the glimpses of the moon-第4部分

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to　be　happy？　　〃I've　often　fancied　it　all　by　myself；〃　she

concluded；　〃but　fancying　it　with　you　would　somehow　be　so　awfully

different　。。。。〃



That　was　how　it　began：　　and　this　lakeside　dream　was　what　it　had

led　up　to。　　Fantastically　improbable　as　they　had　seemed；　all　her

previsions　had　come　true。　　If　there　were　certain　links　in　the

chain　that　Lansing　had　never　been　able　to　put　his　hand　on；

certain　arrangements　and　contrivances　that　still　needed　further

elucidation；　why；　he　was　lazily　resolved　to　clear　them　up　with

her　some　day；　and　meanwhile　it　was　worth　all　the　past　might　have

cost；　and　every　penalty　the　future　might　exact　of　him；　just　to

be　sitting　here　in　the　silence　and　sweetness；　her　sleeping　head

on　his　knee；　clasped　in　his　joy　as　the　hushed　world　was　clasped

in　moonlight。



He　stooped　down　and　kissed　her。　　〃Wake　up；〃　he　whispered；　〃it's

bed…time。〃







III。



THEIR　month　of　Como　was　within　a　few　hours　of　ending。　　Till　the

last　moment　they　had　hoped　for　a　reprieve；　but　the　accommodating

Streffy　had　been　unable　to　put　the　villa　at　their　disposal　for　a

longer　time；　since　he　had　had　the　luck　to　let　it　for　a　thumping

price　to　some　beastly　bouncers　who　insisted　on　taking　possession

at　the　date　agreed　on。



Lansing；　leaving　Susy's　side　at　dawn；　had　gone　down　to　the　lake

for　a　last　plunge；　and　swimming　homeward　through　the　crystal

light　he　looked　up　at　the　garden　brimming　with　flowers；　the　long

low　house　with　the　cypress　wood　above　it；　and　the　window　behind

which　his　wife　still　slept。　　The　month　had　been　exquisite；　and

their　happiness　as　rare；　as　fantastically　complete；　as　the　scene

before　him。　　He　sank　his　chin　into　the　sunlit　ripples　and　sighed

for　sheer　content　。。。。



It　was　a　bore　to　be　leaving　the　scene　of　such　complete

well…being；　but　the　next　stage　in　their　progress　promised　to　be

hardly　less　delightful。　　Susy　was　a　magician：　everything　she

predicted　came　true。　　Houses　were　being　showered　on　them；　on　all

sides　he　seemed　to　see　beneficent　spirits　winging　toward　them；

laden　with　everything　from　a　piano　nobile　in　Venice　to　a　camp　in

the　Adirondacks。　　For　the　present；　they　had　decided　on　the

former。　　Other　considerations　apart；　they　dared　not　risk　the

expense　of　a　journey　across　the　Atlantic；　so　they　were　heading

instead　for　the　Nelson　Vanderlyns'　palace　on　the　Giudecca。　　They

were　agreed　that；　for　reasons　of　expediency；　it　might　be　wise　to

return　to　New　York　for　the　coming　winter。　　It　would　keep　them　in

view；　and　probably　lead　to　fresh　opportunities；　indeed；　Susy

already　had　in　mind　the　convenient　flat　that　she　was　sure　a

migratory　cousin　（if　tactfully　handled；　and　assured　that　they

would　not　overwork　her　cook）　could　certainly　be　induced　to　lend

them。　　Meanwhile　the　need　of　making　plans　was　still　remote；　and

if　there　was　one　art　in　which　young　Lansing's　twenty…eight　years

of　existence　had　perfected　him　it　was　that　of　living　completely

and　unconcernedly　in　the　present　。。。。



If　of　late　he　had　tried　to　look　into　the　future　more　insistently

than　was　his　habit；　it　was　only　because　of　Susy。　　He　had　meant；

when　they　married；　to　be　as　philosophic　for　her　as　for　himself；

and　he　knew　she　would　have　resented　above　everything　his

regarding　their　partnership　as　a　reason　for　anxious　thought。

But　since　they　had　been　together　she　had　given　him　glimpses　of

her　past　that　made　him　angrily　long　to　shelter　and　defend　her

future。　　It　was　intolerable　that　a　spirit　as　fine　as　hers　should

be　ever　so　little　dulled　or　diminished　by　the　kind　of

compromises　out　of　which　their　wretched　lives　were　made。　　For

himself；　he　didn't　care　a　hang：　　he　had　composed　for　his　own

guidance　a　rough…and…ready　code；　a　short　set　of　〃mays〃　and

〃mustn'ts〃　which　immensely　simplified　his　course。　　There　were

things　a　fellow　put　up　with　for　the　sake　of　certain　definite　and

otherwise　unattainable　advantages；　there　were　other　things　he

wouldn't　traffic　with　at　any　price。　　But　for　a　woman；　he　began

to　see；　it　might　be　different。　　The　temptations　might　be

greater；　the　cost　considerably　higher；　the　dividing　line　between

the　〃mays〃　and　〃mustn'ts〃　more　fluctuating　and　less　sharply

drawn。　　Susy；　thrown　on　the　world　at　seventeen；　with　only　a　weak

wastrel　of　a　father　to　define　that　treacherous　line　for　her；　and

with　every　circumstance　soliciting　her　to　overstep　it；　seemed　to

have　been　preserved　chiefly　by　an　innate　scorn　of　most　of　the

objects　of　human　folly。　　〃Such　trash　as　he　went　to　pieces　for；〃

was　her　curt　comment　on　her　parent's　premature　demise：　　as

though　she　accepted　in　advance　the　necessity　of　ruining　one's

self　for　something；　but　was　resolved　to　discriminate　firmly

between　what　was　worth　it　and　what　wasn't。



This　philosophy　had　at　first　enchanted　Lansing；　but　now　it　began

to　rouse　vague　fears。　　The　fine　armour　of　her　fastidiousness　had

preserved　her　from　the　kind　of　risks　she　had　hitherto　been

exposed　to；　but　what　if　others；　more　subtle；　found　a　joint　in

it？　　Was　there；　among　her　delicate　discriminations；　any

equivalent　to　his　own　rules？　　Might　not　her　taste　for　the　best

and　rarest　be　the　very　instrument　of　her　undoing；　and　if

something　that　wasn't　〃trash〃　came　her　way；　would　she　hesitate　a

second　to　go　to　pieces　for　it？



He　was　determined　to　stick　to　the　compact　that　they　should　do

nothing　to　interfere　with　what　each　referred　to　as　the　other's

〃chance〃；　but　what　if；　when　hers　came；　he　couldn't　agree　with

her　in　recognizing　it？　　He　wanted　for　her；　oh；　so　passionately；

the　best；　but　his　conception　of　that　best　had　so　insensibly；　so

subtly　been　transformed　in　the　light　of　their　first　month

together！



His　lazy　strokes　were　carrying　him　slowly　shoreward；　but　the

hour　was　so　exquisite　that　a　few　yards　from　the　landing　he　laid

hold　of　the　mooring　rope　of　Streffy's　boat　and　floated　there；

following　his　dream　。。。。　　It　was　a　bore　to　be　leaving；　no　doubt

that　was　what　made　him　turn　things　inside…out　so　uselessly。

Venice　would　be　delicious；　of　course；　but　nothing　would　ever

again　be　as　sweet　as　this。　　And　then　they　had　only　a　year　of

security　before　them；　and　of　that　year　a　month　was　gone。



Reluctantly　he　swam　ashore；　walked　up　to　the　house；　and　pushed

open　a　window　of　the　cool　painted　drawing…room。　　Signs　of

departure　were　already　visible。　　There　were　trunks　in　the　hall；

tennis　rackets　on　the　stairs；　on　the　landing；　the　cook　Giulietta

had　both　arms　around　a　slippery　hold…all　that　refused　to　let

itself　be　strapped。　　It　all　gave　him　a　chill　sense　of　unreality；

as　if　the　past　month　had　been　an　act　on　the　stage；　and

its　setting　were　being　folded　away　and　rolled　into　the　wings　to

make　room　for　another　play　in　which　he　and　Susy　had　no　part。



By　the　time　he　came　down　again；　dressed　and　hungry；　to　the

terrace　where　coffee　awaited　him；　he　had　recovered　his　usual

pleasant　sense　of　security。　　Susy　was　there；　fresh　and　gay；　a

rose　in　her　breast　and　the　sun　in　her　hair：　　her　head　was　bowed

over　Bradshaw；　but　she　waved　a　fond　hand　across　the　breakfast

things；　and　presently　looked　up　to　say：　　〃Yes；　I　believe　we　can

just　manage　it。〃



〃Manage　what？〃



〃To　catch　the　train　at　Milanif　we　start　in　the　motor　at　ten

sharp。〃



He　stared。　　〃The　motor？　　What　motor？〃



〃Why；　the　new　people'sStreffy's　tenants。　　He's　never　told　me

their　name；　and　the　chauffeur　says　he　can't　pronounce　it。　　The

chauffeur's　is　Ottaviano；　anyhow；　I've　been　making　friends　with

him。　　He　arrived　last　night；　and　he　says　they're　not　due　at　Como

till　this　evening。　　He　simply　jumped　at　the　idea　of　running　us

over　to　Milan。〃



〃Good　Lord〃　said　Lansing；　when　she　stopped。



She　sprang　up　from　the　table　with　a　laugh。　　〃It　will　be　a

scramble；　but　I'll　manage　it；　if　you'll　go　up　at　once　and　pitch

the　last　things　into　your　trunk。　〃



〃Yes；　but　look　herehave　you　any　idea　what　it's　going　to　cost？〃



She　raised　her　eyebrows　gaily。　　〃Why；　a　good　deal　less　than　our

railway　tickets。　　Ottaviano's　got　a　sweetheart　in　Milan；　and

hasn't　seen　her　for　six　months。　　When　I　found　that　out　I　knew

he'd　be　going　there　anyhow。〃



It　was　clever　of　her；　and　he　laughed。　　But　why　was　it　that　he

had　grown　to　shrink　from　even　such　harmless　evidence　of　her

always　knowing　how　to　〃manage〃？　　〃Oh；　well；〃　he　said　to　himself；

〃she's　right：　　the　fellow　would　be　sure　to　be　going　to　Milan。〃



Upstairs；　on　the　way　to　his　dressing　room；　he　found　her　in　a

cloud　of　finery　which　her　skilful　hands　were　forcibly

compressing　into　a　last　portmanteau。　　He　had　never　seen　anyone

pack　as　cleverly　as　Susy：　　the　way　she　coaxed　reluctant　things

into　a　trunk　was　a　symbol　of　the　way　she　fitted　discordant　facts

into　her　life。　　〃When　I'm　rich；〃　she　often　said；　〃the　thing　I

shall　hate　most　will　be　to　see　an　idiot　maid　at　my　trunks。〃



As　he　passed；　she　glanced　over　her　shoulder；　her　face　pink　with

the　struggle；　and　drew　a　cigar…box　from　the　depths。　　〃Dearest；

do　put　a　couple　of　cigars　into　your　pocket　as　a　tip　for

Ottaviano。〃



Lansing　stared。　　〃Why；　what　on　earth　are　you　doing　with

Streffy's　cigars？〃



〃Packing　them；　of　course　。。。。　　You　don't　suppose　he　meant　them

for　those　other　people？〃　　She　gave　him　a　look　of　honest　wonder。



〃I　don't　know　whom　he　meant　them　forbut　they're　not

ours　。。。。〃



She　continued　to　look　at　him　wonderingly。　　〃I　don't　see

what　there　is　to　be　solemn　about。　　The　cigars　are　not　Streffy's

either　。。。　you　may　be　sure　he　got　them　out　of　some　bounder。　　And

there's　nothing　he'd　hate　more　than　to　have　them　passed　on　to

another。〃



〃Nonsense。　　If　they're　not　Streffy's　they're　much　less　mine。

Hand　them　over；　please；　dear。〃



〃Just　as　you　like。　　But　it　does　seem　a　waste；　and；　of　course；

the　other　people　will　never　have　one　of　them　。。。。　　The　gardener

and　Giulietta's　lover　will　see　to　that！〃



Lansing　looked　away　from　her　at　the　waves　of　lace　and　muslin

from　which　she　emerged　like　a　rosy　Nereid。　　〃How　many　boxes　of

them　are　left？〃