the glimpses of the moon-第32部分

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Mother　said；　to　be　always　burying　or　marrying　a　cousin。　　At

other　moments　they　were　seldom　seen　in　the　glacial　atmosphere　of

courts；　preferring　to　royal　palaces　those　of　the　other；　and　more

modern　type；　in　one　of　which　the　Hickses　were　now　lodged。



Yes：　　the　Prince　and　his　mother　（they　gaily　avowed　it）　revelled

in　Palace　Hotels；　and；　being　unable　to　afford　the　luxury　of

inhabiting　them；　they　liked；　as　often　as　possible；　to　be　invited

to　dine　there　by　their　friends〃or　even　to　tea；　my　dear；〃　the

Princess　laughingly　avowed；　〃for　I'm　so　awfully　fond　of　buttered

scones；　and　Anastasius　gives　me　so　little　to　eat　in　the　desert。〃



The　encounter　with　these　ambulant　Highnesses　had　been　fatal

Lansing　now　perceived　itto　Mrs。　Hicks's　principles。　　She　had

known　a　great　many　archaeologists；　but　never　one　as　agreeable　as

the　Prince；　and　above　all　never　one　who　had　left　a　throne　to

camp　in　the　desert　and　delve　in　Libyan　tombs。　　And　it　seemed　to

her　infinitely　pathetic　that　these　two　gifted　beings；　who

grumbled　when　they　had　to　go　to　〃marry　a　cousin〃　at　the　Palace

of　St。　James　or　of　Madrid；　and　hastened　back　breathlessly　to　the

far…off　point　where；　metaphorically　speaking；　pick…axe　and　spade

had　dropped　from　their　royal　handsthat　these　heirs　of　the　ages

should　be　unable　to　offer　themselves　the　comforts　of　up…to…date

hotel　life；　and　should　enjoy　themselves　〃like　babies〃　when　they

were　invited　to　the　other　kind　of　〃Palace；〃　to　feast　on　buttered

scones　and　watch　the　tango。



She　simply　could　not　bear　the　thought　of　their　privations；　and

neither；　after　a　time；　could　Mr。　Hicks；　who　found　the　Prince

more　democratic　than　anyone　he　had　ever　known　at　Apex　City；　and

was　immensely　interested　by　the　fact　that　their　spectacles　came

from　the　same　optician。



But　it　was；　above　all；　the　artistic　tendencies　of　the　Prince　and

his　mother　which　had　conquered　the　Hickses。　　There　was

fascination　in　the　thought　that；　among　the　rabble　of　vulgar

uneducated　royalties　who　overran　Europe　from　Biarritz　to　the

Engadine；　gambling；　tangoing；　and　sponging　on　no　less　vulgar

plebeians；　they；　the　unobtrusive　and　self…respecting　Hickses；

should　have　had　the　luck　to　meet　this　cultivated　pair；　who

joined　them　in　gentle　ridicule　of　their　own　frivolous　kinsfolk；

and　whose　tastes　were　exactly　those　of　the　eccentric；　unreliable

and　sometimes　money…borrowing　persons　who　had　hitherto

represented　the　higher　life　to　the　Hickses。



Now　at　last　Mrs。　Hicks　saw　the　possibility　of　being　at　once

artistic　and　luxurious；　of　surrendering　herself　to　the　joys　of

modern　plumbing　and　yet　keeping　the　talk　on　the　highest　level。

〃If　the　poor　dear　Princess　wants　to　dine　at　the　Nouveau　Luxe　why

shouldn't　we　give　her　that　pleasure？〃　　Mrs。　Hicks　smilingly

enquired；　〃and　as　for　enjoying　her　buttered　scones　like　a　baby；

as　she　says；　I　think　it's　the　sweetest　thing　about　her。〃



Coral　Hicks　did　not　join　in　this　chorus；　but　she　accepted；　with

her　curious　air　of　impartiality；　the　change　in　her　parents'

manner　of　life；　and　for　the　first　time　（as　Nick　observed）

occupied　herself　with　her　mother's　toilet；　with　the　result　that

Mrs。　Hicks's　outline　became　firmer；　her　garments　soberer　in　hue

and　finer　in　material；　so　that；　should　anyone　chance　to　detect

the　daughter's　likeness　to　her　mother；　the　result　was　less

likely　to　be　disturbing。



Such　precautions　were　the　more　needfulLansing　could　not　but

note　because　of　the　different　standards　of　the　society　in　which

the　Hickses　now　moved。　　For　it　was　a　curious　fact　that　admission

to　the　intimacy　of　the　Prince　and　his　mother　who　continually

declared　themselves　to　be　the　pariahs；　the　outlaws；　the

Bohemians　among　crowned　heads　nevertheless　involved　not　only

living　in　Palace　Hotels　but　mixing　with　those　who　frequented

them。　　The　Prince's　aide…de…campan　agreeable　young　man　of　easy

mannershad　smilingly　hinted　that　their　Serene　Highnesses；

though　so　thoroughly　democratic　and　unceremonious；　were　yet

accustomed　to　inspecting　in　advance　the　names　of　the　persons

whom　their　hosts　wished　to　invite　with　them；　and　Lansing　noticed

that　Mrs。　Hicks's　lists；　having　been　〃submitted；〃　usually　came

back　lengthened　by　the　addition　of　numerous　wealthy　and　titled

guests。　　Their　Highnesses　never　struck　out　a　name；　they　welcomed

with　enthusiasm　and　curiosity　the　Hickses'　oddest　and　most

inexplicable　friends；　at　most　putting　off　some　of　them　to　a

later　day　on　the　plea　that　it　would　be　〃cosier〃　to　meet　them　on

a　more　private　occasion；　but　they　invariably　added　to　the　list

any　friends　of　their　own；　with　the　gracious　hint　that　they

wished　these　latter　（though　socially　so　well…provided　for）　to

have　the　〃immense　privilege〃　of　knowing　the　Hickses。　　And　thus

it　happened　that　when　October　gales　necessitated　laying　up　the

Ibis；　the　Hickses；　finding　again　in　Rome　the　august　travellers

from　whom　they　had　parted　the　previous　month　in　Athens；　also

found　their　visiting…list　enlarged　by　all　that　the　capital

contained　of　fashion。



It　was　true　enough；　as　Lansing　had　not　failed　to　note；　that　the

Princess　Mother　adored　prehistoric　art；　and　Russian　music；　and

the　paintings　of　Gauguin　and　Matisse；　but　she　also；　and　with　a

beaming　unconsciousness　of　perspective；　adored　large　pearls　and

powerful　motors；　caravan　tea　and　modern　plumbing；　perfumed

cigarettes　and　society　scandals；　and　her　son；　while　apparently

less　sensible　to　these　forms　of　luxury；　adored　his　mother；　and

was　charmed　to　gratify　her　inclinations　without　cost　to

himself〃Since　poor　Mamma；〃　as　he　observed；　〃is　so　courageous

when　we　are　roughing　it　in　the　desert。〃



The　smiling　aide…de…camp；　who　explained　these　things　to　Lansing；

added　with　an　intenser　smile　that　the　Prince　and　his　mother　were

under　obligations；　either　social　or　cousinly；　to　most　of　the

titled　persons　whom　they　begged　Mrs。　Hicks　to　invite；　〃and　it

seems　to　their　Serene　Highnesses；〃　he　added；　〃the　most

flattering　return　they　can　make　for　the　hospitality　of　their

friends　to　give　them　such　an　intellectual　opportunity。〃



The　dinner…table　at　which　their　Highnesses'　friends　were　seated

on　the　evening　in　question　represented；　numerically；　one　of　the

greatest　intellectual　opportunities　yet　afforded　them。　　Thirty

guests　were　grouped　about　the　flower…wreathed　board；　from　which

Eldorada　and　Mr。　Beck　had　been　excluded　on　the　plea　that　the

Princess　Mother　liked　cosy　parties　and　begged　her　hosts　that

there　should　never　be　more　than　thirty　at　table。　　Such；　at

least；　was　the　reason　given　by　Mrs。　Hicks　to　her　faithful

followers；　but　Lansing　had　observed　that；　of　late；　the　same

skilled　hand　which　had　refashioned　the　Hickses'　social　circle

usually　managed　to　exclude　from　it　the　timid　presences　of　the

two　secretaries。　　Their　banishment　was　the　more　displeasing　to

Lansing　from　the　fact　that；　for　the　last　three　months；　he　had

filled　Mr。　Buttles's　place；　and　was　himself　their　salaried

companion。　　But　since　he　had　accepted　the　post；　his　obvious　duty

was　to　fill　it　in　accordance　with　his　employers'　requirements；

and　it　was　clear　even　to　Eldorada　and　Mr。　Beck　that　he　had；　as

Eldorada　ungrudgingly　said；　〃Something　of　Mr。　Buttles's

marvellous　social　gifts。　〃



During　the　cruise　his　task　had　not　been　distasteful　to　him。　　He

was　glad　of　any　definite　duties；　however　trivial；　he　felt　more

independent　as　the　Hickses'　secretary　than　as　their　pampered

guest；　and　the　large　cheque　which　Mr。　Hicks　handed　over　to　him

on　the　first　of　each　month　refreshed　his　languishing　sense　of

self…respect。



He　considered　himself　absurdly　over…paid；　but　that　was　the

Hickses'　affair；　and　he　saw　nothing　humiliating　in　being　in　the

employ　of　people　he　liked　and　respected。　　But　from　the　moment　of

the　ill…fated　encounter　with　the　wandering　Princes；　his　position

had　changed　as　much　as　that　of　his　employers。　　He　was　no　longer；

to　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Hicks；　a　useful　and　estimable　assistant；　on　the

same　level　as　Eldorada　and　Mr。　Beck；　he　had　become　a　social

asset　of　unsuspected　value；　equalling　Mr。　Buttles　in　his

capacity　for　dealing　with　the　mysteries　of　foreign　etiquette；

and　surpassing　him　in　the　art　of　personal　attraction。　　Nick

Lansing；　the　Hickses　found；　already　knew　most　of　the　Princess

Mother's　rich　and　aristocratic　friends。　　Many　of　them　hailed　him

with　enthusiastic　〃Old　Nicks〃；　and　he　was　almost　as　familiar　as

His　Highness's　own　aide…de…camp　with　all　those　secret

ramifications　of　love　and　hate　that　made　dinner…giving　so　much

more　of　a　science　in　Rome　than　at　Apex　City。



Mrs。　Hicks；　at　first；　had　hopelessly　lost　her　way　in　this

labyrinth　of　subterranean　scandals；　rivalries　and　jealousies；

and　finding　Lansing's　hand　within　reach　she　clung　to　it　with

pathetic　tenacity。　　But　if　the　young　man's　value　had　risen　in

the　eyes　of　his　employers　it　had　deteriorated　in　his　own。　　He

was　condemned　to　play　a　part　he　had　not　bargained　for；　and　it

seemed　to　him　more　degrading　when　paid　in　bank…notes　than　if　his

retribution　had　consisted　merely　in　good　dinners　and　luxurious

lodgings。　　The　first　time　the　smiling　aide…de…camp　had　caught

his　eye　over　a　verbal　slip　of　Mrs。　Hicks's；　Nick　had　flushed　to

the　forehead　and　gone　to　bed　swearing　that　he　would　chuck　his

job　the　next　day。



Two　months　had　passed　since　then；　and　he　was　still　the　paid

secretary。　　He　had　contrived　to　let　the　aide…de…camp　feel　that

he　was　too　deficient　in　humour　to　be　worth　exchanging　glances

with；　but　even　this　had　not　restored　his　self…respect；　and　on

the　evening　in　question；　as　he　looked　about　the　long　table；　he

said　to　himself　for　the　hundredth　time　that　he　would　give　up　his

position　on　the　morrow。



Onlywhat　was　the　alternative？　　The　alternative；　apparently；

was　Coral　Hicks。　　He　glanced　down　the　line　of　diners；　beginning

with　the　tall　lean　countenance　of　the　Princess　Mother；　with　its

small　inquisitive　eyes　perched　as　high　as　attic　windows　under　a

frizzled　thatch　of　hair　and　a　pediment　of　uncleaned　diamonds；