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Its vastness and splendour seemed； in comparison； oppressive to
Susy。 Their landing； after dark； at the foot of the great
shadowy staircase； their dinner at a dimly…lit table under a
ceiling weighed down with Olympians； their chilly evening in a
corner of a drawing room where minuets should have been danced
before a throne； contrasted with the happy intimacies of Como as
their sudden sense of disaccord contrasted with the mutual
confidence of the day before。
The journey had been particularly jolly： both Susy and Lansing
had had too long a discipline in the art of smoothing things
over not to make a special effort to hide from each other the
ravages of their first disagreement。 But； deep down and
invisible； the disagreement remained； and compunction for having
been its cause gnawed at Susy's bosom as she sat in her
tapestried and vaulted bedroom； brushing her hair before a
tarnished mirror。
〃I thought I liked grandeur； but this place is really out of
scale；〃 she mused； watching the reflection of a pale hand move
back and forward in the dim recesses of the mirror。 〃And yet；〃
she continued； 〃Ellie Vanderlyn's hardly half an inch taller
than I am； and she certainly isn't a bit more dignified 。。。。 I
wonder if it's because I feel so horribly small to…night that
the place seems so horribly big。〃
She loved luxury： splendid things always made her feel handsome
and high ceilings arrogant； she did not remember having ever
before been oppressed by the evidences of wealth。
She laid down the brush and leaned her chin on her clasped
hands 。。。。 Even now she could not understand what had made her
take the cigars。 She had always been alive to the value of her
inherited scruples： her reasoned opinions were unusually free；
but with regard to the things one couldn't reason about she was
oddly tenacious。 And yet she had taken Streffy's cigars！ She
had taken themyes； that was the pointshe had taken them for
Nick； because the desire to please him； to make the smallest
details of his life easy and agreeable and luxurious； had become
her absorbing preoccupation。 She had committed； for him；
precisely the kind of little baseness she would most have
scorned to commit for herself； and； since he hadn't instantly
felt the difference； she would never be able to explain it to
him。
She stood up with a sigh； shook out her loosened hair； and
glanced around the great frescoed room。 The maid…servant had
said something about the Signora's having left a letter for her；
and there it lay on the writing…table； with her mail and Nick's；
a thick envelope addressed in Ellie's childish scrawl； with a
glaring 〃Private〃 dashed across the corner。
〃What on earth can she have to say； when she hates writing so；〃
Susy mused。
She broke open the envelope； and four or five stamped and sealed
letters fell from it。 All were addressed； in Ellie's hand； to
Nelson Vanderlyn Esqre； and in the corner of each was faintly
pencilled a number and a date： one； two； three； fourwith a
week's interval between the dates。
〃Goodness〃 gasped Susy； understanding。
She had dropped into an armchair near the table； and for a long
time she sat staring at the numbered letters。 A sheet of paper
covered with Ellie's writing had fluttered out among them； but
she let it lie； she knew so well what it would say！ She knew
all about her friend； of course； except poor old Nelson； who
didn't； But she had never imagined that Ellie would dare to use
her in this way。 It was unbelievable 。。。 she had never pictured
anything so vile 。。。。 The blood rushed to her face； and she
sprang up angrily； half minded to tear the letters in bits and
throw them all into the fire。
She heard her husband's knock on the door between their rooms；
and swept the dangerous packet under the blotting…book。
〃Oh； go away； please； there's a dear；〃 she called out； 〃I
haven't finished unpacking； and everything's in such a mess。〃
Gathering up Nick's papers and letters； she ran across the room
and thrust them through the door。 〃Here's something to keep you
quiet；〃 she laughed； shining in on him an instant from the
threshold。
She turned back feeling weak with shame。 Ellie's letter lay on
the floor： reluctantly she stooped to pick it up； and one by
one the expected phrases sprang out at her。
〃One good turn deserves another 。。。。 Of course you and Nick are
welcome to stay all summer 。。。。 There won't be a particle of
expense for youthe servants have orders 。。。。 If you'll just
be an angel and post these letters yourself 。。。。 It's been my
only chance for such an age； when we meet I'll explain
everything。 And in a month at latest I'll be back to fetch
Clarissa 。。。。〃
Susy lifted the letter to the lamp to be sure she had read
aright。 To fetch Clarissa！ Then Ellie's child was here？ Here；
under the roof with them； left to their care？ She read on；
raging。 〃She's so delighted； poor darling； to know you're
coming。 I've had to sack her beastly governess for
impertinence； and if it weren't for you she'd be all alone with
a lot of servants I don't much trust。 So for pity's sake be
good to my child； and forgive me for leaving her。 She thinks
I've gone to take a cure； and she knows she's not to tell her
Daddy that I'm away； because it would only worry him if he
thought I was ill。 She's perfectly to be trusted； you'll see
what a clever angel she is 。。。。〃 And then； at the bottom of the
page； in a last slanting postscript： 〃Susy darling； if you've
ever owed me anything in the way of kindness； you won't； on your
sacred honour； say a word of this to any one； even to Nick。 And
I know I can count on you to rub out the numbers。〃
Susy sprang up and tossed Mrs。 Vanderlyn's letter into the fire：
then she came slowly back to the chair。 There； at her elbow；
lay the four fatal envelopes； and her next affair was to make up
her mind what to do with them。
To destroy them on the spot had seemed； at first thought；
inevitable： it might be saving Ellie as well as herself。 But
such a step seemed to Susy to involve departure on the morrow；
and this in turn involved notifying Ellie； whose letter she had
vainly scanned for an address。 Wellperhaps Clarissa's nurse
would know where one could write to her mother； it was unlikely
that even Ellie would go off without assuring some means of
communication with her child。 At any rate； there was nothing to
be done that night： nothing but to work out the details of
their flight on the morrow； and rack her brains to find a
substitute for the hospitality they were rejecting。 Susy did
not disguise from herself how much she had counted on the
Vanderlyn apartment for the summer： to be able to do so had
singularly simplified the future。 She knew Ellie's largeness of
hand； and had been sure in advance that as long as they were her
guests their only expense would be an occasional present to the
servants。