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believe we should be more than twice the success we are now； at
least；〃 she added with a smile； 〃if there's that amount of room
for improvement。 I don't know how you feel； a man's popularity
is so much less precarious than a girl'sbut I know it would
furbish me up tremendously to reappear as a married woman。〃 She
glanced away from him down the long valley at their feet； and
added in a lower tone： 〃And I should like； just for a little
while； to feel I had something in life of my very ownsomething
that nobody had lent me； like a fancy…dress or a motor or an
opera cloak。〃
The suggestion； at first； had seemed to Lansing as mad as it was
enchanting： it had thoroughly frightened him。 But Susy's
arguments were irrefutable； her ingenuities inexhaustible。 Had
he ever thought it all out？ She asked。 No。 Well； she had； and
would he kindly not interrupt？ In the first place； there would
be all the wedding…presents。 Jewels； and a motor； and a silver
dinner service； did she mean？ Not a bit of it！ She could see
he'd never given the question proper thought。 Cheques； my dear；
nothing but chequesshe undertook to manage that on her side：
she really thought she could count on about fifty； and she
supposed he could rake up a few more？ Well； all that would
simply represent pocket…money！ For they would have plenty of
houses to live in： he'd see。 People were always glad to lend
their house to a newly…married couple。 It was such fun to pop
down and see them： it made one feel romantic and jolly。 All
they need do was to accept the houses in turn： go on honey…
mooning for a year！ What was he afraid of？ Didn't he think
they'd be happy enough to want to keep it up？ And why not at
least tryget engaged； and then see what would happen？ Even if
she was all wrong； and her plan failed； wouldn't it have been
rather nice； just for a month or two； to fancy they were going
to be happy？ 〃I've often fancied it all by myself；〃 she
concluded； 〃but fancying it with you would somehow be so awfully
different 。。。。〃
That was how it began： and this lakeside dream was what it had
led up to。 Fantastically improbable as they had seemed； all her
previsions had come true。 If there were certain links in the
chain that Lansing had never been able to put his hand on；
certain arrangements and contrivances that still needed further
elucidation； why； he was lazily resolved to clear them up with
her some day； and meanwhile it was worth all the past might have
cost； and every penalty the future might exact of him； just to
be sitting here in the silence and sweetness； her sleeping head
on his knee； clasped in his joy as the hushed world was clasped
in moonlight。
He stooped down and kissed her。 〃Wake up；〃 he whispered； 〃it's
bed…time。〃
III。
THEIR month of Como was within a few hours of ending。 Till the
last moment they had hoped for a reprieve； but the accommodating
Streffy had been unable to put the villa at their disposal for a
longer time； since he had had the luck to let it for a thumping
price to some beastly bouncers who insisted on taking possession
at the date agreed on。
Lansing； leaving Susy's side at dawn； had gone down to the lake
for a last plunge； and swimming homeward through the crystal
light he looked up at the garden brimming with flowers； the long
low house with the cypress wood above it； and the window behind
which his wife still slept。 The month had been exquisite； and
their happiness as rare； as fantastically complete； as the scene
before him。 He sank his chin into the sunlit ripples and sighed
for sheer content 。。。。
It was a bore to be leaving the scene of such complete
well…being； but the next stage in their progress promised to be
hardly less delightful。 Susy was a magician： everything she
predicted came true。 Houses were being showered on them； on all
sides he seemed to see beneficent spirits winging toward them；
laden with everything from a piano nobile in Venice to a camp in
the Adirondacks。 For the present； they had decided on the
former。 Other considerations apart； they dared not risk the
expense of a journey across the Atlantic； so they were heading
instead for the Nelson Vanderlyns' palace on the Giudecca。 They
were agreed that； for reasons of expediency； it might be wise to
return to New York for the coming winter。 It would keep them in
view； and probably lead to fresh opportunities； indeed； Susy
already had in mind the convenient flat that she was sure a
migratory cousin （if tactfully handled； and assured that they
would not overwork her cook） could certainly be induced to lend
them。 Meanwhile the need of making plans was still remote； and
if there was one art in which young Lansing's twenty…eight years
of existence had perfected him it was that of living completely
and unconcernedly in the present 。。。。
If of late he had tried to look into the future more insistently
than was his habit； it was only because of Susy。 He had meant；
when they married； to be as philosophic for her as for himself；
and he knew she would have resented above everything his
regarding their partnership as a reason for anxious thought。
But since they had been together she had given him glimpses of
her past that made him angrily long to shelter and defend her
future。 It was intolerable that a spirit as fine as hers should
be ever so little dulled or diminished by the kind of
compromises out of which their wretched lives were made。 For
himself； he didn't care a hang： he had composed for his own
guidance a rough…and…ready code； a short set of 〃mays〃 and
〃mustn'ts〃 which immensely simplified his course。 There were
things a fellow put up with for the sake of certain definite and
otherwise unattainable advantages； there were other things he
wouldn't traffic with at any price。 But for a woman； he began
to see； it might be different。 The temptations might be
greater； the cost considerably higher； the dividing line between
the 〃mays〃 and 〃mustn'ts〃 more fluctuating and less sharply
drawn。 Susy； thrown on the world at seventeen； with only a weak
wastrel of a father to define that treacherous line for her； and
with every circumstance soliciting her to overstep it； seemed to
have been preserved chiefly by an innate scorn of most of the
objects of human folly。 〃Such trash as he went to pieces for；〃
was her curt comment on her parent's premature demise： as
though she accepted in advance the necessity of ruining one's
self for something； but was resolved to discriminate firmly
between what was worth it and what wasn't。
This philosophy had at first enchanted Lansing； but now it began
to rouse vague fears。 The fine armour of her fastidiousness had
preserved her from the kind of risks she had hitherto been
exposed to； but what if others； more subtle； found a joint in
it？ Was there； among her delicate discriminations； any
equivalent to his own rules？ Might not her taste for th