the glimpses of the moon-第29部分

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immediately　occur　to　you。　　At　least　there　was　a　decent　interval

of　doubt　。。。。〃　　She　stood　up；　laughing　again；　and　began　to

wander　about　the　room。　　In　the　mirror　above　the　mantel　she

caught　sight　of　her　flushed　angry　face；　and　of　Mrs。　Vanderlyn's

disconcerted　stare。　　She　turned　toward　her　friend。



〃I　suppose　everybody　else　will　think　it　if　you　do；　so　perhaps

I'd　better　explain。〃　　She　paused；　and　drew　a　quick　breath。

〃Nick　and　I　mean　to　parthave　parted；　in　fact。　　He's　decided

that　the　whole　thing　was　a　mistake。　　He　will　probably；　marry

again　soonand　so　shall　I。〃



She　flung　the　avowal　out　breathlessly；　in　her　nervous　dread　of

letting　Ellie　Vanderlyn　think　for　an　instant　longer　that　any

other　explanation　was　conceivable。　　She　had　not　meant　to　be　so

explicit；　but　once　the　words　were　spoken　she　was　not　altogether

sorry。　　Of　course　people　would　soon　begin　to　wonder　why　she　was

again　straying　about　the　world　alone；　and　since　it　was　by　Nick's

choice；　why　should　she　not　say　so？　　Remembering　the　burning

anguish　of　those　last　hours　in　Venice　she　asked　herself　what

possible　consideration　she　owed　to　the　man　who　had　so　humbled

her。



Ellie　Vanderlyn　glanced　at　her　in　astonishment。　　〃You？　　You　and

Nickare　going　to　part？〃　　A　light　appeared　to　dawn　on　her。

〃Ahthen　that's　why　he　sent　me　back　my　pin；　I　suppose？〃



〃Your　pin？〃　　Susy　wondered；　not　at　once　remembering。



〃The　poor　little　scarf…pin　I　gave　him　before　I　left　Venice。　　He

sent　it　back　almost　at　once；　with　the　oddest　notejust：　　'I

haven't　earned　it；　really。'　　I　couldn't　think　why　he　didn't　care

for　the　pin。　　But；　now　I　suppose　it　was　because　you　and　he　had

quarrelled；　though　really；　even　so；　I　can't　see　why　he　should

bear　me　a　grudge　。。。。〃



Susy's　quick　blood　surged　up。　　Nick　had　sent　back　the　pin…the

fatal　pin！　　And　she；　Susy；　had　kept　the　braceletlocked　it　up

out　of　sight；　shrunk　away　from　the　little　packet　whenever　her

hand　touched　it　in　packing　or　unpackingbut　never　thought　of

returning　it；　no；　not　once！　　Which　of　the　two；　she　wondered；　had

been　right？　　Was　it　not　an　indirect　slight　to　her　that　Nick

should　fling　back　the　gift　to　poor　uncomprehending　Ellie？　　Or

was　it　not　rather　another　proof　of　his　finer　moral

sensitiveness！　。。。　And　how　could　one　tell；　in　their　bewildering

world；　〃It　was　not　because　we've　quarrelled；　we　haven't

quarrelled；〃　she　said　slowly；　moved　by　the　sudden　desire　to

defend　her　privacy　and　Nick's；　to　screen　from　every　eye　their

last　bitter　hour　together。　　〃We've　simply　decided　that　our

experiment　was　impossible…for　two　paupers。〃



〃Ah；　wellof　course　we　all　felt　that　at　the　time。　　And　now

somebody　else　wants　to　marry　you！　　And　it's　your　trousseau　you

were　choosing　that　cloak　for？〃　　Ellie　cried　in　incredulous

rapture；　then　she　flung　her　arms　about　Susy's　shrinking

shoulders。　　〃You　lucky　lucky　girl！　　You　clever　clever　darling！

But　who　on　earth　can　he　be？〃



And　it　was　then　that　Susy；　for　the　first　time；　had　pronounced

the　name　of　Lord　Altringham。



〃StreffStreff？　　Our　dear　old　Streff；　You　mean　to　say　he　wants

to　marry　you？〃　　As　the　news　took　possession　of　her　mind　Ellie

became　dithyrambic。　　〃But；　my　dearest；　what　a　miracle　of　luck！

Of　course　I　always　knew　he　was　awfully　gone　on　you：　　Fred

Davenant　used　to　say　so；　I　remember　。。。　and　even　Nelson；　who's

so　stupid　about　such　things；　noticed　it　in　Venice　。。。。　　But　then

it　was　so　different。　　No　one　could　possibly　have　thought　of

marrying　him　then；　whereas　now　of　course　every　woman　is　trying

for　him。　　Oh；　Susy；　whatever　you　do；　don't　miss　your　chance！

You　can't　conceive　of　the　wicked　plotting　and　intriguing　there

will　be　to　get　himon　all　sides；　and　even　where　one　least

suspects　it。　　You　don't　know　what　horrors　women　will　do…and

even　girls！〃　　A　shudder　ran　through　her　at　the　thought；　and　she

caught　Susy's　wrists　in　vehement　fingers。　　〃But　I　can't　think；

my　dear；　why　you　don't　announce　your　engagement　at　once。　　People

are　beginning　to　do　it；　I　assure　youit's　so　much　safer！〃



Susy　looked　at　her；　wondering。　　Not　a　word　of　sympathy　for　the

ruin　of　her　brief　bliss；　not　even　a　gleam　of　curiosity　as　to　its

cause！　　No　doubt　Ellie　Vanderlyn；　like　all　Susy's　other　friends；

had　long　since　〃discounted〃　the　brevity　of　her　dream；　and

perhaps　planned　a　sequel　to　it　before　she　herself　had　seen　the

glory　fading。　　She　and　Nick　had　spent　the　greater　part　of　their

few　weeks　together　under　Ellie　Vanderlyn's　roof；　but　to　Ellie；

obviously；　the　fact　meant　no　more　than　her　own　escapade；　at　the

same　moment；　with　young　Davenant's　supplanterthe　〃bounder〃

whom　Strefford　had　never　named。　　Her　one　thought　for　her　friend

was　that　Susy　should　at　last　secure　her　prizeher　incredible

prize。　　And　therein　at　any　rate　Ellie　showed　the　kind　of　cold

disinterestedness　that　raised　her　above　the　smiling　perfidy　of

the　majority　of　her　kind。　　At　least　her　advice　was　sincere；　and

perhaps　it　was　wise。　　Why　should　Susy　not　let　every　one　know

that　she　meant　to　marry　Strefford　as　soon　as　the　〃formalities〃

were　fulfilled？



She　did　not　immediately　answer　Mrs。　Vanderlyn's　question；　and

the　latter；　repeating　it；　added　impatiently：　　〃I　don't

understand　you；　if　Nick　agrees…〃



〃Oh；　he　agrees；〃　said　Susy。



〃Then　what　more　do　you　want！　　Oh；　Susy；　if　you'd　only　follow　my

example！〃



〃Your　example？〃　　Susy　paused；　weighed　the　word；　was　struck　by

something　embarrassed；　arch　yet　half…apologetic　in　her　friend's

expression。　　〃Your　example？〃　she　repeated。　　〃Why；　Ellie；　what　on

earth　do　you　mean？　　Not　that　you're　going　to　part　from　poor

Nelson？〃



Mrs。　Vanderlyn　met　her　reproachful　gaze　with　a　crystalline

glance。　　〃I　don't　want　to；　heaven　knowspoor　dear　Nelson！　　I

assure　you　I　simply　hate　it。　　He's　always　such　an　angel　to

Clarissa　。。。　and　then　we're　used　to　each　other。　　But　what　in　the

world　am　I　to　do？　　Algie's　so　rich；　so　appallingly　rich；　that　I

have　to　be　perpetually　on　the　watch　to　keep　other　women　away

from　himand　it's　too　exhausting　。。。。〃



〃Algie？〃



Mrs。　Vanderlyn's　lovely　eyebrows　rose。　　〃Algie：　　Algie

Bockheimer。　　Didn't　you　know；　I　think　he　said　you've　dined　with

his　parents。　　Nobody　else　in　the　world　is　as　rich　as　the

Bockheimers；　and　Algie's　their　only　child。　　Yes；　it　was　with

him　。。。　with　him　I　was　so　dreadfully　happy　last　spring　。。。　and

now　I'm　in　mortal　terror　of　losing　him。　　And　I　do　assure　you

there's　no　other　way　of　keeping　them；　when　they're　as　hideously

rich　as　that！〃



Susy　rose　to　her　feet。　　A　little　shudder　ran　over　her。　　She

remembered；　now；　having　seen　Algie　Bockheimer　at　one　of　his

parents'　first　entertainments；　in　their　newly…inaugurated　marble

halls　in　Fifth　Avenue。　　She　recalled　his　too　faultless　clothes

and　his　small　glossy　furtive　countenance。　　She　looked　at　Ellie

Vanderlyn　with　sudden　scorn。



〃I　think　you're　abominable；〃　she　exclaimed。



The　other's　perfect　little　face　collapsed。　　〃A…bo…minable？

A…bo…mi…nable？　　Susy！〃



〃Yes　。。。　with　Nelson　。。。　and　Clarissa　。。。　and　your　past

together　。。。　and　all　the　money　you　can　possibly　want　。。。　and

that　man！　　Abominable。〃



Ellie　stood　up　trembling：　she　was　not　used　to　scenes；　and　they

disarranged　her　thoughts　as　much　as　her　complexion。



〃You're　very　cruel；　Susyso　cruel　and　dreadful　that　I　hardly

know　how　to　answer　you；〃　she　stammered。　　〃But　you　simply　don't

know　what　you're　talking　about。　　As　if　anybody　ever　had　all　the

money　they　wanted！〃　　She　wiped　her　dark…rimmed　eyes　with　a

cautious　handkerchief；　glanced　at　herself　in　the　mirror；　and

added　magnanimously：　　〃But　I　shall　try　to　forget　what　you've

said。〃







XIX



JUST　such　a　revolt　as　she　had　felt　as　a　girl；　such　a　disgusted

recoil　from　the　standards　and　ideals　of　everybody　about　her　as

had　flung　her　into　her　mad　marriage　with　Nick；　now　flamed　in

Susy　Lansing's　bosom。



How　could　she　ever　go　back　into　that　world　again？　　How　echo　its

appraisals　of　life　and　bow　down　to　its　judgments？　　Alas；　it　was

only　by　marrying　according　to　its　standards　that　she　could

escape　such　subjection。　　Perhaps　the　same　thought　had　actuated

Nick：　　perhaps　he　had　understood　sooner　than　she　that　to　attain

moral　freedom　they　must　both　be　above　material　cares。

Perhaps　。。。



Her　talk　with　Ellie　Vanderlyn　had　left　Susy　so　oppressed　and

humiliated　that　she　almost　shrank　from　her　meeting　with

Altringham　the　next　day。　　She　knew　that　he　was　coming　to　Paris

for　his　final　answer；　he　would　wait　as　long　as　was　necessary　if

only　she　would　consent　to　take　immediate　steps　for　a　divorce。

She　was　staying　at　a　modest　hotel　in　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain；

and　had　once　more　refused　his　suggestion　that　they　should　lunch

at　the　Nouveau　Luxe；　or　at　some　fashionable　restaurant　of　the

Boulevards。　　As　before；　she　insisted　on　going　to　an　out…of…the…

way　place　near　the　Luxembourg；　where　the　prices　were　moderate

enough　for　her　own　purse。



〃I　can't　understand；〃　Strefford　objected；　as　they　turned　from

her　hotel　door　toward　this　obscure　retreat；　〃why　you　insist　on

giving　me　bad　food；　and　depriving　me　of　the　satisfaction　of

being　seen　with　you。　　Why　must　we　be　so　dreadfully　clandestine？

Don't　people　know　by　this　time　that　we're　to　be　married？〃



Susy　winced　a　little：　　she　wondered　if　the　word　would　always

sound　so　unnatural　on　his　lips。



〃No；〃　she　said；　with　a　laugh；　〃they　simply　think；　for　the

present；　that　you're　giving　me　pearls　and　chinchilla　cloaks。〃



He　wrinkled　his　brows　good…humouredly。　　〃Well；　so　I　would；　with

joyat　this　particular　minute。　　Don't　you　think　perhaps　you'd

better　take　advantage　of　it？　　I　don't　wish　to　insistbut　I

foresee　that　I'm　much　too　rich　not　to　become　stingy。〃



She　gave　a　slight　shrug。　　〃At　present　there's　nothing　I　loathe

more　than　pearls　and　chinchilla；　or　anything　else　in　the　world

that's　expensive　and　enviable　。。。。〃



Suddenly　she　broke　off；　colouring　with　the　consciousness　that

she　had　said　exactly　the　kind　of　thing　that