the glimpses of the moon-第48部分

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of　red　on　her　neck。



〃Nick；〃　she　breathed；　her　hands　in　his。



〃But　those　children〃



Instead　of　answering；　she　questioned：　　〃Where　are　we　going？〃



His　face　lit　up。



〃Anywhere；　dearest；　that　you　choose。〃



〃WellI　choose　Fontainebleau！〃　she　exulted。



〃So　do　I！　　But　we　can't　take　all　those　children　to　an　hotel　at

Fontainebleau；　can　we？〃　he　questioned　weakly。　　〃You　see；　dear；

there's　the　mere　expense　of　it〃



Her　eyes　were　already　travelling　far　ahead　of　him。　　〃The　expense

won't　amount　to　much。　　I've　just　remembered　that　Angele；　the

bonne；　has　a　sister　who　is　cook　there　in　a　nice　old…fashioned

pension　which　must　be　almost　empty　at　this　time　of　year。　　I'm

sure　I　can　maarrange　easily；〃　she　hurried　on；　nearly　tripping

again　over　the　fatal　word。　　〃And　just　think　of　the　treat　it　will

be　to　them！　　This　is　Friday；　and　I　can　get　them　let　off　from

their　afternoon　classes；　and　keep　them　in　the　country　till

Monday。　　Poor　darlings；　they　haven't　been　out　of　Paris　for

months！　　And　I　daresay　the　change　will　cure　Geordie's　cough

Geordie's　the　youngest；〃　she　explained；　surprised　to　find

herself；　even　in　the　rapture　of　reunion；　so　absorbed　in　the

welfare　of　the　Fulmers。



She　was　conscious　that　her　husband　was　surprised　also；　but

instead　of　prolonging　the　argument　he　simply　questioned：　　〃Was

Geordie　the　chap　you　had　in　your　arms　when　you　opened　the　front

door　the　night　before　last？〃



She　echoed：　　〃I　opened　the　front　door　the　night　before　last？〃



〃To　a　boy　with　a　parcel。〃



〃Oh；〃　she　sobbed；　〃you　were　there？　　You　were　watching？〃



He　held　her　to　him；　and　the　currents　flowed　between　them　warm

and　full　as　on　the　night　of　their　moon　over　Como。



In　a　trice；　after　that；　she　had　the　matter　in　hand　and　her

forces　marshalled。　　The　taxi　was　paid；　Nick's　luggage　deposited

in　the　vestibule；　and　the　children；　just　piling　down　to

breakfast；　were　summoned　in　to　hear　the　news。



It　was　apparent　that；　seasoned　to　surprises　as　they　were；　Nick's

presence　took　them　aback。　　But　when；　between　laughter　and

embraces；　his　identity；　and　his　right　to　be　where　he　was；　had

been　made　clear　to　them；　Junie　dismissed　the　matter　by　asking

him　in　her　practical　way：　　〃Then　I　suppose　we　may　talk　about　you

to　Susy　now？〃and　thereafter　all　five　addressed　themselves　to

the　vision　of　their　imminent　holiday。



》From　that　moment　the　little　house　became　the　centre　of　a

whirlwind。　　Treats　so　unforeseen；　and　of　such　magnitude；　were

rare　in　the　young　Fulmers'　experience；　and　had　it　not　been　for

Junie's　steadying　influence　Susy's　charges　would　have　got　out　of

hand。　　But　young　Nat；　appealed　to　by　Nick　on　the　ground　of　their

common　manhood；　was　induced　to　forego　celebrating　the　event　on

his　motor　horn　（the　very　same　which　had　tortured　the　New

Hampshire　echoes）；　and　to　assert　his　authority　over　his　juniors；

and　finally　a　plan　began　to　emerge　from　the　chaos；　and　each

child　to　fit　into　it　like　a　bit　of　a　picture　puzzle。



Susy；　riding　the　whirlwind　with　her　usual　firmness；　nevertheless

felt　an　undercurrent　of　anxiety。　　There　had　been　no　time　as　yet；

between　her　and　Nick；　to　revert　to　money　matters；　and　where

there　was　so　little　money　it　could　not；　obviously；　much　matter。

But　that　was　the　more　reason　for　being　secretly　aghast　at　her

intrepid　resolve　not　to　separate　herself　from　her　charges。　　A

three　days'　honey…moon　with　five　children　in　the　party…and

children　with　the　Fulmer　appetitecould　not　but　be　a　costly

business；　and　while　she　settled　details；　packed　them　off　to

school；　and　routed　out　such　nondescript　receptacles　as　the　house

contained　in　the　way　of　luggage；　her　thoughts　remained　fixed　on

the　familiar　financial　problem。



Yesit　was　cruel　to　have　it　rear　its　hated　head；　even　through

the　bursting　boughs　of　her　new　spring；　but　there　it　was；　the

perpetual　serpent　in　her　Eden；　to　be　bribed；　fed；　sent　to　sleep

with　such　scraps　as　she　could　beg；　borrow　or　steal　for　it。　　And

she　supposed　it　was　the　price　that　fate　meant　her　to　pay　for　her

blessedness；　and　was　surer　than　ever　that　the　blessedness　was

worth　it。　　Only；　how　was　she　to　compound　the　business　with　her

new　principles？



With　the　children's　things　to　pack；　luncheon　to　be　got　ready；

and　the　Fontainebleau　pension　to　be　telephoned　to；　there　was

little　time　to　waste　on　moral　casuistry；　and　Susy　asked　herself

with　a　certain　irony　if　the　chronic　lack　of　time　to　deal　with

money　difficulties　had　not　been　the　chief　cause　of　her　previous

lapses。　　There　was　no　time　to　deal　with　this　question　either；　no

time；　in　short；　to　do　anything　but　rush　forward　on　a　great　gale

of　plans　and　preparations；　in　the　course　of　which　she　whirled

Nick　forth　to　buy　some　charcuterie　for　luncheon；　and　telephone

to　Fontainebleau。



Once　he　was　goneand　after　watching　him　safely　round　the

cornershe　too　got　into　her　wraps；　and　transferring　a　small

packet　from　her　dressing…case　to　her　pocket；　hastened　out　in　a

different　direction。







XXX



IT　took　two　brimming　taxi…cabs　to　carry　the　Nicholas　Lansings　to

the　station　on　their　second　honey…moon。　　In　the　first　were　Nick；

Susy　and　the　luggage　of　the　whole　party　（little　Nat's　motor　horn

included；　as　a　last　concession；　and　because　he　had　hitherto

forborne　to　play　on　it）；　and　in　the　second；　the　five　Fulmers；

the　bonne；　who　at　the　eleventh　hour　had　refused　to　be　left；　a

cage…full　of　canaries；　and　a　foundling　kitten　who　had　murderous

designs　on　them；　all　of　which　had　to　be　taken　because；　if　the

bonne　came；　there　would　be　nobody　left　to　look　after　them。



At　the　corner　Susy　tore　herself　from　Nick's　arms　and　held　up　the

procession　while　she　ran　back　to　the　second　taxi　to　make　sure

that　the　bonne　had　brought　the　house…key。　　It　was　found　of

course　that　she　hadn't　but　that　Junie　had；　whereupon　the　caravan

got　under　way　again；　and　reached　the　station　just　as　the　train

was　starting；　and　there；　by　some　miracle　of　good　nature　on　the

part　of　the　guard；　they　were　all　packed　together　into　an　empty

compartmentno　doubt；　as　Susy　remarked；　because　train　officials

never　failed　to　spot　a　newly…married　couple；　and　treat　them

kindly。



The　children；　sentinelled　by　Junie；　at　first　gave　promise　of

superhuman　goodness；　but　presently　their　feelings　overflowed；

and　they　were　not　to　be　quieted　till　it　had　been　agreed　that　Nat

should　blow　his　motor…horn　at　each　halt；　while　the　twins　called

out　the　names　of　the　stations；　and　Geordie；　with　the　canaries

and　kitten；　affected　to　change　trains。



Luckily　the　halts　were　few；　but　the　excitement　of　travel；

combined　with　over…indulgence　in　the　chocolates　imprudently

provided　by　Nick；　overwhelmed　Geordie　with　a　sudden　melancholy

that　could　be　appeased　only　by　Susy's　telling　him　stories　till

they　arrived　at　Fontainebleau。



The　day　was　soft；　with　mild　gleams　of　sunlight　on　decaying

foliage；　and　after　luggage　and　livestock　had　been　dropped　at　the

pension　Susy　confessed　that　she　had　promised　the　children　a

scamper　in　the　forest；　and　buns　in　a　tea…shop　afterward。　　Nick

placidly　agreed；　and　darkness　had　long　fallen；　and　a　great　many

buns　been　consumed；　when　at　length　the　procession　turned　down

the　street　toward　the　pension；　headed　by　Nick　with　the　sleeping

Geordie　on　his　shoulder；　while　the　others；　speechless　with

fatigue　and　food；　hung　heavily　on　Susy。



It　had　been　decided　that；　as　the　bonne　was　of　the　party；　the

children　might　be　entrusted　to　her　for　the　night；　and　Nick　and

Susy　establish　themselves　in　an　adjacent　hotel。　　Nick　had

flattered　himself　that　they　might　remove　their　possessions　there

when　they　returned　from　the　tea…room；　but　Susy；　manifestly

surprised　at　the　idea；　reminded　him　that　her　charges　must　first

be　given　their　supper　and　put　to　bed。　　She　suggested　that　he

should　meanwhile　take　the　bags　to　the　hotel；　and　promised　to

join　him　as　soon　as　Geordie　was　asleep。



She　was　a　long　time　coming；　but　waiting　for　her　was　sweet；　even

in　a　deserted　hotel　reading…room　insufficiently　heated　by　a

sulky　stove；　and　after　he　had　glanced　through　his　morning's

mail；　hurriedly　thrust　into　his　pocket　as　he　left　Paris；　he　sank

into　a　state　of　drowsy　beatitude。　　It　was　all　the　maddest

business　in　the　world；　yet　it　did　not　give　him　the　sense　of

unreality　that　had　made　their　first　adventure　a　mere　golden

dream；　and　he　sat　and　waited　with　the　security　of　one　in　whom

dear　habits　have　struck　deep　roots。　　In　this　mood　of

acquiescence　even　the　presence　of　the　five　Fulmers　seemed　a

natural　and　necessary　consequence　of　all　the　rest；　and　when　Susy

at　length　appeared；　a　little　pale　and　tired；　with　the　brooding

inward　look　that　busy　mothers　bring　from　the　nursery；　that　too

seemed　natural　and　necessary；　and　part　of　the　new　order　of

things。



They　had　wandered　out　to　a　cheap　restaurant　for　dinner；　now；　in

the　damp　December　night；　they　were　walking　back　to　the　hotel

under　a　sky　full　of　rain…clouds。　　They　seemed　to　have　said

everything　to　each　other；　and　yet　barely　to　have　begun　what　they

had　to　tell；　and　at　each　step　they　took；　their　heavy　feet

dragged　a　great　load　of　bliss。



In　the　hotel　almost　all　the　lights　were　already　out；　and　they

groped　their　way　to　the　third　floor　room　which　was　the　only　one

that　Susy　had　found　cheap　enough。　　A　ray　from　a　street…lamp

struck　up　through　the　unshuttered　windows；　and　after　Nick　had

revived　the　fire　they　drew　their　chairs　close　to　it；　and　sat

quietly　for　a　while　in　the　dark。



Their　silence　was　so　sweet　that　Nick　could　not　make　up　his　mind

to　break　it；　not　to　do　so　gave　his　tossing　spirit　such　a　sense

of　permanence；　of　having　at　last　unlimited　time　before　him　in

which　to　taste　his　joy　and　let　its　sweetness　stream　through　him。

But　at　length　he　roused　himself　to　say：　　〃It's　queer　how　things

coincide。　　I've　had　a　little　bit　of　good　news　in　one　of　the

letters　I　got　this　morning。〃



Susy　took　the　announcement　serenely。　　〃Well；　you　would；　you

know；〃　she　comme