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black marble arch that framed his fireless grate。 As she
glanced up she saw his face harden； and the colour flew to hers。
〃Was that what you came to tell me？〃 he asked。
〃Oh； you don't understandand I don't see why you don't； since
we've knocked about so long among exactly the same kind of
people。〃 She stood up impulsively and laid her hand on his arm。
〃I do wish you'd help me！〃
He remained motionless； letting the hand lie untouched。
〃Help you to tell me that poor Ursula was a pretext； but that
there IS someone whofor one reason or anotherreally has a
right to object to your seeing me too often？〃
Susy laughed impatiently。 〃You talk like the hero of a novel
the kind my governess used to read。 In the first place I should
never recognize that kind of right； as you call itnever！〃
〃Then what kind do you？〃 he asked with a clearing brow。
〃Whythe kind I suppose you recognize on the part of your
publisher。〃 This evoked a hollow laugh from him。 〃A business
claim； call it；〃 she pursued。 〃Ursula does a lot for me： I
live on her for half the year。 This dress I've got on now is
one she gave me。 Her motor is going to take me to a dinner
to…night。 I'm going to spend next summer with her at
Newport 。。。。 If I don't； I've got to go to California with the
Bockheimers…so good…bye。〃
Suddenly in tears； she was out of the door and down his steep
three flights before he could stop herthough； in thinking it
over； she didn't even remember if he had tried to。 She only
recalled having stood a long time on the corner of Fifth Avenue；
in the harsh winter radiance； waiting till a break in the
torrent of motors laden with fashionable women should let her
cross； and saying to herself： 〃After all； I might have promised
Ursula 。。。 and kept on seeing him 。。。。〃
Instead of which； when Lansing wrote the next day entreating a
word with her； she had sent back a friendly but firm refusal；
and had managed soon afterward to get taken to Canada for a
fortnight's ski…ing； and then to Florida for six weeks in a
house…boat 。。。。
As she reached this point in her retrospect the remembrance of
Florida called up a vision of moonlit waters； magnolia fragrance
and balmy airs； merging with the circumambient sweetness； it
laid a drowsy spell upon her lids。 Yes； there had been a bad
moment： but it was over； and she was here； safe and blissful；
and with Nick； and this was his knee her head rested on； and
they had a year ahead of them 。。。 a whole year 。。。。 〃Not
counting the pearls；〃 she murmured； shutting her eyes 。。。。
II。
LANSING threw the end of Strefford's expensive cigar into the
lake； and bent over his wife。 Poor child！ She had fallen
asleep 。。。。 He leaned back and stared up again at the
silver…flooded sky。 How queerhow inexpressibly queerit was
to think that that light was shed by his honey…moon！ A year
ago； if anyone had predicted his risking such an adventure； he
would have replied by asking to be locked up at the first
symptoms 。。。。
There was still no doubt in his mind that the adventure was a
mad one。 It was all very well for Susy to remind him twenty
times a day that they had pulled it offand so why should he
worry？ Even in the light of her far…seeing cleverness； and of
his own present bliss； he knew the future would not bear the
examination of sober thought。 And as he sat there in the summer
moonlight； with her head on his knee； he tried to recapitulate
the successive steps that had landed them on Streffy's
lake…front。
On Lansing's side； no doubt； it dated back to his leaving
Harvard with the large resolve not to miss anything。 There
stood the evergreen Tree of Life； the Four Rivers flowing from
its foot； and on every one of the four currents he meant to
launch his little skiff。 On two of them he had not gone very
far； on the third he had nearly stuck in the mud； but the fourth
had carried him to the very heart of wonder。 It was the stream
of his lively imagination； of his inexhaustible interest in
every form of beauty and strangeness and folly。 On this stream；
sitting in the stout little craft of his poverty； his
insignificance and his independence； he had made some notable
voyages 。。。。 And so； when Susy Branch； whom he had sought out
through a New York season as the prettiest and most amusing girl
in sight； had surprised him with the contradictory revelation of
her modern sense of expediency and her old…fashioned standard of
good faith； he had felt an irresistible desire to put off on one
more cruise into the unknown。
It was of the essence of the adventure that； after her one brief
visit to his lodgings； he should have kept his promise and not
tried to see her again。 Even if her straightforwardness had not
roused his emulation； his understanding of her difficulties
would have moved his pity。 He knew on how frail a thread the
popularity of the penniless hangs； and how miserably a girl like
Susy was the sport of other people's moods and whims。 It was a
part of his difficulty and of hers that to get what they liked
they so often had to do what they disliked。 But the keeping of
his promise was a greater bore than he had expected。 Susy
Branch had become a delightful habit in a life where most of the
fixed things were dull； and her disappearance had made it
suddenly clear to him that his resources were growing more and
more limited。 Much that had once amused him hugely now amused
him less； or not at all： a good part of his world of wonder had
shrunk to a village peep…show。 And the things which had kept
their stimulating powerdistant journeys； the enjoyment of art；
the contact with new scenes and strange societieswere becoming
less and less attainable。 Lansing had never had more than a
pittance； he had spent rather too much of it in his first plunge
into life； and the best he could look forward to was a middle…
age of poorly…paid hack…work； mitigated by brief and frugal
holidays。 He knew that he was more intelligent than the
average； but he had long since concluded that his talents were
not marketable。 Of the thin volume of sonnets which a friendly
publisher had launched for him； just seventy copies had been
sold； and though his essay on 〃Chinese Influences in Greek Art〃
had created a passing stir； it had resulted in controversial
correspondence and dinner invitations rather than in more
substantial benefits。 There seemed； in short； no prospect of
his ever earning money； and his restricted future made him
attach an increasing value to the kind of friendship that Susy
Branch had given him。 Apart from the pleasure of looking at her
and listening to herof enjoying in her what others less
discriminatingly but as liberally appreciatedhe had the sense；
between himself and her； of a kind of free…masonry of precocious
tolerance and irony。 They had both； in early youth； taken the
measure of the world they happened to live in： they knew ju