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things； she would not in time stoop lower than she had yet
stooped？ Perhaps in giving her up to Strefford he might be
saving her。 At any rate； the taste of the past was now so
bitter to him that he was moved to thank whatever gods there
were for pushing that mortuary paragraph under his eye 。。。。
〃Susy； dear ＇he wrote＇； the fates seem to have taken our future
in hand； and spared us the trouble of unravelling it。 If I have
sometimes been selfish enough to forget the conditions on which
you agreed to marry me； they have come back to me during these
two days of solitude。 You've given me the best a man can have；
and nothing else will ever be worth much to me。 But since I
haven't the ability to provide you with what you want； I
recognize that I've no right to stand in your way。 We must owe
no more Venetian palaces to underhand services。 I see by the
newspapers that Streff can now give you as many palaces as you
want。 Let him have the chanceI fancy he'll jump at it； and
he's the best man in sight。 I wish I were in his shoes。
〃I'll write again in a day or two； when I've collected my wits；
and can give you an address。 NICK。〃
He added a line on the subject of their modest funds； put the
letter into an envelope； and addressed it to Mrs。 Nicholas
Lansing。 As he did so； he reflected that it was the first time
he had ever written his wife's married name。
〃Wellby God； no other woman shall have it after her；〃 he
vowed； as he groped in his pocketbook for a stamp。
He stood up with a stretch of wearinessthe heat was stifling！
and put the letter in his pocket。
〃I'll post it myself； it's safer；〃 he thought； 〃and then what in
the name of goodness shall I do next； I wonder？〃 He jammed his
hat down on his head and walked out into the sun…blaze。
As he was turning away from the square by the general Post
Office； a white parasol waved from a passing cab； and Coral
Hicks leaned forward with outstretched hand。 〃I knew I'd find
you；〃 she triumphed。 〃I've been driving up and down in this
broiling sun for hours； shopping and watching for you at the
same time。〃
He stared at her blankly； too bewildered even to wonder how she
knew he was in Genoa； and she continued； with the kind of shy
imperiousness that always made him feel； in her presence； like a
member of an orchestra under a masterful baton； 〃Now please get
right into this carriage； and don't keep me roasting here
another minute。〃 To the cabdriver she called out： Al porto。〃
Nick Lansing sank down beside her。 As he did so he noticed a
heap of bundles at her feet； and felt that he had simply added
one more to the number。 He supposed that she was taking her
spoils to the Ibis； and that he would be carried up to the deck…
house to be displayed with the others。 Well； it would all help
to pass the dayand by night he would have reached some kind of
a decision about his future。
On the third day after Nick's departure the post brought to the
Palazzo Vanderlyn three letters for Mrs。 Lansing。
The first to arrive was a word from Strefford； scribbled in the
train and posted at Turin。 In it he briefly said that he had
been called home by the dreadful accident of which Susy had
probably read in the daily papers。 He added that he would write
again from England； and thenin a blotted postscript： 〃I
wanted uncommonly badly to see you for good…bye； but the hour
was impossible。 Regards to Nick。 Do write me just a word to
Altringham。〃
The other two letters； which came together in the afternoon；
were both from Genoa。 Susy scanned the addresses and fell upon
the one in her husband's writing。 Her hand trembled so much
that for a moment she could not open the envelope。 When she had
done so； she devoured the letter in a flash； and then sat and
brooded over the outspread page as it lay on her knee。 It might
mean so many thingsshe could read into it so many harrowing
alternatives of indifference and despair； of irony and
tenderness！ Was he suffering tortures when he wrote it； or
seeking only to inflict them upon her？ Or did the words
represent his actual feelings； no more and no less； and did he
really intend her to understand that he considered it his duty
to abide by the letter of their preposterous compact？ He had
left her in wrath and indignation； yet； as a closer scrutiny
revealed； there was not a word of reproach in his brief lines。
Perhaps that was why； in the last issue； they seemed so cold to
her 。。。。 She shivered and turned to the other envelope。
The large stilted characters； though half…familiar； called up no
definite image。 She opened the envelope and discovered a post…
card of the Ibis； canvas spread； bounding over a rippled sea。
On the back was written：
〃So awfully dear of you to lend us Mr。 Lansing for a little
cruise。 You may count on our taking the best of care of him。
CORAL〃
PART II
XIII
WHEN Violet Melrose had said to Susy Branch； the winter before
in New York： 〃But why on earth don't you and Nick go to my
little place at Versailles for the honeymoon？ I'm off to China；
and you could have it to yourselves all summer；〃 the offer had
been tempting enough to make the lovers waver。
It was such an artless ingenuous little house； so full of the
demoralizing simplicity of great wealth； that it seemed to Susy
just the kind of place in which to take the first steps in
renunciation。 But Nick had objected that Paris； at that time of
year； would be swarming with acquaintances who would hunt them
down at all hours； and Susy's own experience had led her to
remark that there was nothing the very rich enjoyed more than
taking pot…luck with the very poor。 They therefore gave
Strefford's villa the preference； with an inward proviso （on
Susy's part） that Violet's house might very conveniently serve
their purpose at another season。
These thoughts were in her mind as she drove up to Mrs。
Melrose's door on a rainy afternoon late in August； her boxes
piled high on the roof of the cab she had taken at the station。
She had travelled straight through from Venice； stopping in
Milan just long enough to pick up a reply to the telegram she
had despatched to the perfect housekeeper whose permanent
presence enabled Mrs。 Melrose to say： 〃Oh； when I'm sick of
everything I just rush off without warning to my little shanty
at Versailles； and live there all alone on scrambled eggs。〃
The perfect house…keeper had replied to Susy's enquiry： 〃Am
sure Mrs。 Melrose most happy〃； and Susy； without further
thought； had jumped into a Versailles train； and now stood in
the thin rain before the sphinx…guarded threshold of the
pavilion。
The revolving year had brought around the season at which Mrs。
Melrose's house might be convenient： no visitors were to be
feared at Versailles at the end of August； and though Susy's
reasons for seeking solitude were so remote from those she had
once prefi