the glimpses of the moon-第5部分

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

them　are　left？〃



〃Only　four。〃



〃Unpack　them；　please。〃



Before　she　moved　there　was　a　pause　so　full　of　challenge　that

Lansing　had　time　for　an　exasperated　sense　of　the　disproportion

between　his　anger　and　its　cause。　　And　this　made　him　still

angrier。



She　held　out　a　box。　　〃The　others　are　in　your　suitcase

downstairs。　　It's　locked　and　strapped。〃



〃Give　me　the　key；　then。〃



〃We　might　send　them　back　from　Venice；　mightn't　we？　　That　lock　is

so　nasty：　　it　will　take　you　half　an　hour。〃



〃Give　me　the　key；　please。〃　　She　gave　it。



He　went　downstairs　and　battled　with　the　lock；　for　the　allotted

half…hour；　under　the　puzzled　eyes　of　Giulietta　and　the　sardonic

grin　of　the　chauffeur；　who　now　and　then；　from　the　threshold；

politely　reminded　him　how　long　it　would　take　to　get　to　Milan。

Finally　the　key　turned；　and　Lansing；　broken…nailed　and

perspiring；　extracted　the　cigars　and　stalked　with　them　into　the

deserted　drawing　room。　　The　great　bunches　of　golden　roses　that

he　and　Susy　had　gathered　the　day　before　were　dropping　their

petals　on　the　marble　embroidery　of　the　floor；　pale　camellias

floated　in　the　alabaster　tazzas　between　the　windows；　haunting

scents　of　the　garden　blew　in　on　him　with　the　breeze　from　the

lake。　　Never　had　Streffy's　little　house　seemed　so　like　a　nest　of

pleasures。　　Lansing　laid　the　cigar　boxes　on　a　console　and　ran

upstairs　to　collect　his　last　possessions。　　When　he　came　down

again；　his　wife；　her　eyes　brilliant　with　achievement；　was　seated

in　their　borrowed　chariot；　the　luggage　cleverly　stowed　away；　and

Giulietta　and　the　gardener　kissing　her　hand　and　weeping　out

inconsolable　farewells。



〃I　wonder　what　she's　given　them？〃　he　thought；　as　he　jumped　in

beside　her　and　the　motor　whirled　them　through　the　nightingale…

thickets　to　the　gate。







IV。



CHARLIE　STREFFORD'S　villa　was　like　a　nest　in　a　rose…bush；　the

Nelson　Vanderlyns'　palace　called　for　loftier　analogies。



Its　vastness　and　splendour　seemed；　in　comparison；　oppressive　to

Susy。　　Their　landing；　after　dark；　at　the　foot　of　the　great

shadowy　staircase；　their　dinner　at　a　dimly…lit　table　under　a

ceiling　weighed　down　with　Olympians；　their　chilly　evening　in　a

corner　of　a　drawing　room　where　minuets　should　have　been　danced

before　a　throne；　contrasted　with　the　happy　intimacies　of　Como　as

their　sudden　sense　of　disaccord　contrasted　with　the　mutual

confidence　of　the　day　before。



The　journey　had　been　particularly　jolly：　　both　Susy　and　Lansing

had　had　too　long　a　discipline　in　the　art　of　smoothing　things

over　not　to　make　a　special　effort　to　hide　from　each　other　the

ravages　of　their　first　disagreement。　　But；　deep　down　and

invisible；　the　disagreement　remained；　and　compunction　for　having

been　its　cause　gnawed　at　Susy's　bosom　as　she　sat　in　her

tapestried　and　vaulted　bedroom；　brushing　her　hair　before　a

tarnished　mirror。



〃I　thought　I　liked　grandeur；　but　this　place　is　really　out　of

scale；〃　she　mused；　watching　the　reflection　of　a　pale　hand　move

back　and　forward　in　the　dim　recesses　of　the　mirror。　　〃And　yet；〃

she　continued；　〃Ellie　Vanderlyn's　hardly　half　an　inch　taller

than　I　am；　and　she　certainly　isn't　a　bit　more　dignified　。。。。　　I

wonder　if　it's　because　I　feel　so　horribly　small　to…night　that

the　place　seems　so　horribly　big。〃



She　loved　luxury：　　splendid　things　always　made　her　feel　handsome

and　high　ceilings　arrogant；　she　did　not　remember　having　ever

before　been　oppressed　by　the　evidences　of　wealth。



She　laid　down　the　brush　and　leaned　her　chin　on　her　clasped

hands　。。。。　　Even　now　she　could　not　understand　what　had　made　her

take　the　cigars。　　She　had　always　been　alive　to　the　value　of　her

inherited　scruples：　　her　reasoned　opinions　were　unusually　free；

but　with　regard　to　the　things　one　couldn't　reason　about　she　was

oddly　tenacious。　　And　yet　she　had　taken　Streffy's　cigars！　　She

had　taken　themyes；　that　was　the　pointshe　had　taken　them　for

Nick；　because　the　desire　to　please　him；　to　make　the　smallest

details　of　his　life　easy　and　agreeable　and　luxurious；　had　become

her　absorbing　preoccupation。　　She　had　committed；　for　him；

precisely　the　kind　of　little　baseness　she　would　most　have

scorned　to　commit　for　herself；　and；　since　he　hadn't　instantly

felt　the　difference；　she　would　never　be　able　to　explain　it　to

him。



She　stood　up　with　a　sigh；　shook　out　her　loosened　hair；　and

glanced　around　the　great　frescoed　room。　　The　maid…servant　had

said　something　about　the　Signora's　having　left　a　letter　for　her；

and　there　it　lay　on　the　writing…table；　with　her　mail　and　Nick's；

a　thick　envelope　addressed　in　Ellie's　childish　scrawl；　with　a

glaring　〃Private〃　dashed　across　the　corner。



〃What　on　earth　can　she　have　to　say；　when　she　hates　writing　so；〃

Susy　mused。



She　broke　open　the　envelope；　and　four　or　five　stamped　and　sealed

letters　fell　from　it。　　All　were　addressed；　in　Ellie's　hand；　to

Nelson　Vanderlyn　Esqre；　and　in　the　corner　of　each　was　faintly

pencilled　a　number　and　a　date：　one；　two；　three；　fourwith　a

week's　interval　between　the　dates。



〃Goodness〃　gasped　Susy；　understanding。



She　had　dropped　into　an　armchair　near　the　table；　and　for　a　long

time　she　sat　staring　at　the　numbered　letters。　　A　sheet　of　paper

covered　with　Ellie's　writing　had　fluttered　out　among　them；　but

she　let　it　lie；　she　knew　so　well　what　it　would　say！　　She　knew

all　about　her　friend；　of　course；　except　poor　old　Nelson；　who


didn't；　　But　she　had　never　imagined　that　Ellie　would　dare　to　use

her　in　this　way。　　It　was　unbelievable　。。。　she　had　never　pictured

anything　so　vile　。。。。　　The　blood　rushed　to　her　face；　and　she

sprang　up　angrily；　half　minded　to　tear　the　letters　in　bits　and

throw　them　all　into　the　fire。



She　heard　her　husband's　knock　on　the　door　between　their　rooms；

and　swept　the　dangerous　packet　under　the　blotting…book。



〃Oh；　go　away；　please；　there's　a　dear；〃　she　called　out；　〃I

haven't　finished　unpacking；　and　everything's　in　such　a　mess。〃

Gathering　up　Nick's　papers　and　letters；　she　ran　across　the　room

and　thrust　them　through　the　door。　　〃Here's　something　to　keep　you

quiet；〃　she　laughed；　shining　in　on　him　an　instant　from　the

threshold。



She　turned　back　feeling　weak　with　shame。　　Ellie's　letter　lay　on

the　floor：　　reluctantly　she　stooped　to　pick　it　up；　and　one　by

one　the　expected　phrases　sprang　out　at　her。



〃One　good　turn　deserves　another　。。。。　　Of　course　you　and　Nick　are

welcome　to　stay　all　summer　。。。。　　There　won't　be　a　particle　of

expense　for　youthe　servants　have　orders　。。。。　　If　you'll　just

be　an　angel　and　post　these　letters　yourself　。。。。　　It's　been　my

only　chance　for　such　an　age；　when　we　meet　I'll　explain

everything。　　And　in　a　month　at　latest　I'll　be　back　to　fetch

Clarissa　。。。。〃



Susy　lifted　the　letter　to　the　lamp　to　be　sure　she　had　read

aright。　　To　fetch　Clarissa！　　Then　Ellie's　child　was　here？　　Here；

under　the　roof　with　them；　left　to　their　care？　　She　read　on；

raging。　　〃She's　so　delighted；　poor　darling；　to　know　you're

coming。　　I've　had　to　sack　her　beastly　governess　for

impertinence；　and　if　it　weren't　for　you　she'd　be　all　alone　with

a　lot　of　servants　I　don't　much　trust。　　So　for　pity's　sake　be

good　to　my　child；　and　forgive　me　for　leaving　her。　　She　thinks

I've　gone　to　take　a　cure；　and　she　knows　she's　not　to　tell　her

Daddy　that　I'm　away；　because　it　would　only　worry　him　if　he

thought　I　was　ill。　　She's　perfectly　to　be　trusted；　you'll　see

what　a　clever　angel　she　is　。。。。〃　　And　then；　at　the　bottom　of　the

page；　in　a　last　slanting　postscript：　　〃Susy　darling；　if　you've

ever　owed　me　anything　in　the　way　of　kindness；　you　won't；　on　your

sacred　honour；　say　a　word　of　this　to　any　one；　even　to　Nick。　　And

I　know　I　can　count　on　you　to　rub　out　the　numbers。〃



Susy　sprang　up　and　tossed　Mrs。　Vanderlyn's　letter　into　the　fire：

then　she　came　slowly　back　to　the　chair。　　There；　at　her　elbow；

lay　the　four　fatal　envelopes；　and　her　next　affair　was　to　make　up

her　mind　what　to　do　with　them。



To　destroy　them　on　the　spot　had　seemed；　at　first　thought；

inevitable：　　it　might　be　saving　Ellie　as　well　as　herself。　　But

such　a　step　seemed　to　Susy　to　involve　departure　on　the　morrow；

and　this　in　turn　involved　notifying　Ellie；　whose　letter　she　had

vainly　scanned　for　an　address。　　Wellperhaps　Clarissa's　nurse

would　know　where　one　could　write　to　her　mother；　it　was　unlikely

that　even　Ellie　would　go　off　without　assuring　some　means　of

communication　with　her　child。　　At　any　rate；　there　was　nothing　to

be　done　that　night：　　nothing　but　to　work　out　the　details　of

their　flight　on　the　morrow；　and　rack　her　brains　to　find　a

substitute　for　the　hospitality　they　were　rejecting。　　Susy　did

not　disguise　from　herself　how　much　she　had　counted　on　the

Vanderlyn　apartment　for　the　summer：　　to　be　able　to　do　so　had

singularly　simplified　the　future。　　She　knew　Ellie's　largeness　of

hand；　and　had　been　sure　in　advance　that　as　long　as　they　were　her

guests　their　only　expense　would　be　an　occasional　present　to　the

servants。　　And　what　would　the　alternative　be？　　She　and　Lansing；

in　their　endless　talks；　had　so　lived　themselves　into　the　vision

of　indolent　summer　days　on　the　lagoon；　of　flaming　hours　on　the

beach　of　the　Lido；　and　evenings　of　music　and　dreams　on　their

broad　balcony　above　the　Giudecca；　that　the　idea　of　having　to

renounce　these　joys；　and　deprive　her　Nick　of　them；　filled　Susy

with　a　wrath　intensified　by　his　having　confided　in　her　that　when

they　were　quietly　settled　in　Venice　he　〃meant　to　write。〃

Already　nascent　in　her　breast　was　the　fierce　resolve　of　the

author's　wife　to　defend　her　husband's　privacy　and　facilitate　his

encounters　with　the　Muse。　　It　was　abominable；　simply　abominable；

that　Ellie　Vanderlyn　should　have　drawn　her　into　such　a　trap！



Wellthere　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　make　a　clean　breast　of　the

whole　thing　to　Nick。　　The　trivial　incident　of　the　cigars…how

trivial　it　now　seemed！showed　her　the　kind　of　stand　he　would

take；　and　comm