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turning to her with one of his sudden movements。 〃I couldn't
make head or tail of your letter。〃
She paused a moment to steady her voice。 〃Couldn't you？ I
suppose you'd forgotten my bargain with Nick。 He hadn't…and
he's asked me to fulfil it。〃
Strefford stared。 〃Whatthat nonsense about your setting each
other free if either of you had the chance to make a good
match？〃
She signed 〃Yes。〃
〃And he's actually asked you？〃
〃Well： practically。 He's gone off with the Hickses。 Before
going he wrote me that we'd better both consider ourselves free。
And Coral sent me a postcard to say that she would take the best
of care of him。〃
Strefford mused； his eyes upon his cigarette。 〃But what the
deuce led up to all this？ It can't have happened like that； out
of a clear sky。〃
Susy flushed； hesitated； looked away。 She had meant to tell
Strefford the whole story； it had been one of her chief reasons
for wishing to see him again； and half…unconsciously； perhaps；
she had hoped； in his laxer atmosphere； to recover something of
her shattered self…esteem。 But now she suddenly felt the
impossibility of confessing to anyone the depths to which Nick's
wife had stooped。 She fancied that her companion guessed the
nature of her hesitation。
〃Don't tell me anything you don't want to； you know； my dear。〃
〃No； I do want to； only it's difficult。 You seewe had so very
little money 。。。。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃And Nickwho was thinking of his book； and of all sorts of big
things； fine thingsdidn't realise 。。。 left it all to me 。。。 to
manage 。。。。〃
She stumbled over the word； remembering how Nick had always
winced at it。 But Strefford did not seem to notice her； and she
hurried on； unfolding in short awkward sentences the avowal of
their pecuniary difficulties； and of Nick's inability to
understand that； to keep on with the kind of life they were
leading； one had to put up with things 。。。 accept favours 。。。。
〃Borrow money； you mean？〃
〃Wellyes； and all the rest。〃 Nodecidedly she could not
reveal to Strefford the episode of Ellie's letters。 〃Nick
suddenly felt； I suppose； that he couldn't stand it；〃 she
continued； 〃and instead of asking me to tryto try to live
differently； go off somewhere with him and live； like work…
people； in two rooms； without a servant； as I was ready to do；
well； instead he wrote me that it had all been a mistake from
the beginning； that we couldn't keep it up； and had better
recognize the fact； and he went off on the Hickses' yacht。 The
last evening that you were in Venicethe day he didn't come
back to dinnerhe had gone off to Genoa to meet them。 I
suppose he intends to marry Coral。〃
Strefford received this in silence。 〃Wellit was your bargain；
wasn't it？〃 he said at length。
〃Yes； but〃
〃Exactly： I always told you so。 You weren't ready to have him
go yetthat's all。〃
She flushed to the forehead。 〃Oh； Streffis it really all？〃
〃A question of time？ If you doubt it； I'd like to see you try；
for a while； in those two rooms without a servant； and then let
me hear from you。 Why； my dear； it's only a question of time in
a palace； with a steam yacht lying off the door…step； and a
flock of motors in the garage； look around you and see。 And did
you ever imagine that you and Nick； of all people； were going to
escape the common doom； and survive like Mr。 and Mrs。 Tithonus；
while all about you the eternal passions were crumbling to
pieces； and your native Divorce…states piling up their
revenues？〃
She sat with bent head； the weight of the long years to come
pressing like a leaden load on her shoulders。
〃But I'm so young 。。。 life's so long。 What does last； then？〃
〃Ah； you're too young to believe me； if I were to tell you；
though you're intelligent enough to understand。〃
〃What does； then？〃
〃Why； the hold of the things we all think we could do without。
Habitsthey outstand the Pyramids。 Comforts； luxuries； the
atmosphere of ease 。。。 above all； the power to get away from
dulness and monotony； from constraints and uglinesses。 You
chose that power； instinctively； before you were even grown up；
and so did Nick。 And the only difference between you is that
he's had the sense to see sooner than you that those are the
things that last； the prime necessities。〃
〃I don't believe it！〃
〃Of course you don't： at your age one doesn't reason one's
materialism。 And besides you're mortally hurt that Nick has
found out sooner than you； and hasn't disguised his discovery
under any hypocritical phrases。〃
〃But surely there are people〃
〃Yessaints and geniuses and heroes： all the fanatics！ To
which of their categories do you suppose we soft people belong？
And the heroes and the geniuseshaven't they their enormous
frailties and their giant appetites？ And how should we escape
being the victims of our little ones？〃
She sat for a while without speaking。 〃But； Streff； how can you
say such things； when I know you care： care for me； for
instance！〃
〃Care？〃 He put his hand on hers。 〃But； my dear； it's just the
fugitiveness of mortal caring that makes it so exquisite！ It's
because we know we can't hold fast to it； or to each other； or
to anything 。。。。〃
〃Yes 。。。 yes 。。。 but hush； please！ Oh； don't say it！〃 She
stood up； the tears in her throat； and he rose also。
〃Come along； then； where do we lunch？〃 he said with a smile；
slipping his hand through her arm。
〃Oh； I don't know。 Nowhere。 I think I'm going back to
Versailles。〃
〃Because I've disgusted you so deeply？ Just my luckwhen I
came over to ask you to marry me！〃
She laughed； but he had become suddenly grave。 〃Upon my soul； I
did。〃
〃Dear Streff！ As ifnow〃
〃Oh； not nowI know。 I'm aware that even with your accelerated
divorce methods〃
〃It's not that。 I told you it was no use； StreffI told you
long ago； in Venice。〃
He shrugged ironically。 〃It's not Streff who's asking you now。
Streff was not a marrying man： he was only trifling with you。
The present offer comes from an elderly peer of independent
means。 Think it over； my dear： as many days out as you like； and
five footmen kept。 There's not the least hurry； of course； but
I rather think Nick himself would advise it。〃
She flushed to the temples； remembering that Nick had； and the
remembrance made Strefford's sneering philosophy seem less
unbearable。 Why should she not lunch with him； after all？ In
the first days of his mourning he had come to Paris expressly to
see her； and to offer her one of the oldest names and one of the
greatest fortunes in England。 She thought of Ursula Gillow；
Ellie Vanderlyn； Violet Melrose； of their condescending
kindnesses； their last year's dresses； their Christmas cheques；
and all the careless bounties that were so easy to bestow and so
hard to accept。 〃I should rather enjoy paying them back；〃
someth