the glimpses of the moon-第14部分

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

share　of　his　approbation；　and　Lansing　thought　that　Ellie　was

unusually　demonstrative　to　her　friend。　　Strefford；　from　his

hostess's　side；　glanced　across　now　and　then　at　young　Mrs。

Lansing；　and　his　glance　seemed　to　Lansing　a　confidential　comment

on　the　Vanderlyn　raptures。　　But　then　Strefford　was　always　having

private　jokes　with　people　or　about　them；　and　Lansing　was

irritated　with　himself　for　perpetually　suspecting　his　best

friends　of　vague　complicities　at　his　expense。　　〃If　I'm　going　to

be　jealous　of　Streffy　now！〃　　he　concluded　with　a　grimace　of

self…derision。



Certainly　Susy　looked　lovely　enough　to　justify　the　most

irrational　pangs。　　As　a　girl　she　had　been；　for　some　people's

taste；　a　trifle　fine…drawn　and　sharp…edged；　now；　to　her　old

lightness　of　line　was　added　a　shadowy　bloom；　a　sort　of　star…

reflecting　depth。　　Her　movements　were　slower；　less　angular；　her

mouth　had　a　needing　droop；　her　lids　seemed　weighed　down　by　their

lashes；　and　then　suddenly　the　old　spirit　would　reveal　itself

through　the　new　languor；　like　the　tartness　at　the　core　of　a

sweet　fruit。　　As　her　husband　looked　at　her　across　the　flowers

and　lights　he　laughed　inwardly　at　the　nothingness　of　all　things

else。



Vanderlyn　and　Clarissa　left　betimes　the　next　morning；　and　Mrs。

Vanderlyn；　who　was　to　start　for　St。　Moritz　in　the　afternoon；

devoted　her　last　hours　to　anxious　conferences　with　her　maid　and

Susy。　　Strefford；　with　Fred　Gillow　and　the　others；　had　gone　for

a　swim　at　the　Lido；　and　Lansing　seized　the　opportunity　to　get

back　to　his　book。



The　quietness　of　the　great　echoing　place　gave　him　a　foretaste　of

the　solitude　to　come。　　By　mid…August　all　their　party　would　be

scattered：　　the　Hickses　off　on　a　cruise　to　Crete　and　the　AEgean；

Fred　Gillow　on　the　way　to　his　moor；　Strefford　to　stay　with

friends　in　Capri　till　his　annual　visit　to　Northumberland　in

September。　　One　by　one　the　others　would　follow；　and　Lansing　and

Susy　be　left　alone　in　the　great　sun…proof　palace；　alone　under

the　star…laden　skies；　alone　with　the　great　orange　moons…still

theirs！above　the　bell…tower　of　San　Giorgio。　　The　novel；　in

that　blessed　quiet；　would　unfold　itself　as　harmoniously　as　his

dreams。



He　wrote　on；　forgetful　of　the　passing　hours；　till　the　door

opened　and　he　heard　a　step　behind　him。　　The　next　moment　two

hands　were　clasped　over　his　eyes；　and　the　air　was　full　of　Mrs。

Vanderlyn's　last　new　scent。



〃You　dear　thingI'm　just　off；　you　know；〃　she　said。　　〃Susy　told

me　you　were　working；　and　I　forbade　her　to　call　you　down。　　She

and　Streffy　are　waiting　to　take　me　to　the　station；　and　I've　run

up　to　say　good…bye。〃



〃Ellie；　dear！〃　　Full　of　compunction；　Lansing　pushed　aside　his

writing　and　started　up；　but　she　pressed　him　back　into　his　seat。



〃No；　no！　　I　should　never　forgive　myself　if　I'd　interrupted　you。

I　oughtn't　to　have　come　up；　Susy　didn't　want　me　to。　　But　I　had

to　tell　you；　you　dear　。。。。　　I　had　to　thank　you。。。〃



In　her　dark　travelling　dress　and　hat；　so　discreetly　conspicuous；

so　negligent　and　so　studied；　with　a　veil　masking　her　paint；　and

gloves　hiding　her　rings；　she　looked　younger；　simpler；　more

natural　than　he　had　ever　seen　her。　　Poor　Ellie　such　a　good

fellow；　after　all！



〃To　thank　me？　　For　what？　　For　being　so　happy　here？〃　　he　laughed；

taking　her　hands。



She　looked　at　him；　laughed　back；　and　flung　her　arms　about　his

neck。



〃For　helping　me　to　be　so　happy　elsewhereyou　and　Susy；　you　two

blessed　darlings！〃　　she　cried；　with　a　kiss　on　his　cheek。



Their　eyes　met　for　a　second；　then　her　arms　slipped　slowly

downward；　dropping　to　her　sides。　　Lansing　sat　before　her　like　a

stone。



〃Oh；〃　she　gasped；　〃why　do　you　stare　so？　　Didn't　you　know　。。。？〃



They　heard　Strefford's　shrill　voice　on　the　stairs。　　〃Ellie；

where　the　deuce　are　you？　　Susy's　in　the　gondola。　　You'll　miss

the　train！〃



Lansing　stood　up　and　caught　Mrs。　Vanderlyn　by　the　wrist。　　〃What

do　you　mean？　　What　are　you　talking　about？〃



〃Oh；　nothing　。。。　But　you　were　both　such　bricks　about　the

letters　。。。。　　And　when　Nelson　was　here；　too　。。。。　　Nick；　don't

hurt　my　wrist　so！　　I　must　run！〃



He　dropped　her　hand　and　stood　motionless；　staring　after　her　and

listening　to　the　click　of　her　high　heels　as　she　fled　across　the

room　and　along　the　echoing　corridor。



When　he　turned　back　to　the　table　he　noticed　that　a　small　morocco

case　had　fallen　among　his　papers。　　In　falling　it　had　opened；　and

before　him；　on　the　pale　velvet　lining；　lay　a　scarf…pin　set　with

a　perfect　pearl。　　He　picked　the　box　up；　and　was　about　to　hasten

after　Mrs。　Vanderlynit　was　so　like　her　to　shed　jewels　on　her

path！when　he　noticed　his　own　initials　on　the　cover。



He　dropped　the　box　as　if　it　had　been　a　hot　coal；　and　sat　for　a

long　while　gazing　at　the　gold　N。　L。；　which　seemed　to　have　burnt

itself　into　his　flesh。



At　last　he　roused　himself　and　stood　up。







X。



WITH　a　sigh　of　relief　Susy　drew　the　pins　from　her　hat　and　threw

herself　down　on　the　lounge。



The　ordeal　she　had　dreaded　was　over；　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Vanderlyn

had　safely　gone　their　several　ways。　　Poor　Ellie　was　not　noted

for　prudence；　and　when　life　smiled　on　her　she　was　given　to

betraying　her　gratitude　too　openly；　but　thanks　to　Susy's

vigilance　（and；　no　doubt；　to　Strefford's　tacit　co…operation）；

the　dreaded　twenty…four　hours　were　happily　over。　　Nelson

Vanderlyn　had　departed　without　a　shadow　on　his　brow；　and　though

Ellie's；　when　she　came　down　from　bidding　Nick　good…bye；　had

seemed　to　Susy　less　serene　than　usual；　she　became　her　normal

self　as　soon　as　it　was　discovered　that　the　red　morocco　bag　with

her　jewel…box　was　missing。　　Before　it　had　been　discovered　in　the

depths　of　the　gondola　they　had　reached　the　station；　and　there

was　just　time　to　thrust　her　into　her　〃sleeper；〃　from　which　she

was　seen　to　wave　an　unperturbed　farewell　to　her　friends。



〃Well；　my　dear；　we've　been　it　through；〃　Strefford　remarked　with

a　deep　breath　as　the　St。　Moritz　express　rolled　away。



〃Oh；〃　Susy　sighed　in　mute　complicity；　then；　as　if　to　cover　her

self…betrayal：　　〃Poor　darling；　she　does　so　like　what　she　likes！〃



〃Yeseven　if　it's　a　rotten　bounder；〃　Strefford　agreed。



〃A　rotten　bounder？　Why；　I　thought〃



〃That　it　was　still　young　Davenant？　　Lord；　nonot　for　the　last

six　months。　　Didn't　she　tell　you？〃



Susy　felt　herself　redden。　　〃I　didn't　ask　her〃



〃Ask　her？　　You　mean　you　didn't　let　her！〃



〃I　didn't　let　her。　　And　I　don't　let　you；〃　Susy　added　sharply；　as

he　helped　her　into　the　gondola。



〃Oh；　all　right：　　I　daresay　you're　right。　　It　simplifies　things；〃

Strefford　placidly　acquiesced。



She　made　no　answer；　and　in　silence　they　glided　homeward。



Now；　in　the　quiet　of　her　own　room；　Susy　lay　and　pondered　on　the

distance　she　had　travelled　during　the　last　year。　　Strefford　had

read　her　mind　with　his　usual　penetration。　　It　was　true　that

there　had　been　a　time　when　she　would　have　thought　it　perfectly

natural　that　Ellie　should　tell　her　everything；　that　the　name　of

young　Davenant's　successor　should　be　confided　to　her　as　a　matter

of　course。　　Apparently　even　Ellie　had　been　obscurely　aware　of

the　change；　for　after　a　first　attempt　to　force　her　confidences

on　Susy　she　had　contented　herself　with　vague　expressions　of

gratitude；　allusive　smiles　and　sighs；　and　the　pretty　〃surprise〃

of　the　sapphire　bangle　slipped　onto　her　friend's　wrist　in　the

act　of　their　farewell　embrace。



The　bangle　was　extremely　handsome。　　Susy；　who　had　an

auctioneer's　eye　for　values；　knew　to　a　fraction　the　worth　of

those　deep　convex　stones　alternating　with　small　emeralds　and

brilliants。　　She　was　glad　to　own　the　bracelet；　and　enchanted

with　the　effect　it　produced　on　her　slim　wrist；　yet；　even　while

admiring　it；　and　rejoicing　that　it　was　hers；　she　had　already

transmuted　it　into　specie；　and　reckoned　just　how　far　it　would　go

toward　the　paying　of　domestic　necessities。　　For　whatever　came　to

her　now　interested　her　only　as　something　more　to　be　offered　up

to　Nick。



The　door　opened　and　Nick　came　in。　　Dusk　had　fallen；　and　she

could　not　see　his　face；　but　something　in　the　jerk　of　the　door…

handle　roused　her　ever…wakeful　apprehension。　　She　hurried　toward

him　with　outstretched　wrist。



〃Look；　dearestwasn't　it　too　darling　of　Ellie？〃



She　pressed　the　button　of　the　lamp　that　lit　her　dressing…table；

and　her　husband's　face　started　unfamiliarly　out　of　the　twilight。

She　slipped　off　the　bracelet　and　held　it　up　to　him。



〃Oh；　I　can　go　you　one　better；〃　he　said　with　a　laugh；　and　pulling

a　morocco　case　from　his　pocket　he　flung　it　down　among　the　scent…

bottles。



Susy　opened　the　case　automatically；　staring　at　the　pearl　because

she　was　afraid　to　look　again　at　Nick。



〃Elliegave　you　this？〃　　she　asked　at　length。



〃Yes。　　She　gave　me　this。〃　　There　was　a　pause。　　〃Would　you　mind

telling　me；〃　Lansing　continued　in　the　same　dead…level　tone；

〃exactly　for　what　services　we've　both　been　so　handsomely　paid？〃



〃The　pearl　is　beautiful；〃　Susy　murmured；　to　gain　time；　while　her

head　spun　round　with　unimaginable　terrors。



〃So　are　your　sapphires；　though；　on　closer　examination；　my

services　would　appear　to　have　been　valued　rather　higher　than

yours。　　Would　you　be　kind　enough　to　tell　me　just　what　they

were？〃



Susy　threw　her　head　back　and　looked　at　him。　　〃What　on　earth　are

you　talking　about；　Nick！　　Why　shouldn't　Ellie　have　given　us

these　things？　　Do　you　forget　that　it's　like　our　giving　her　a

pen…wiper　or　a　button…hook？　　What　is　it　you　are　trying　to

suggest？〃



It　had　cost　her　a　considerable　effort　to　hold　his　eyes　while　she

put　the　questions。　　Something　had　happened　between　him　and

Ellie；　that　was　evident…one　of　those　hideous　unforeseeable

blunders　that　may　cause　one's　cleverest　plans　to　crumble　at　a

stroke；　and　again　Susy　shuddered　at　the　frailty　of　her　bliss。

But　her　old　training　stood　her　in　good　stead。　　There　had　been

more　t