on　him；　and　after　one　or　two

remarks　about　the　Tiepolos　he　perceived　that　she　was　feeling　her

way　toward　a　subject　of　more　personal　interest。



〃I'm　glad　to　see　you　alone；〃　she　said　at　length；　with　an

abruptness　that　might　have　seemed　awkward　had　it　not　been　so

completely　unconscious。　　She　turned　toward　a　cluster　of　straw

chairs；　and　signed　to　Nick　to　seat　himself　beside　her。



〃I　seldom　do；〃　she　added；　with　the　serious　smile　that　made　her

heavy　face　almost　handsome；　and　she　went　on；　giving　him　no　time

to　protest：　　〃I　wanted　to　speak　to　youto　explain　about

father's　invitation　to　go　with　us　to　Persia　and　Turkestan。〃



〃To　explain？〃



〃Yes。　　You　found　the　letter　when　you　arrived　here　just　after

your　marriage；　didn't　you？　　You　must　have　thought　it　odd；　our

asking　you　just　then；　but　we　hadn't　heard　that　you　were

married。〃



〃Oh；　I　guessed　as　much：　　it　happened　very　quietly；　and　I　was

remiss　about　announcing　it；　even　to　old　friends。〃



Lansing　frowned。　　His　thoughts　had　wandered　away　to　the　evening

when　he　had　found　Mrs。　Hicks's　letter　in　the　mail　awaiting　him

at　Venice。　　The　day　was　associated　in　his　mind　with　the

ridiculous　and　mortifying　episode　of　the　cigarsthe　expensive

cigars　that　Susy　had　wanted　to　carry　away　from　Strefford's

villa。　　Their　brief　exchange　of　views　on　the　subject　had　left

the　first　blur　on　the　perfect　surface　of　his　happiness；　and　he

still　felt　an　uncomfortable　heat　at　the　remembrance。　　For　a　few

hours　the　prospect　of　life　with　Susy　had　seemed　unendurable；　and

it　was　just　at　that　moment　that　he　had　found　the　letter　from

Mrs。　Hicks；　with　its　almost　irresistible　invitation。　　If　only

her　daughter　had　known　how　nearly　he　had　accepted　it！



〃It　was　a　dreadful　temptation；〃　he　said；　smiling。



〃To　go　with　us？　　Then　why？〃



〃Oh；　everything's　different　now：　　I've　got　to　stick　to　my

writing。〃



Miss　Hicks　still　bent　on　him　the　same　unblinking　scrutiny。

〃Does　that　mean　that　you're　going　to　give　up　your　real　work？〃



〃My　real　workarchaeology？〃　　He　smiled　again　to　hide　a　twitch

of　regret。　　〃Why；　I'm　afraid　it　hardly　produces　a　living　wage；

and　I've　got　to　think　of　that。〃　　He　coloured　suddenly；　as　if

suspecting　that　Miss　Hicks　might　consider　the　avowal　an　opening

for　he　hardly　knew　what　ponderous　offer　of　aid。　　The　Hicks

munificence　was　too　uncalculating　not　to　be　occasionally

oppressive。　　But　looking　at　her　again　he　saw　that　her　eyes　were

full　of　tears。



〃I　thought　it　was　your　vocation；〃　she　said。



〃So　did　I。　　But　life　comes　along；　and　upsets　things。〃



〃Oh；　I　understand。　　There　may　be　thingsworth　giving　up　all

other　things　for。〃



〃There　are！〃　cried　Nick　with　beaming　emphasis。



He　was　conscious　that　Miss　Hicks's　eyes　demanded　of　him　even

more　than　this　sweeping　affirmation。



〃But　your　novel　may　fail；〃　she　said　with　her　odd　harshness。



〃It　mayit　probably　will；〃　he　agreed。　　〃But　if　one　stopped　to

consider　such　possibilities〃



〃Don't　you　have　to；　with　a　wife？〃



〃Oh；　my　dear　Coralhow　old　are　you？　　Not　twenty？〃　he

questioned；　laying　a　brotherly　hand　on　hers。



She　stared　at　him　a　moment；　and　sprang　up　clumsily　from　her

chair。　　〃I　was　never　young　。。。　if　that's　what　you　mean。　　It's

lucky；　isn't　it；　that　my　parents　gave　me　such　a　grand　education？

Because；　you　see；　art's　a　wonderful　resource。〃　　（She　pronounced

it　RE…source。）



He　continued　to　look　at　her　kindly。　　〃You　won't　need　itor　any

otherwhen　you　grow　young；　as　you　will　some　day；〃　he　assured

her。



〃Do　you　mean；　when　I　fall　in　love？　　But　I　am　in　loveOh；

there's　Eldorada　and　Mr。　Beck！〃　　She　broke　off　with　a　jerk；

signalling　with　her　field…glass　to　the　pair　who　had　just

appeared　at　the　farther　end　of　the　nave。　　〃I　told　them　that　if

they'd　meet　me　here　to…day　I'd　try　to　make　them　understand

Tiepolo。　　Because；　you　see；　at　home　we　never　really　have

understood　Tiepolo；　and　Mr。　Beck　and　Eldorada　are　the　only　ones

to　realize　it。　　Mr。　Buttles　simply　won't。〃　　She　turned　to

Lansing　and　held　out　her　hand。　　〃I　am　in　love；〃　she　repeated

earnestly；　〃and　that's　the　reason　why　I　find　art　such　a　RE

source。〃



She　restored　her　eye…glasses；　opened　her　manual；　and　strode

across　the　church　to　the　expectant　neophytes。



Lansing；　looking　after　her；　wondered　for　half　a　moment　whether

Mr。　Beck　were　the　object　of　this　apparently　unrequited

sentiment；　then；　with　a　queer　start　of　introspection；　abruptly

decided　that；　no；　he　certainly　was　not。　　But　thenbut　then。　

Well；　there　was　no　use　in　following　up　such　conjectures　。。。。　　He

turned　home…ward；　wondering　if　the　picnickers　had　already

reached　Palazzo　Vanderlyn。



They　got　back　only　in　time　for　a　late　dinner；　full　of　chaff　and

laughter；　and　apparently　still　enchanted　with　each　other's

society。　　Nelson　Vanderlyn　beamed　on　his　wife；　sent　his　daughter

off　to　bed　with　a　kiss；　and　leaning　back　in　his　armchair　before

the　fruit…and…flower…laden　table；　declared　that　he'd　never　spent

a　jollier　day　in　his　life。　　Susy　seemed　to　come　in　for　a　full

share　of　his　approbation；　and　Lansing　thoug