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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 she and
Algie hadn't prolonged their honeymoon at the villa〃
He stopped abruptly； and looked at Susy。 She was conscious that
every drop of blood had left her face。 She felt it ebbing away
from her heart； flowing out of her as if from all her severed
arteries； till it seemed as though nothing were left of life in
her but one point of irreducible pain。
〃Ellieat your villa？ What do you mean？ Was it Ellie and
Bockheimer who？〃
Strefford still stared。 〃You mean to say you didn't know？〃
〃Who came after Nick and me。。。？〃 she insisted。
〃Why； do you suppose I'd have turned you out otherwise？ That
beastly Bockheimer simply smothered me with gold。 Ah； well；
there's one good thing： I shall never have to let the villa
again！ I rather like the little place myself； and I daresay
once in a while we might go there for a day or two 。。。。 Susy；
what's the matter？〃 he exclaimed。
She returned his stare； but without seeing him。 Everything swam
and danced before her eyes。
〃Then she was there while I was posting all those letters for
her？〃
〃Letterswhat letters？ What makes you look so frightfully
upset？〃
She pursued her thought as if he had not spoken。 〃She and Algie
Bockheimer arrived there the very day that Nick and I left？〃
〃I suppose so。 I thought she'd told you。 Ellie always tells
everybody everything。〃
〃She would have told me； I daresaybut I wouldn't let her。〃
〃Well； my dear； that was hardly my fault； was it？ Though I
really don't see〃
But Susy； still blind to everything but the dance of dizzy
sparks before her eyes； pressed on as if she had not heard him。
〃It was their motor； then； that took us to Milan！ It was Algie
Bockheimer's motor！〃 She did not know why； but this seemed to
her the most humiliating incident in the whole hateful business。
She remembered Nick's reluctance to use the motor…she
remembered his look when she had boasted of her 〃managing。〃 The
nausea mounted to her throat。
Strefford burst out laughing。 〃I sayyou borrowed their motor？
And you didn't know whose it was？〃
〃How could I know？ I persuaded the chauffeur 。。。 for a little
tip 。。。。 It was to save our railway fares to Milan 。。。 extra
luggage costs so frightfully in Italy 。。。。〃
〃Good old Susy！ Well done！ I can see you doing it〃
〃Oh； how horriblehow horrible！〃 she groaned。
〃Horrible？ What's horrible？〃
〃Why； your not seeing 。。。 not feeling 。。。〃 she began
impetuously； and then stopped。 How could she explain to him
that what revolted her was not so much the fact of his having
given the little house； as soon as she and Nick had left it； to
those two people of all othersthough the vision of them in the
sweet secret house； and under the plane…trees of the terrace；
drew such a trail of slime across her golden hours？ No； it was
not that from which she most recoiled； but from the fact that
Strefford； living in luxury in Nelson Vanderlyn's house； should
at the same time have secretly abetted Ellie Vanderlyn's love…
affairs； and allowed herfor a handsome priceto shelter them
under his own roof。 The reproach trembled on her lipbut she
remembered her own part in the wretched business； and the
impossibility of avowing it to Strefford； and of revealing to
him that Nick had left her for that very reason。 She was not
afraid that the discovery would diminish her in Strefford's
eyes： he was untroubled by moral problems； and would laugh away
her avowal； with a sneer at Nick in his new part of moralist。
But that was just what she could not bear： that anyone should
cast a doubt on the genuineness of Nick's standards； or should
know how far below them she had fallen。
She remained silent； and Strefford； after a moment； drew her
gently down to the seat beside him。 〃Susy； upon my soul I don't
know what you're driving at。 Is it me you're angry with…or
yourself？ And what's it all about！ Are you disgusted because I
let the villa to a couple who weren't married！ But； hang it；
they're the kind that pay the highest price and I had to earn my
living somehow！ One doesn't run across a bridal pair every
day 。。。。〃
She lifted her eyes to his puzzled incredulous face。 Poor
Streff！ No； it was not with him that she was angry。 Why should
she be？ Even that ill…advised disclosure had told her nothing
she had not already known about him。 It had simply revealed to
her once more the real point of view of the people he and she
lived among； had shown her that； in spite of the superficial
difference； he felt as they felt； judged as they judged； was
blind as they were…and as she would be expected to be； should
she once again become one of them。 What was the use of being
placed by fortune above such shifts and compromises； if in one's
heart one still condoned them？ And she would have toshe would
catch the general note； grow blunted as those other people were
blunted； and gradually come to wonder at her own revolt； as
Strefford now honestly wondered at it。 She felt as though she
were on the point of losing some new…found treasure； a treasure
precious only to herself； but beside which all he offered her
was nothing； the triumph of her wounded pride nothing； the
security of her future nothing。
〃What is it； Susy？〃 he asked； with the same puzzled gentleness。
Ah； the loneliness of never being able to make him understand！
She had felt lonely enough when the flaming sword of Nick's
indignation had shut her out from their Paradise； but there had
been a cruel bliss in the pain。 Nick had not opened her eyes to
new truths； but had waked in her again something which had lain
unconscious under years of accumulated indifference。 And that
re…awakened sense had never left her since； and had somehow kept
her from utter loneliness because it was a secret shared with
Nick； a gift she owed to Nick； and which； in leaving her； he
could not take from her。 It was almost； she suddenly felt； as
if he had left her with a child。
〃My dear girl；〃 Strefford said； with a resigned glance at his
watch； 〃you know we're dining at the Embassy 。。。。〃
At the Embassy？ She looked at him vaguely： then she
remembered。 Yes； they were dining that night at the Ascots'；
with Strefford's cousin； the Duke of Dunes； and his wife； the
handsome irreproachable young Duchess； with the old gambling
Dowager Duchess； whom her son and daughter…in…law had come over
from England to see； and with other English and French guests of
a rank and standing worthy of the Duneses。 Susy knew that her
inclusion in such a dinner could mean but one thing： it was her
definite recognition as Altringham's future wife。 She was 〃the
little American〃 whom one had to ask when one invited him； even
on ceremonial occasions。 The family had accepted her； the
Embassy could but follow suit。
〃I