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shan't。 I'll pay them。〃 Her worn cheek flushed with triumph。
〃And you'll see what wonders will come of it 。。。。 Only there's
the problem of the children。 Junie quite agrees that we can't
take them 。。。。〃
Thereupon she had unfolded her idea。 If Susy was at a loose
end； and hard up； why shouldn't she take charge of the children
while their parents were in Italy？ For three months at most…
Grace could promise it shouldn't be longer。 They couldn't pay
her much； of course； but at least she would be lodged and fed。
〃And； you know； it will end by interesting youI'm sure it
will；〃 the mother concluded； her irrepressible hopefulness
rising even to this height； while Susy stood before her with a
hesitating smile。
Take care of five Fulmers for three months！ The prospect cowed
her。 If there had been only Junie and Geordie； the oldest and
youngest of the band； she might have felt less hesitation。 But
there was Nat； the second in age； whose motor…horn had driven
her and Nick out to the hill…side on their fatal day at the
Fulmers' and there were the twins； Jack and Peggy； of whom she
had kept memories almost equally disquieting。 To rule this
uproarious tribe would be a sterner business than trying to
beguile Clarissa Vanderlyn's ladylike leisure； and she would
have refused on the spot； as she had refused once before； if the
only possible alternatives had not come to seem so much less
bearable； and if Junie； called in for advice； and standing
there； small； plain and competent； had not said in her quiet
grown…up voice： 〃Oh； yes； I'm sure Mrs。 Lansing and I can
manage while you're awayespecially if she reads aloud well。〃
Reads aloud well！ The stipulation had enchanted Susy。 She had
never before known children who cared to be read aloud to； she
remembered with a shiver her attempts to interest Clarissa in
anything but gossip and the fashions； and the tone in which the
child had said； showing Strefford's trinket to her father：
〃Because I said I'd rather have it than a book。〃
And here were children who consented to be left for three months
by their parents； but on condition that a good reader was
provided for them！
〃Very wellI will！ But what shall I be expected to read to
you？〃 she had gaily questioned； and Junie had answered； after
one of her sober pauses of reflection： 〃The little ones like
nearly everything； but Nat and I want poetry particularly；
because if we read it to ourselves we so often pronounce the
puzzling words wrong； and then it sounds so horrid。〃
〃Oh； I hope I shall pronounce them right；〃 Susy murmured；
stricken with self…distrust and humility。
Apparently she did； for her reading was a success； and even the
twins and Geordie； once they had grown used to her； seemed to
prefer a ringing page of Henry V； or the fairy scenes from the
Midsummer Night's Dream； to their own more specialized
literature； though that had also at times to be provided。
There were； in fact； no lulls in her life with the Fulmers； but
its commotions seemed to Susy less meaningless； and therefore
less fatiguing； than those that punctuated the existence of
people like Altringham； Ursula Gillow； Ellie Vanderlyn and their
train； and the noisy uncomfortable little house at Passy was
beginning to greet her with the eyes of home when she returned
there after her tramps to and from the children's classes。 At
any rate she had the sense of doing something useful and even
necessary； and of earning her own keep； though on so modest a
scale； and when the children were in their quiet mood； and
demanded books or music （or； even； on one occasion； at the
surprising Junie's instigation； a collective visit to the
Louvre； where they recognized the most unlikely pictures； and
the two elders emitted startling technical judgments； and called
their companion's attention to details she had not observed）； on
these occasions； Susy had a surprised sense of being drawn back
into her brief life with Nick； or even still farther and deeper；
into those visions of Nick's own childhood on which the trivial
later years had heaped their dust。
It was curious to think that if he and she had remained
together； and she had had a childthe vision used to come to
her； in her sleepless hours； when she looked at little Geordie；
in his cot by her bedtheir life together might have been very
much like the life she was now leading； a small obscure business
to the outer world； but to themselves how wide and deep and
crowded！
She could not bear； at that moment； the thought of giving up
this mystic relation to the life she had missed。 In spite of
the hurry and fatigue of her days； the shabbiness and discomfort
of everything； and the hours when the children were as 〃horrid〃
as any other children； and turned a conspiracy of hostile faces
to all her appeals； in spite of all this she did not want to
give them up； and had decided； when their parents returned； to
ask to go back to America with them。 Perhaps； if Nat's success
continued； and Grace was able to work at her music； they would
need a kind of governess…companion。 At any rate； she could
picture no future less distasteful。
She had not sent to Mr。 Spearman Nick's answer to her letter。
In the interval between writing to him and receiving his reply
she had broken with Strefford； she had therefore no object in
seeking her freedom。 If Nick wanted his； he knew he had only to
ask for it； and his silence； as the weeks passed； woke a faint
hope in her。 The hope flamed high when she read one day in the
newspapers a vague but evidently 〃inspired〃 allusion to the
possibility of an alliance between his Serene Highness the
reigning Prince of Teutoburg…Waldhain and Miss Coral Hicks of
Apex City； it sank to ashes when； a few days later； her eye lit
on a paragraph wherein Mr。 and Mrs。 Mortimer Hicks 〃requested to
state〃 that there was no truth in the report。
On the foundation of these two statements Susy raised one watch…
tower of hope after another； feverish edifices demolished or
rebuilt by every chance hint from the outer world wherein Nick's
name figured with the Hickses'。 And still； as the days passed
and she heard nothing； either from him or from her lawyer； her
flag continued to fly from the quaking structures。
Apart from the custody of the children there was indeed little
to distract her mind from these persistent broodings。 She
winced sometimes at the thought of the ease with which her
fashionable friends had let her drop out of sight。 In the
perpetual purposeless rush of their days； the feverish making of
winter plans； hurrying off to the Riviera or St。 Moritz； Egypt
or New York； there was no time to hunt up the vanished or to
wait for the laggard。 Had they learned that she had broken her
〃engagement〃 （how she hated the word！） to Strefford； and had the
fact gone about that she was once more only a poor hanger…on； to
be taken up when it was convenient； and ignor