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The Glimpses of the Moon
by Edith Wharton
PART I
I
IT rose for themtheir honey…moonover the waters of a lake so
famed as the scene of romantic raptures that they were rather
proud of not having been afraid to choose it as the setting of
their own。
〃It required a total lack of humour； or as great a gift for it
as ours； to risk the experiment；〃 Susy Lansing opined； as they
hung over the inevitable marble balustrade and watched their
tutelary orb roll its magic carpet across the waters to their
feet。
〃Yesor the loan of Strefford's villa；〃 her husband emended；
glancing upward through the branches at a long low patch of
paleness to which the moonlight was beginning to give the form
of a white house…front。
〃Oh； come when we'd five to choose from。 At least if you count
the Chicago flat。〃
〃So we hadyou wonder！〃 He laid his hand on hers； and his
touch renewed the sense of marvelling exultation which the
deliberate survey of their adventure always roused in her 。。。。
It was characteristic that she merely added； in her steady
laughing tone： 〃Or； not counting the flatfor I hate to brag…
just consider the others： Violet Melrose's place at Versailles；
your aunt's villa at Monte Carloand a moor！〃
She was conscious of throwing in the moor tentatively； and yet
with a somewhat exaggerated emphasis； as if to make sure that he
shouldn't accuse her of slurring it over。 But he seemed to have
no desire to do so。 〃Poor old Fred！〃 he merely remarked； and
she breathed out carelessly： 〃Oh； well〃
His hand still lay on hers； and for a long interval； while they
stood silent in the enveloping loveliness of the night； she was
aware only of the warm current running from palm to palm； as the
moonlight below them drew its line of magic from shore to shore。
Nick Lansing spoke at last。 〃Versailles in May would have been
impossible： all our Paris crowd would have run us down within
twenty…four hours。 And Monte Carlo is ruled out because it's
exactly the kind of place everybody expected us to go。 So
with all respect to youit wasn't much of a mental strain to
decide on Como。〃
His wife instantly challenged this belittling of her capacity。
〃It took a good deal of argument to convince you that we could
face the ridicule of Como！〃
〃Well； I should have preferred something in a lower key； at
least I thought I should till we got here。 Now I see that this
place is idiotic unless one is perfectly happy； and that then
it's…as good as any other。〃
She sighed out a blissful assent。 〃And I must say that Streffy
has done things to a turn。 Even the cigarswho do you suppose
gave him those cigars？〃 She added thoughtfully： 〃You'll miss
them when we have to go。〃
〃Oh； I say； don't let's talk to…night about going。 Aren't we
outside of time and space 。。。？ Smell that guinea…a…bottle stuff
over there： what is it？ Stephanotis？〃
〃Y…yes 。。。。 I suppose so。 Or gardenias 。。。。 Oh； the fire…
flies！ Look 。。。 there； against that splash of moonlight on the
water。 Apples of silver in a net…work of gold 。。。。〃 They
leaned together； one flesh from shoulder to finger…tips； their
eyes held by the snared glitter of the ripples。
〃I could bear；〃 Lansing remarked； 〃even a nightingale at this
moment 。。。。〃
A faint gurgle shook the magnolias behind them； and a long
liquid whisper answered it from the thicket of laurel above
their heads。
〃It's a little late in the year for them： they're ending just
as we begin。〃
Susy laughed。 〃I hope when our turn comes we shall say good…bye
to each other as sweetly。〃
It was in her husband's mind to answer： 〃They're not saying
good…bye； but only settling down to family cares。〃 But as this
did not happen to be in his plan； or in Susy's； he merely echoed
her laugh and pressed her closer。
The spring night drew them into its deepening embrace。 The
ripples of the lake had gradually widened and faded into a
silken smoothness； and high above the mountains the moon was
turning from gold to white in a sky powdered with vanishing
stars。 Across the lake the lights of a little town went out；
one after another； and the distant shore became a floating
blackness。 A breeze that rose and sank brushed their faces with
the scents of the garden； once it blew out over the water a
great white moth like a drifting magnolia petal。 The
nightingales had paused and the trickle of the fountain behind
the house grew suddenly insistent。
When Susy spoke it was in a voice languid with visions。 〃I have
been thinking；〃 she said； 〃that we ought to be able to make it
last at least a year longer。〃
Her husband received the remark without any sign of surprise or
disapprobation； his answer showed that he not only understood
her； but had been inwardly following the same train of thought。
〃You mean；〃 he enquired after a pause； 〃without counting your
grandmother's pearls？〃
〃Yeswithout the pearls。〃
He pondered a while； and then rejoined in a tender whisper：
〃Tell me again just how。〃
〃Let's sit down； then。 No； I like the cushions best。〃 He
stretched himself in a long willow chair； and she curled up on
a heap of boat…cushions and leaned her head against his knee。
Just above her； when she lifted her lids； she saw bits of
moonflooded sky incrusted like silver in a sharp black
patterning of plane…boughs。 All about them breathed of peace
and beauty and stability； and her happiness was so acute that it
was almost a relief to remember the stormy background of bills
and borrowing against which its frail structure had been reared。
〃People with a balance can't be as happy as all this；〃 Susy
mused； letting the moonlight filter through her lazy lashes。
People with a balance had always been Susy Branch's bugbear；
they were still； and more dangerously； to be Susy Lansing's。
She detested them； detested them doubly； as the natural enemies
of mankind and as the people one always had to put one's self
out for。 The greater part of her life having been passed among
them； she knew nearly all that there was to know about them； and
judged them with the contemptuous lucidity of nearly twenty
years of dependence。 But at the present moment her animosity
was diminished not only by the softening effect of love but by
the fact that she had got out of those very people moreyes；
ever so much morethan she and Nick； in their hours of most
reckless planning； had ever dared to hope for。
〃After all； we owe them this！〃 she mused。
Her husband； lost in the drowsy beatitude of the hour； had not
repeated his question； but she was still on the trail of the
thought he had started。 A yearyes； she was sure now that
with a little management they could have a whole year of it！
〃It〃 was their marriage； their being together； and away from
bores and bothers； in a comradeship of which both of them had
long ago guessed the immedia