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what the couples were saying to each other； she pictured the
drawing…rooms； restaurants； dance…halls they were hastening to；
the breathless routine that was hurrying them along； as Time；
the old vacuum…cleaner； swept them away with the dust of their
carriage…wheels。 And again the loneliness vanished in a sense
of release 。。。。
At the corner of the Place de la Concorde she stopped；
recognizing a man in evening dress who was hailing a taxi。
Their eyes met； and Nelson Vanderlyn came forward。 He was the
last person she cared to run across； and she shrank back
involuntarily。 What did he know； what had he guessed； of her
complicity in his wife's affairs？ No doubt Ellie had blabbed it
all out by this time； she was just as likely to confide her
love…affairs to Nelson as to anyone else； now that the
Bockheimer prize was landed。
〃Wellwellwellso I've caught you at it！ Glad to see you；
Susy； my dear。〃 She found her hand cordially clasped in
Vanderlyn's； and his round pink face bent on her with all its
old urbanity。 Did nothing matter； then； in this world she was
fleeing from； did no one love or hate or remember？
〃No idea you were in Parisjust got here myself；〃 Vanderlyn
continued； visibly delighted at the meeting。 〃Look here； don't
suppose you're out of a job this evening by any chance； and
would come and cheer up a lone bachelor； eh？ No？ You are？
Well； that's luck for once！ I say； where shall we go？ One of
the places where they dance； I suppose？ Yes； I twirl the light
fantastic once in a while myself。 Got to keep up with the
times！ Hold on； taxi！ HereI'll drive you home first； and
wait while you jump into your toggery。 Lots of time。〃 As he
steered her toward the carriage she noticed that he had a gouty
limp； and pulled himself in after her with difficulty。
〃Mayn't I come as I am； Nelson； I don't feel like dancing。
Let's go and dine in one of those nice smoky little restaurants
by the Place de la Bourse。〃
He seemed surprised but relieved at the suggestion； and they
rolled off together。 In a corner at Bauge's they found a quiet
table； screened from the other diners； and while Vanderlyn
adjusted his eyeglasses to study the carte Susy stole a long
look at him。 He was dressed with even more than his usual
formal trimness； and she detected； in an ultra…flat wrist…watch
and discreetly expensive waistcoat buttons； an attempt at
smartness altogether new。 His face had undergone the same
change： its familiar look of worn optimism had been； as it
were； done up to match his clothes； as though a sort of moral
cosmetic had made him pinker； shinier and sprightlier without
really rejuvenating him。 A thin veil of high spirits had merely
been drawn over his face； as the shining strands of hair were
skilfully brushed over his baldness。
〃Here！ Carte des vins； waiter！ What champagne； Susy？〃 He
chose； fastidiously； the best the cellar could produce；
grumbling a little at the bourgeois character of the dishes。
〃Capital food of its kind； no doubt； but coarsish； don't you
think？ Well； I don't mind 。。。 it's rather a jolly change from
the Luxe cooking。 A new sensationI'm all for new sensations；
ain't you； my dear？〃 He re…filled their champagne glasses；
flung an arm sideways over his chair； and smiled at her with a
foggy benevolence。
As the champagne flowed his confidences flowed with it。
〃Suppose you know what I'm here forthis divorce business？ We
wanted to settle it quietly without a fuss； and of course Paris
is the best place for that sort of job。 Live and let live； no
questions asked。 None of your dirty newspapers。 Great country；
this。 No hypocrisy 。。。 they understand Life over here！〃
Susy gazed and listened。 She remembered that people had thought
Nelson would make a row when he found out。 He had always been
addicted to truculent anecdotes about unfaithful wives； and the
very formula of his perpetual ejaculation 〃Caught you at it；
eh？〃seemed to hint at a constant preoccupation with such
ideas。 But now it was evident that； as the saying was； he had
〃swallowed his dose〃 like all the others。 No strong blast of
indignation had momentarily lifted him above his normal stature：
he remained a little man among little men； and his eagerness to
rebuild his life with all the old smiling optimism reminded Susy
of the patient industry of an ant remaking its ruined ant…heap。
〃Tell you what； great thing； this liberty！ Everything's changed
nowadays； why shouldn't marriage be too？ A man can get out of a
business partnership when he wants to； but the parsons want to
keep us noosed up to each other for life because we've blundered
into a church one day and said 'Yes' before one of 'em。 No；
nothat's too easy。 We've got beyond that。 Science； and all
these new discoveries 。。。。 I say the Ten Commandments were made
for man； and not man for the Commandments； and there ain't a
word against divorce in 'em； anyhow！ That's what I tell my poor
old mother； who builds everything on her Bible。 Find me the
place where it says： 'Thou shalt not sue for divorce。' It
makes her wild； poor old lady； because she can't； and she
doesn't know how they happen to have left it out。。。。 I rather
think Moses left it out because he knew more about human nature
than these snivelling modern parsons do。 Not that they'll
always bear investigating either； but I don't care about that。
Live and let live； eh； Susy？ Haven't we all got a right to our
Affinities？ I hear you're following our example yourself。
First…rate idea： I don't mind telling you I saw it coming on
last summer at Venice。 Caught you at it； so to speak！ Old
Nelson ain't as blind as people think。 Here； let's open another
bottle to the health of Streff and Mrs。 Streff！〃
She caught the hand with which he was signalling to the
sommelier。 This flushed and garrulous Nelson moved her more
poignantly than a more heroic figure。 〃No more champagne；
please； Nelson。 Besides；〃 she suddenly added； 〃it's not true。〃
He stared。 〃Not true that you're going to marry Altringham？〃
〃No。〃
〃By George then what on earth did you chuck Nick for？ Ain't you
got an Affinity； my dear？〃
She laughed and shook her head。
〃Do you mean to tell me it's all Nick's doing； then？〃
〃I don't know。 Let's talk of you instead； Nelson。 I'm glad
you're in such good spirits。 I rather thought〃
He interrupted her quickly。 〃Thought I'd cut up a rumpus…do
some shooting？ I knowpeople did。〃 He twisted his moustache；
evidently proud of his reputation。 〃Well； maybe I did see red
for a day or twobut I'm a philosopher； first and last。 Before
I went into banking I'd made and lost two fortunes out West。
Well； how did I build 'em up again？ Not by shooting anybody
even myself。 By just buckling to； and beginning all over again。
That's how 。。。 and that's what I am doing now。 Beginning all
over again。 〃 His voice dropped from boastfulness