the glimpses of the moon-第7部分

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the　other　half　of　her　　justification：　　it　was　as　much　on　the

child's　account　as　on　Nick's　that　Susy　had　held　her　tongue；

remained　in　Venice；　and　slipped　out　once　a　week　to　　post　one　of

Ellie's　numbered　letters。　　A　day's　experience　of　the　Palazzo

Vanderlyn　had　convinced　Susy　of　the　impossibility　of　deserting

Clarissa。　　Long　experience　had　shown　her　that　the　most　crowded

households　often　contain　the　loneliest　nurseries；　and　that　the

rich　child　is　exposed　to　evils　unknown　to　less　pampered　infancy；

but　hitherto　such　things　had　merely　been　to　her　one　of　the

uglier　bits　in　the　big　muddled　pattern　of　life。　　Now　she　found

herself　feeling　where　before　she　had　only　judged：　　her

precarious　bliss　came　to　her　charged　with　a　new　weight　of　pity。



She　was　thinking　of　these　things；　and　of　the　approaching　date　of

Ellie　Vanderlyn's　return；　and　of　the　searching　truths　she　was

storing　up　for　that　lady's　private　ear；　when　she　noticed　a

gondola　turning　its　prow　toward　the　steps　below　the　balcony。

She　leaned　over；　and　a　tall　gentleman　in　shabby　clothes；

glancing　up　at　her　as　he　jumped　out；　waved　a　mouldy　Panama　in

joyful　greeting。



〃Streffy！〃　she　exclaimed　as　joyfully；　and　she　was　half…way　down

the　stairs　when　he　ran　up　them　followed　by　his　luggage…laden

boatman。



〃It's　all　right；　I　suppose？Ellie　said　I　might　come；〃　he

explained　in　a　shrill　cheerful　voice；　〃and　I'm　to　have　my　same

green　room　with　the　parrot…panels；　because　its　furniture　is

already　so　frightfully　stained　with　my　hair…wash。〃



Susy　was　beaming　on　him　with　the　deep　sense　of　satisfaction

which　his　presence　always　produced　in　his　friends。　　There　was　no

one　in　the　world；　they　all　agreed；　half　as　ugly　and　untidy　and

delightful　as　Streffy；　no　one　who　combined　such　outspoken

selfishness　with　such　imperturbable　good　humour；　no　one　who　knew

so　well　how　to　make　you　believe　he　was　being　charming　to　you

when　it　was　you　who　were　being　charming　to　him。



In　addition　to　these　seductions；　of　which　none　estimated　the

value　more　accurately　than　their　possessor；　Strefford　had　for

Susy　another　attraction　of　which　he　was　probably　unconscious。

It　was　that　of　being　the　one　rooted　and　stable　being　among　the

fluid　and　shifting　figures　that　composed　her　world。　　Susy　had

always　lived　among　people　so　denationalized　that　those　one　took

for　Russians　generally　turned　out　to　be　American；　and　those　one

was　inclined　to　ascribe　to　New　York　proved　to　have　originated　in

Rome　or　Bucharest。　　These　cosmopolitan　people；　who；　in　countries

not　their　own；　lived　in　houses　as　big　as　hotels；　or　in　hotels

where　the　guests　were　as　international　as　the　waiters；　had

inter…married；　inter…loved　and　inter…divorced　each　other　over

the　whole　face　of　Europe；　and　according　to　every　code　that

attempts　to　regulate　human　ties。　　Strefford；　too；　had　his　home

in　this　world；　but　only　one　of　his　homes。　　The　other；　the　one　he

spoke　of；　and　probably　thought　of；　least　often；　was　a　great　dull

English　country…house　in　a　northern　county；　where　a　life　as

monotonous　and　self…contained　as　his　own　was　chequered　and

dispersed　had　gone　on　for　generation　after　generation；　and　it

was　the　sense　of　that　house；　and　of　all　it　typified　even　to　his

vagrancy　and　irreverence；　which；　coming　out　now　and　then　in　his

talk；　or　in　his　attitude　toward　something　or　somebody；　gave　him

a　firmer　outline　and　a　steadier　footing　than　the　other

marionettes　in　the　dance。　　Superficially　so　like　them　all；　and

so　eager　to　outdo　them　in　detachment　and　adaptability；

ridiculing　the　prejudices　he　had　shaken　off；　and　the　people　to

whom　he　belonged；　he　still　kept；　under　his　easy　pliancy；　the

skeleton　of　old　faiths　and　old　fashions。　　〃He　talks　every

language　as　well　as　the　rest　of　us；〃　Susy　had　once　said　of　him；

〃but　at　least　he　talks　one　language　better　than　the　others〃；　and

Strefford；　told　of　the　remark；　had　laughed；　called　her　an　idiot；

and　been　pleased。



As　he　shambled　up　the　stairs　with　her；　arm　in　arm；　she　was

thinking　of　this　quality　with　a　new　appreciation　of　its　value。

Even　she　and　Lansing；　in　spite　of　their　unmixed　Americanism；

their　substantial　background　of　old…fashioned　cousinships　in　New

York　and　Philadelphia；　were　as　mentally　detached；　as　universally

at　home；　as　touts　at　an　International　Exhibition。　　If　they　were

usually　recognized　as　Americans　it　was　only　because　they　spoke

French　so　well；　and　because　Nick　was　too　fair　to　be　〃foreign；〃

and　too　sharp…featured　to　be　English。　　But　Charlie　Strefford　was

English　with　all　the　strength　of　an　inveterate　habit；　and

something　in　Susy　was　slowly　waking　to　a　sense　of　the　beauty　of

habit。



Lounging　on　the　balcony；　whither　he　had　followed　her　without

pausing　to　remove　the　stains　of　travel；　Strefford　showed　himself

immensely　interested　in　the　last　chapter　of　her　history；　greatly

pleased　at　its　having　been　enacted　under　his　roof；　and　hugely

and　flippantly　amused　at　the　firmness　with　which　she　refused　to

let　him　see　Nick　till　the　latter's　daily　task　was　over。



〃Writing？　　Rot！　　What's　he　writing？　　He's　breaking　you　in；　my

dear；　that's　what　he's　doing：　establishing　an　alibi。　　What'll

you　bet　he's　just　sitting　there　smoking　and　reading　Le　Rire？　

Let's　go　and　see。〃



But　Susy　was　firm。　　〃He's　read　me　his　first　chapter：　　it's

wonderful。　　It's　a　philosophic　romancerather　like　Marius；　you

know。〃



〃Oh；　yesI　do！〃　said　Strefford；　with　a　laugh　that　she　thought

idiotic。



She　flushed　up　like　a　child。　　〃You're　stupid；　Streffy。　　You

forget　that　Nick　and　I　don't　need　alibis。　　We've　got　rid　of　all

that　hyprocrisy　by　agreeing　that　each　will　give　the　other　a　hand

up　when　either　of　us　wants　a　change。　　We've　not　married　to　spy

and　lie；　and　nag　each　other；　we've　formed　a　partnership　for　our

mutual　advantage。〃



〃I　see；　that's　capital。　　But　how　can　you　be　sure　that；　when　Nick

wants　a　change；　you'll　consider　it　for　his　advantage　to　have

one？〃



It　was　the　point　that　had　always　secretly　tormented　Susy；　she

often　wondered　if　it　equally　tormented　Nick。



〃I　hope　I　shall　have　enough　common　sense〃　she　began。



〃Oh；　of　course：　　common　sense　is　what　you're　both　bound　to　base

your　argument　on；　whichever　way　you　argue。〃



This　flash　of　insight　disconcerted　her；　and　she　said；　a　little

irritably：　　〃What　should　you　do　then；　if　you　married？Hush；

Streffy！　　I　forbid　you　to　shout　like　thatall　the　gondolas　are

stopping　to　look！〃



〃How　can　I　help　it？〃　　He　rocked　backward　and　forward　in　his

chair。　　〃'If　you　marry；'　she　says：　　'Streffy；　what　have　you

decided　to　do　if　you　suddenly　become　a　raving　maniac？'〃



〃I　said　no　such　thing。　　If　your　uncle　and　your　cousin　died；

you'd　marry　to…morrow；　you　know　you　would。〃



〃Oh；　now　you're　talking　business。〃　　He　folded　his　long　arms　and

leaned　over　the　balcony；　looking　down　at　the　dusky　ripples

streaked　with　fire。　　〃In　that　case　I　should　say：　　'Susan；　my

dearSusannow　that　by　the　merciful　intervention　of　Providence

you　have　become　Countess　of　Altringham　in　the　peerage　of　Great

Britain；　and　Baroness　Dunsterville　and　d'Amblay　in　the　peerages

of　Ireland　and　Scotland；　I'll　thank　you　to　remember　that　you　are

a　member　of　one　of　the　most　ancient　houses　in　the　United

Kingdomand　not　to　get　found　out。'〃



Susy　laughed。　　〃We　know　what　those　warnings　mean！　　I　pity　my

namesake。〃



He　swung　about　and　gave　her　a　quick　look　out　of　his　small　ugly

twinkling　eyes。　　〃Is　there　any　other　woman　in　the　world　named

Susan？〃



〃I　hope　so；　if　the　name's　an　essential。　　Even　if　Nick　chucks　me；

don't　count　on　me　to　carry　out　that　programme。　　I've　seen　it　in

practice　too　often。〃



〃Oh；　well：　　as　far　as　I　know；　everybody's　in　perfect　health　at

Altringham。〃　　He　fumbled　in　his　pocket　and　drew　out　a　fountain

pen；　a　handkerchief　over　which　it　had　leaked；　and　a　packet　of

dishevelled　cigarettes。　　Lighting　one；　and　restoring　the　other

objects　to　his　pocket；　he　continued　calmly：　　〃Tell　me　how　did

you　manage　to　smooth　things　over　with　the　Gillows？　　Ursula　was

running　amuck　when　I　was　in　Newport　last　Summer；　it　was　just

when　people　were　beginning　to　say　that　you　were　going　to　marry

Nick。　　I　was　afraid　she'd　put　a　spoke　in　your　wheel；　and　I　hear

she　put　a　big　cheque　in　your　hand　instead。〃



Susy　was　silent。　　From　the　first　moment　of　Strefford's

appearance　she　had　known　that　in　the　　course　of　time　he　would

put　that　question。　　He　was　as　inquisitive　as　a　monkey；　and　when

he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　find　out　anything　it　was　useless　to

try　to　divert　his　attention。　　After　a　moment's　hesitation　she

said：　　〃I　flirted　with　Fred。　　It　was　a　bore　but　he　was　very

decent。〃



〃He　would　bepoor　Fred。　　And　you　got　Ursula　thoroughly

frightened！〃



〃Wellenough。　　And　then　luckily　that　young　Nerone　Altineri

turned　up　from　Rome：　　he　went　over　to　New　York　to　look　for　a　job

as　an　engineer；　and　Ursula　made　Fred　put　him　in　their　iron

works。〃　　She　paused　again；　and　then　added　abruptly：　　〃Streffy！

If　you　knew　how　I　hate　that　kind　of　thing。　　I'd　rather　have　Nick

come　in　now　and　tell　me　frankly；　as　I　know　he　would；　that　he's

going　off　with〃



〃With　Coral　Hicks？〃　　Strefford　suggested。



She　laughed。　　〃Poor　Coral　Hicks！　　What　on　earth　made　you　think

of　the　Hickses？〃



〃Because　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　them　the　other　day　at　Capri。

They're　cruising　about：　　they　said　they　were　coming　in　here。〃



〃What　a　nuisance！　　I　do　hope　they　won't　find　us　out。　　They　were

awfully　kind　to　Nick　when　he　went　to　India　with　them；　and

they're　so　simple…minded　that　they　would　expect　him　to　be　glad

to　see　them。〃



Strefford　aimed　his　cigarette…end　at　a　tourist　on　a　puggaree　who

was　gazing　up　from　his　guidebook　at　the　palace。　　〃Ah；〃　he

murmured　with　satisfaction；　seeing　the　shot　take　effect；　then　he

added：　　〃Coral　Hicks　is　growing　up　rather　pretty。〃



〃Oh；　Streffyou're　dreaming！　　That　lump　of　a　girl　with

spectacles　and　thick　ankles！　　Poor　Mrs。　Hicks　used　to　say　to

Nick：　　'When　Mr。　Hicks　and　I