the glimpses of the moon-第25部分

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Had　there　been　any　practical　questions　to　write　about　it　would

have　been　different；　he　could　not　have　borne　for　twenty…four

hours　the　idea　that　she　was　in　uncertainty　as　to　money。　　But

that　had　all　been　settled　long　ago。　　From　the　first　she　had　had

the　administering　of　their　modest　fortune。　　On　their　marriage

Nick's　own　meagre　income；　paid　in；　none　too　regularly；　by　the

agent　who　had　managed　for　years　the　dwindling　family　properties；

had　been　transferred　to　her：　　it　was　the　only　wedding　present　he

could　make。　　And　the　wedding　cheques　had　of　course　all　been

deposited　in　her　name。　　There　were　therefore　no　〃business〃

reasons　for　communicating　with　her；　and　when　it　came　to　reasons

of　another　order　the　mere　thought　of　them　benumbed　him。



For　the　first　few　days　he　reproached　himself　for　his　inertia；

then　he　began　to　seek　reasons　for　justifying　it。　　After　all；　for

both　their　sakes　a　waiting　policy　might　be　the　wisest　he　could

pursue。　　He　had　left　Susy　because　he　could　not　tolerate　the

conditions　on　which　he　had　discovered　their　life　together　to　be

based；　and　he　had　told　her　so。　　What　more　was　there　to　say？



Nothing　was　changed　in　their　respective　situations；　if　they　came

together　it　could　be　only　to　resume　the　same　life；　and　that；　as

the　days　went　by；　seemed　to　him　more　and　more　impossible。　　He

had　not　yet　reached　the　point　of　facing　a　definite　separation；

but　whenever　his　thoughts　travelled　back　over　their　past　life　he

recoiled　from　any　attempt　to　return　to　it。　　As　long　as　this

state　of　mind　continued　there　seemed　nothing　to　add　to　the

letter　he　had　already　written；　except　indeed　the　statement　that

he　was　cruising　with　the　Hickses。　　And　he　saw　no　pressing　reason

for　communicating　that。



To　the　Hickses　he　had　given　no　hint　of　his　situation。　　When

Coral　Hicks；　a　fortnight　earlier；　had　picked　him　up　in　the

broiling　streets　of　Genoa；　and　carried　him　off　to　the　Ibis；　he

had　thought　only　of　a　cool　dinner　and　perhaps　a　moonlight　sail。

Then；　in　reply　to　their　friendly　urging；　he　had　confessed　that

he　had　not　been　wellhad　indeed　gone　off　hurriedly　for　a　few

days'　change　of　airand　that　left　him　without　defence　against

the　immediate　proposal　that　he　should　take　his　change　of　air　on

the　Ibis。　　They　were　just　off　to　Corsica　and　Sardinia；　and　from

there　to　Sicily：　　he　could　rejoin　the　railway　at　Naples；　and　be

back　at　Venice　in　ten　days。



Ten　days　of　respitethe　temptation　was　irresistible。　　And　he

really　liked　the　kind　uncomplicated　Hickses。　　A　wholesome

honesty　and　simplicity　breathed　through　all　their　opulence；　as

if　the　rich　trappings　of　their　present　life　still　exhaled　the

fragrance　of　their　native　prairies。　　The　mere　fact　of　being　with

such　people　was　like　a　purifying　bath。　　When　the　yacht　touched

at　Naples　he　agreed　since　they　were　so　awfully　kindto　go　on　to

Sicily。　　And　when　the　chief　steward；　going　ashore　at　Naples　for

the　last　time　before　they　got　up　steam；　said：　　〃Any　letters　for

the　post；　sir？〃　he　answered；　as　he　had　answered　at　each　previous

halt：　　〃No；　thank　you：　　none。〃



Now　they　were　heading　for　Rhodes　and　CreteCrete；　where　he　had

never　been；　where　he　had　so　often　longed　to　go。　　In　spite　of　the

lateness　of　the　season　the　weather　was　still　miraculously　fine：

the　short　waves　danced　ahead　under　a　sky　without　a　cloud；　and

the　strong　bows　of　the　Ibis　hardly　swayed　as　she　flew　forward

over　the　flying　crests。



Only　his　hosts　and　their　daughter　were　on　the　yacht…of　course

with　Eldorada　Tooker　and　Mr。　Beck　in　attendance。　　An　eminent

archaeologist；　who　was　to　have　joined　them　at　Naples；　had

telegraphed　an　excuse　at　the　last　moment；　and　Nick　noticed　that；

while　Mrs。　Hicks　was　perpetually　apologizing　for　the　great　man's

absence；　Coral　merely　smiled　and　said　nothing。



As　a　matter　of　fact；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Hicks　were　never　as　pleasant

as　when　one　had　them　to　one's　self。　　In　company；　Mr。　Hicks　ran

the　risk　of　appearing　over…hospitable；　and　Mrs。　Hicks　confused

dates　and　names　in　the　desire　to　embrace　all　culture　in　her

conversation。　　But　alone　with　Nick；　their　old　travelling…

companion；　they　shone　out　in　their　native　simplicity；　and　Mr。

Hicks　talked　soundly　of　investments；　and　Mrs。　Hicks　recalled　her

early　married　days　in　Apex　City；　when；　on　being　brought　home　to

her　new　house　in　Aeschylus　Avenue；　her　first　thought　had　been：

〃How　on　earth　shall　I　get　all　those　windows　washed？〃



The　loss　of　Mr。　Buttles　had　been　as　serious　to　them　as　Nick　had

supposed：　　Mr。　Beck　could　never　hope　to　replace　him。　　Apart　from

his　mysterious　gift　of　languages；　and　his　almost　superhuman

faculty　for　knowing　how　to　address　letters　to　eminent　people；

and　in　what　terms　to　conclude　them；　he　had　a　smattering　of

archaeology　and　general　culture　on　which　Mrs。　Hicks　had　learned

to　dependher　own　memory　being；　alas；　so　inadequate　to　the

range　of　her　interests。



Her　daughter　might　perhaps　have　helped　her；　but　it　was　not　Miss

Hicks's　way　to　mother　her　parents。　　She　was　exceedingly　kind　to

them；　but　left　them；　as　it　were；　to　bring　themselves　up　as　best

they　could；　while　she　pursued　her　own　course　of　self…

development。　　A　sombre　zeal　for　knowledge　filled　the　mind　of

this　strange　girl：　　she　appeared　interested　only　in　fresh

opportunities　of　adding　to　her　store　of　facts。　　They　were

illuminated　by　little　imagination　and　less　poetry；　but；

carefully　catalogued　and　neatly　sorted　in　her　large　cool　brain；

they　were　always　as　accessible　as　the　volumes　in　an　up…to…date

public　library。



To　Nick　there　was　something　reposeful　in　this　lucid　intellectual

curiosity。　　He　wanted　above　all　things　to　get　away　from

sentiment；　from　seduction；　from　the　moods　and　impulses　and

flashing　contradictions　that　were　Susy。　　Susy　was　not　a　great

reader：　　her　store　of　facts　was　small；　and　she　had　grown　up

among　people　who　dreaded　ideas　as　much　as　if　they　had　been　a

contagious　disease。　　But；　in　the　early　days　especially；　when

Nick　had　put　a　book　in　her　hand；　or　read　a　poem　to　her；　her

swift　intelligence　had　instantly　shed　a　new　light　on　the

subject；　and；　penetrating　to　its　depths；　had　extracted　from　them

whatever　belonged　to　her。　　What　a　pity　that　this　exquisite

insight；　this　intuitive　discrimination；　should　for　the　most　part

have　been　spent　upon　reading　the　thoughts　of　vulgar　people；　and

extracting　a　profit　from　themshould　have　been　wasted；　since

her　childhood；　on　all　the　hideous　intricacies　of　〃managing〃！



And　visible　beautyhow　she　cared　for　that　too！　　He　had　not

guessed　it；　or　rather　he　had　not　been　sure　of　it；　till　the　day

when；　on　their　way　through　Paris；　he　had　taken　her　to　the

Louvre；　and　they　had　stood　before　the　little　Crucifixion　of

Mantegna。　　He　had　not　been　looking　at　the　picture；　or　watching

to　see　what　impression　it　produced　on　Susy。　　His　own　momentary

mood　was　for　Correggio　and　Fragonard；　the　laughter　of　the　Music

Lesson　and　the　bold　pagan　joys　of　the　Antiope；　and　then　he　had

missed　her　from　his　side；　and　when　he　came　to　where　she　stood；

forgetting　him；　forgetting　everything；　had　seen　the　glare　of

that　tragic　sky　in　her　face；　her　trembling　lip；　the　tears　on　her

lashes。　　That　was　Susy　。。。。



Closing　his　book　he　stole　a　glance　at　Coral　Hicks's　profile；

thrown　back　against　the　cushions　of　the　deck…chair　at　his　side。

There　was　something　harsh　and　bracing　in　her　blunt　primitive

build；　in　the　projection　of　the　black　eyebrows　that　nearly　met

over　her　thick　straight　nose；　and　the　faint　barely　visible　black

down　on　her　upper　lip。　　Some　miracle　of　will…power；　combined

with　all　the　artifices　that　wealth　can　buy；　had　turned　the　fat

sallow　girl　he　remembered　into　this　commanding　young　woman；

almost　handsome　at　times　indisputably　handsomein　her　big

authoritative　way。　　Watching　the　arrogant　lines　of　her　profile

against　the　blue　sea；　he　remembered；　with　a　thrill　that　was

sweet　to　his　vanity；　how　twiceunder　the　dome　of　the　Scalzi　and

in　the　streets　of　Genoahe　had　seen　those　same　lines　soften　at

his　approach；　turn　womanly；　pleading　and　almost　humble。　　That

was　Coral　。。。。



Suddenly　she　said；　without　turning　toward　him：　　〃You've　had　no

letters　since　you've　been　on　board。〃



He　looked　at　her；　surprised。　　〃Nothank　the　Lord！〃　he　laughed。



〃And　you　haven't　written　one　either；〃　she　continued　in　her　hard

statistical　tone。



〃No；〃　he　again　agreed；　with　the　same　laugh。



〃That　means　that　you　really　are　free〃



〃Free？〃



He　saw　the　cheek　nearest　him　redden。　　〃Really　off　on　a　holiday；

I　mean；　not　tied　down。〃　　After　a　pause　he　rejoined：　　〃No；　I'm

not　particularly　tied　down。〃



〃And　your　book？〃



〃Oh；　my　book〃　He　stopped　and　considered。　　He　had　thrust　The

Pageant　of　Alexander　into　his　handbag　on　the　night　of　his　Bight

from　Venice；　but　since　then　he　had　never　looked　at　it。　　Too　many

memories　and　illusions　were　pressed　between　its　pages；　and　he

knew　just　at　what　page　he　had　felt　Ellie　Vanderlyn　bending　over

him　from　behind；　caught　a　whiff　of　her　scent；　and　heard　her

breathless　〃I　had　to　thank　you！〃



〃My　book's　hung　up；〃　he　said　impatiently；　annoyed　with　Miss

Hicks's　lack　of　tact。　　There　was　a　girl　who　never　put　out

feelers　。。。。



〃Yes；　I　thought　it　was；〃　she　went　on　quietly；　and　he　gave　her　a

startled　glance。　　What　the　devil　else　did　she　think；　he

wondered？　　He　had　never　supposed　her　capable　of　getting　far

enough　out　of　her　own　thick　carapace　of　self…sufficiency　to

penetrate　into　any　one　else's　feelings。



〃The　truth　is；〃　he　continued；　embarrassed；　〃I　suppose　I　dug　away

at　it　rather　too　continuously；　that's　probably　why　I　felt　the

need　of　a　change。　　You　see　I'm　only　a　beginner。〃



She　still　continued　her　relentless　questioning。　　〃But　later

you'll　go　on　with　it；　of　course？〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　know。〃　　He　paused；　glanced　down　the　glittering

deck；　and　then　out　across　the　glittering　water。　　〃I've　been

dreaming　dreams；　you　see。　I　rather　think　I　shall　have　to　drop

the　book　altogether；　and　try　to　look　out　for　a