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when he had found Mrs。 Hicks's letter in the mail awaiting him
at Venice。 The day was associated in his mind with the
ridiculous and mortifying episode of the cigarsthe expensive
cigars that Susy had wanted to carry away from Strefford's
villa。 Their brief exchange of views on the subject had left
the first blur on the perfect surface of his happiness； and he
still felt an uncomfortable heat at the remembrance。 For a few
hours the prospect of life with Susy had seemed unendurable； and
it was just at that moment that he had found the letter from
Mrs。 Hicks； with its almost irresistible invitation。 If only
her daughter had known how nearly he had accepted it！
〃It was a dreadful temptation；〃 he said； smiling。
〃To go with us？ Then why？〃
〃Oh； everything's different now： I've got to stick to my
writing。〃
Miss Hicks still bent on him the same unblinking scrutiny。
〃Does that mean that you're going to give up your real work？〃
〃My real workarchaeology？〃 He smiled again to hide a twitch
of regret。 〃Why； I'm afraid it hardly produces a living wage；
and I've got to think of that。〃 He coloured suddenly； as if
suspecting that Miss Hicks might consider the avowal an opening
for he hardly knew what ponderous offer of aid。 The Hicks
munificence was too uncalculating not to be occasionally
oppressive。 But looking at her again he saw that her eyes were
full of tears。
〃I thought it was your vocation；〃 she said。
〃So did I。 But life comes along； and upsets things。〃
〃Oh； I understand。 There may be thingsworth giving up all
other things for。〃
〃There are！〃 cried Nick with beaming emphasis。
He was conscious that Miss Hicks's eyes demanded of him even
more than this sweeping affirmation。
〃But your novel may fail；〃 she said with her odd harshness。
〃It mayit probably will；〃 he agreed。 〃But if one stopped to
consider such possibilities〃
〃Don't you have to； with a wife？〃
〃Oh； my dear Coralhow old are you？ Not twenty？〃 he
questioned； laying a brotherly hand on hers。
She stared at him a moment； and sprang up clumsily from her
chair。 〃I was never young 。。。 if that's what you mean。 It's
lucky； isn't it； that my parents gave me such a grand education？
Because； you see； art's a wonderful resource。〃 （She pronounced
it RE…source。）
He continued to look at her kindly。 〃You won't need itor any
otherwhen you grow young； as you will some day；〃 he assured
her。
〃Do you mean； when I fall in love？ But I am in loveOh；
there's Eldorada and Mr。 Beck！〃 She broke off with a jerk；
signalling with her field…glass to the pair who had just
appeared at the farther end of the nave。 〃I told them that if
they'd meet me here to…day I'd try to make them understand
Tiepolo。 Because； you see； at home we never really have
understood Tiepolo； and Mr。 Beck and Eldorada are the only ones
to realize it。 Mr。 Buttles simply won't。〃 She turned to
Lansing and held out her hand。 〃I am in love；〃 she repeated
earnestly； 〃and that's the reason why I find art such a RE
source。〃
She restored her eye…glasses； opened her manual； and strode
across the church to the expectant neophytes。
Lansing； looking after her； wondered for half a moment whether
Mr。 Beck were the object of this apparently unrequited
sentiment； then； with a queer start of introspection； abruptly
decided that； no； he certainly was not。 But thenbut then。
Well； there was no use in following up such conjectures 。。。。 He
turned home…ward； wondering if the picnickers had already
reached Palazzo Vanderlyn。
They got back only in time for a late dinner； full of chaff and
laughter； and apparently still enchanted with each other's
society。 Nelson Vanderlyn beamed on his wife； sent his daughter
off to bed with a kiss； and leaning back in his armchair before
the fruit…and…flower…laden table； declared that he'd never spent
a jollier day in his life。 Susy seemed to come in for a full
share of his approbation； and Lansing thought that Ellie was
unusually demonstrative to her friend。 Strefford； from his
hostess's side； glanced across now and then at young Mrs。
Lansing； and his glance seemed to Lansing a confidential comment
on the Vanderlyn raptures。 But then Strefford was always having
private jokes with people or about them； and Lansing was
irritated with himself for perpetually suspecting his best
friends of vague complicities at his expense。 〃If I'm going to
be jealous of Streffy now！〃 he concluded with a grimace of
self…derision。
Certainly Susy looked lovely enough to justify the most
irrational pangs。 As a girl she had been； for some people's
taste； a trifle fine…drawn and sharp…edged； now； to her old
lightness of line was added a shadowy bloom； a sort of star…
reflecting depth。 Her movements were slower； less angular； her
mouth had a needing droop； her lids seemed weighed down by their
lashes； and then suddenly the old spirit would reveal itself
through the new languor； like the tartness at the core of a
sweet fruit。 As her husband looked at her across the flowers
and lights he laughed inwardly at the nothingness of all things
else。
Vanderlyn and Clarissa left betimes the next morning； and Mrs。
Vanderlyn； who was to start for St。 Moritz in the afternoon；
devoted her last hours to anxious conferences with her maid and
Susy。 Strefford； with Fred Gillow and the others； had gone for
a swim at the Lido； and Lansing seized the opportunity to get
back to his book。
The quietness of the great echoing place gave him a foretaste of
the solitude to come。 By mid…August all their party would be
scattered： the Hickses off on a cruise to Crete and the AEgean；
Fred Gillow on the way to his moor； Strefford to stay with
friends in Capri till his annual visit to Northumberland in
September。 One by one the others would follow； and Lansing and
Susy be left alone in the great sun…proof palace； alone under
the star…laden skies； alone with the great orange moons…still
theirs！above the bell…tower of San Giorgio。 The novel； in
that blessed quiet； would unfold itself as harmoniously as his
dreams。
He wrote on； forgetful of the passing hours； till the door
opened and he heard a step behind him。 The next moment two
hands were clasped over his eyes； and the air was full of Mrs。
Vanderlyn's last new scent。
〃You dear thingI'm just off； you know；〃 she said。 〃Susy told
me you were working； and I forbade her to call you down。 She
and Streffy are waiting to take me to the station； and I've run
up to say good…bye。〃
〃Ellie； dear！〃 Full of compunction； Lansing pushed aside his
writing and started up； but she pressed him back into his seat。
〃No； no！ I should never forgive myself if I'd interrupted you。
I oughtn't to have come up； Susy didn't want me to。 But I had
to tell you； you dear 。。。。 I had to thank you。。。〃
In her dark travelling dress and hat； so discreetly conspicuou