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own bosom； and with him the other Susy； the Susy he had once
imagined her to be 。。。。 Neither of them seemed concerned with
the present business。
The letter done； she stared at the sealed envelope till its
presence in the room became intolerable； and she understood that
she must either tear it up or post it immediately。 She went
down to the hall of the sleeping hotel； and bribed the night…
porter to carry the letter to the nearest post office； though he
objected that； at that hour； no time would be gained。 〃I want
it out of the house；〃 she insisted： and waited sternly by the
desk； in her dressing…gown； till he had performed the errand。
As she re…entered her room； the disordered writing…table struck
her； and she remembered the lawyer's injunction to take a copy
of her letter。 A copy to be filed away with the documents in
〃Lansing versus Lansing！〃 She burst out laughing at the idea。
What were lawyers made of； she wondered？ Didn't the man guess；
by the mere look in her eyes and the sound of her voice； that
she would never； as long as she lived； forget a word of that
letterthat night after night she would lie down； as she was
lying down to…night； to stare wide…eyed for hours into the
darkness； while a voice in her brain monotonously hammered out：
〃Nick dear； it was July when you left me 。。。〃 and so on； word
after word； down to the last fatal syllable？
XXII
STREFFORD was leaving for England。
Once assured that Susy had taken the first step toward freeing
herself； he frankly regarded her as his affianced wife； and
could see no reason for further mystery。 She understood his
impatience to have their plans settled； it would protect him
from the formidable menace of the marriageable； and cause
people； as he said； to stop meddling。 Now that the novelty of
his situation was wearing off； his natural indolence reasserted
itself； and there was nothing he dreaded more than having to be
on his guard against the innumerable plans that his well…wishers
were perpetually making for him。 Sometimes Susy fancied he was
marrying her because to do so was to follow the line of least
resistance。
〃To marry me is the easiest way of not marrying all the others；〃
she laughed； as he stood before her one day in a quiet alley of
the Bois de Boulogne； insisting on the settlement of various
preliminaries。 〃I believe I'm only a protection to you。〃
An odd gleam passed behind his eyes； and she instantly guessed
that he was thinking： 〃And what else am I to you？〃
She changed colour； and he rejoined； laughing also： 〃Well；
you're that at any rate； thank the Lord！〃
She pondered； and then questioned： 〃But in the interval…how
are you going to defend yourself for another year？〃
〃Ah； you've got to see to that； you've got to take a little
house in London。 You've got to look after me； you know。〃
It was on the tip of her tongue to flash back： 〃Oh； if that's
all you care！〃 But caring was exactly the factor she wanted；
as much as possible； to keep out of their talk and their
thoughts。 She could not ask him how much he cared without
laying herself open to the same question； and that way terror
lay。 As a matter of fact； though Strefford was not an ardent
wooerperhaps from tact； perhaps from temperament； perhaps
merely from the long habit of belittling and disintegrating
every sentiment and every convictionyet she knew he did care
for her as much as he was capable of caring for anyone。 If the
element of habit entered largely into the feelingif he liked
her； above all； because he was used to her； knew her views； her
indulgences； her allowances； knew he was never likely to be
bored； and almost certain to be amused； by her； why； such
ingredients though not of the fieriest； were perhaps those most
likely to keep his feeling for her at a pleasant temperature。
She had had a taste of the tropics； and wanted more equable
weather； but the idea of having to fan his flame gently for a
year was unspeakably depressing to her。 Yet all this was
precisely what she could not say。 The long period of probation；
during which； as she knew； she would have to amuse him； to guard
him； to hold him； and to keep off the other women； was a
necessary part of their situation。 She was sure that； as little
Breckenridge would have said； she could 〃pull it off〃； but she
did not want to think about it。 What she would have preferred
would have been to go awayno matter where and not see
Strefford again till they were married。 But she dared not tell
him that either。
〃A little house in London？〃 She wondered。
〃Well； I suppose you've got to have some sort of a roof over
your head。〃
〃I suppose so。〃
He sat down beside her。 〃If you like me well enough to live at
Altringham some day； won't you； in the meantime； let me provide
you with a smaller and more convenient establishment？〃
Still she hesitated。 The alternative； she knew； would be to
live on Ursula Gillow； Violet Melrose； or some other of her rich
friends； any one of whom would be ready to lavish the largest
hospitality on the prospective Lady Altringham。 Such an
arrangement； in the long run； would be no less humiliating to
her pride； no less destructive to her independence； than
Altringham's little establishment。 But she temporized。 〃I
shall go over to London in December； and stay for a while with
various peoplethen we can look about。〃
〃All right； as you like。〃 He obviously considered her
hesitation ridiculous； but was too full of satisfaction at her
having started divorce proceedings to be chilled by her reply。
〃And now； look here； my dear； couldn't I give you some sort of a
ring？〃
〃A ring？〃 She flushed at the suggestion。 〃What's the use；
Streff； dear？ With all those jewels locked away in London〃
〃Oh； I daresay you'll think them old…fashioned。 And； hang it；
why shouldn't I give you something new； I ran across Ellie and
Bockheimer yesterday； in the rue de la Paix； picking out
sapphires。 Do you like sapphires； or emeralds？ Or just a
diamond？ I've seen a thumping one 。。。。 I'd like you to have
it。〃
Ellie and Bockheimer！ How she hated the conjunction of the
names！ Their case always seemed to her like a caricature of her
own； and she felt an unreasoning resentment against Ellie for
having selected the same season for her unmating and re…mating。
〃I wish you wouldn't speak of them； Streff 。。。 as if they were
like us！ I can hardly bear to sit in the same room with Ellie
Vanderlyn。〃
〃Hullo？ What's wrong？ You mean because of her giving up
Clarissa？〃
〃Not that only 。。。。 You don't know 。。。。 I can't tell you 。。。。〃
She shivered at the memory； and rose restlessly from the bench
where they had been sitting。
Strefford gave his careless shrug。 〃Well； my dear； you can
hardly expect me to agree； for after all it was to Ellie I owed
the luck of being so long alone with you in Venice。 If s