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struggling back to light and life and youth。 He didn't want
her！ Well； she would try not to want him！ There lay all the
old expedients at her handthe rouge for her white lips； the
atropine for her blurred eyes； the new dress on her bed； the
thought of Strefford and his guests awaiting her； and of the
conclusions that the diners of the Nouveau Luxe would draw from
seeing them together。 Thank heaven no one would say： 〃Poor old
Susydid you know Nick had chucked her？〃 They would all say：
〃Poor old Nick！ Yes； I daresay she was sorry to chuck him； but
Altringham's mad to marry her； and what could she do？ 〃
And once again events had followed the course she had foreseen。
Seeing her at Lord Altringham's table； with the Ascots and the
old Duchess of Dunes； the interested spectators could not but
regard the dinner as confirming the rumour of her marriage。 As
Ellie said； people didn't wait nowadays to announce their
〃engagements〃 till the tiresome divorce proceedings were over。
Ellie herself； prodigally pearled and ermined； had floated in
late with Algie Bockheimer in her wake； and sat； in conspicuous
tete…a…tete； nodding and signalling her sympathy to Susy。
Approval beamed from every eye： it was awfully exciting； they
all seemed to say； seeing Susy Lansing pull it off！ As the
party； after dinner； drifted from the restaurant back into the
hall； she caught； in the smiles and hand…pressures crowding
about her； the scarcely…repressed hint of official
congratulations； and Violet Melrose； seated in a corner with
Fulmer； drew her down with a wan jade…circled arm； to whisper
tenderly： 〃It's most awfully clever of you； darling； not to be
wearing any jewels。〃
In all the women's eyes she read the reflected lustre of the
jewels she could wear when she chose： it was as though their
glitter reached her from the far…off bank where they lay sealed
up in the Altringham strong…box。 What a fool she had been to
think that Strefford would ever believe she didn't care for
them！
The Ambassadress； a blank perpendicular person； had been a shade
less affable than Susy could have wished； but then there was
Lady Joanand the girl was handsome； alarmingly handsome to
account for that： probably every one in the room had guessed
it。 And the old Duchess of Dunes was delightful。 She looked
rather like Strefford in a wig and false pearls （Susy was sure
they were as false as her teeth）； and her cordiality was so
demonstrative that the future bride found it more difficult to
account for than Lady Ascot's coldness； till she heard the old
lady； as they passed into the hall； breathe in a hissing whisper
to her nephew： 〃Streff； dearest； when you have a minute's time；
and can drop in at my wretched little pension； I know you can
explain in two words what I ought to do to pacify those awful
money…lenders 。。。。 And you'll bring your exquisite American to
see me； won't you！ 。。。 No； Joan Senechal's too fair for my
taste 。。。。 Insipid。。。〃
〃
Yes： the taste of it all was again sweet on her lips。 A few
days later she began to wonder how the thought of Strefford's
endearments could have been so alarming。 To be sure he was not
lavish of them； but when he did touch her； even when he kissed
her； it no longer seemed to matter。 An almost complete absence
of sensation had mercifully succeeded to the first wild flurry
of her nerves。
And so it would be； no doubt； with everything else in her new
life。 If it failed to provoke any acute reactions； whether of
pain or pleasure； the very absence of sensation would make for
peace。 And in the meanwhile she was tasting what； she had begun
to suspect； was the maximum of bliss to most of the women she
knew： days packed with engagements； the exhilaration of
fashionable crowds； the thrill of snapping up a jewel or a
bibelot or a new 〃model〃 that one's best friend wanted； or of
being invited to some private show； or some exclusive
entertainment； that one's best friend couldn't get to。 There
was nothing； now； that she couldn't buy； nowhere that she
couldn't go： she had only to choose and to triumph。 And for a
while the surface…excitement of her life gave her the illusion
of enjoyment。
Strefford； as she had expected； had postponed his return to
England； and they had now been for nearly three weeks together
in their new； and virtually avowed； relation。 She had fancied
that； after all； the easiest part of it would be just the being
with Streffordthe falling back on their old tried friendship
to efface the sense of strangeness。 But； though she had so soon
grown used to his caresses； he himself remained curiously
unfamiliar： she was hardly sure； at times； that it was the old
Strefford she was talking to。 It was not that his point of view
had changed； but that new things occupied and absorbed him。 In
all the small sides of his great situation he took an almost
childish satisfaction； and though he still laughed at both its
privileges and its obligations； it was now with a jealous
laughter。
It amused him inexhaustibly； for instance； to be made up to by
all the people who had always disapproved of him； and to unite
at the same table persons who had to dissemble their annoyance
at being invited together lest they should not be invited at
all。 Equally exhilarating was the capricious favouring of the
dull and dowdy on occasions when the brilliant and disreputable
expected his notice。 It enchanted him； for example； to ask the
old Duchess of Dunes and Violet Melrose to dine with the Vicar
of Altringham； on his way to Switzerland for a month's holiday；
and to watch the face of the Vicar's wife while the Duchess
narrated her last difficulties with book…makers and money…
lenders； and Violet proclaimed the rights of Love and Genius to
all that had once been supposed to belong exclusively to
Respectability and Dulness。
Susy had to confess that her own amusements were hardly of a
higher order； but then she put up with them for lack of better；
whereas Strefford； who might have had what he pleased； was
completely satisfied with such triumphs。
Somehow； in spite of his honours and his opportunities； he
seemed to have shrunk。 The old Strefford had certainly been a
larger person； and she wondered if material prosperity were
always a beginning of ossification。 Strefford had been much
more fun when he lived by his wits。 Sometimes； now； when he
tried to talk of politics； or assert himself on some question of
public interest； she was startled by his limitations。 Formerly；
when he was not sure of his ground； it had been his way to turn
the difficulty by glib nonsense or easy irony； now he was
actually dull； at times almost pompous。 She noticed too； for
the first time； that he did not always hear clearly when several
people were talking at once； or when he was at the theatre； and
he developed a habit of saying over and over again： 〃Does so…
and…so speak indistinctly？ Or