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was still gravely scrutinizing her companion。 After a while she
brought forth another question。
〃Did you have to give up all your jewels when you were
divorced？〃
〃Divorced？〃 Susy threw her head back against the pillows and
laughed。 〃Why； what are you thinking of？ Don't you remember
that I wasn't even married the last time you saw me？〃
〃Yes； I do。 But that was two years ago。〃 The little girl wound
her arms about Susy's neck and leaned against her caressingly。
〃Are you going to be soon； then？ I'll promise not to tell if you
don't want me to。〃
〃Going to be divorced？ Of course not！ What in the world made
you think so？ 〃
〃Because you look so awfully happy；〃 said Clarissa Vanderlyn
simply。
V。
IT was a trifling enough sign； but it had remained in Susy's
mind： that first morning in Venice Nick had gone out without
first coming in to see her。 She had stayed in bed late；
chatting with Clarissa； and expecting to see the door open and
her husband appear； and when the child left； and she had jumped
up and looked into Nick's room； she found it empty； and a line
on his dressing table informed her that he had gone out to send
a telegram。
It was lover…like； and even boyish； of him to think it necessary
to explain his absence； but why had he not simply come in and
told her！ She instinctively connected the little fact with the
shade of preoccupation she had noticed on his face the night
before； when she had gone to his room and found him absorbed in
letter； and while she dressed she had continued to wonder what
was in the letter； and whether the telegram he had hurried out
to send was an answer to it。
She had never found out。 When he reappeared； handsome and happy
as the morning； he proffered no explanation； and it was part of
her life…long policy not to put uncalled…for questions。 It was
not only that her jealous regard for her own freedom was matched
by an equal respect for that of others； she had steered too long
among the social reefs and shoals not to know how narrow is the
passage that leads to peace of mind； and she was determined to
keep her little craft in mid…channel。 But the incident had
lodged itself in her memory； acquiring a sort of symbolic
significance； as of a turning…point in her relations with her
husband。 Not that these were less happy； but that she now
beheld them； as she had always formerly beheld such joys； as an
unstable islet in a sea of storms。 Her present bliss was as
complete as ever； but it was ringed by the perpetual menace of
all she knew she was hiding from Nick； and of all she suspected
him of hiding from her 。。。。
She was thinking of these things one afternoon about three weeks
after their arrival in Venice。 It was near sunset； and she sat
alone on the balcony； watching the cross…lights on the water
weave their pattern above the flushed reflection of old
palace…basements。 She was almost always alone at that hour。
Nick had taken to writing in the afternoonshe had been as good
as his word； and so； apparently； had the Muse and it was his
habit to join his wife only at sunset； for a late row on the
lagoon。 She had taken Clarissa； as usual； to the Giardino
Pubblico； where that obliging child had politely but
indifferently 〃played〃Clarissa joined in the diversions of her
age as if conforming to an obsolete traditionand had brought
her back for a music lesson； echoes of which now drifted down
from a distant window。
Susy had come to be extremely thankful for Clarissa。 But for
the little girl； her pride in her husband's industry might have
been tinged with a faint sense of being at times left out and
forgotten； and as Nick's industry was the completest
justification for their being where they were； and for her
having done what she had； she was grateful to Clarissa for
helping her to feel less alone。 Clarissa； indeed； represented
the other half of her justification： it was as much on the
child's account as on Nick's that Susy had held her tongue；
remained in Venice； and slipped out once a week to post one of
Ellie's numbered letters。 A day's experience of the Palazzo
Vanderlyn had convinced Susy of the impossibility of deserting
Clarissa。 Long experience had shown her that the most crowded
households often contain the loneliest nurseries； and that the
rich child is exposed to evils unknown to less pampered infancy；
but hitherto such things had merely been to her one of the
uglier bits in the big muddled pattern of life。 Now she found
herself feeling where before she had only judged： her
precarious bliss came to her charged with a new weight of pity。
She was thinking of these things； and of the approaching date of
Ellie Vanderlyn's return； and of the searching truths she was
storing up for that lady's private ear； when she noticed a
gondola turning its prow toward the steps below the balcony。
She leaned over； and a tall gentleman in shabby clothes；
glancing up at her as he jumped out； waved a mouldy Panama in
joyful greeting。
〃Streffy！〃 she exclaimed as joyfully； and she was half…way down
the stairs when he ran up them followed by his luggage…laden
boatman。
〃It's all right； I suppose？Ellie said I might come；〃 he
explained in a shrill cheerful voice； 〃and I'm to have my same
green room with the parrot…panels； because its furniture is
already so frightfully stained with my hair…wash。〃
Susy was beaming on him with the deep sense of satisfaction
which his presence always produced in his friends。 There was no
one in the world； they all agreed； half as ugly and untidy and
delightful as Streffy； no one who combined such outspoken
selfishness with such imperturbable good humour； no one who knew
so well how to make you believe he was being charming to you
when it was you who were being charming to him。
In addition to these seductions； of which none estimated the
value more accurately than their possessor； Strefford had for
Susy another attraction of which he was probably unconscious。
It was that of being the one rooted and stable being among the
fluid and shifting figures that composed her world。 Susy had
always lived among people so denationalized that those one took
for Russians generally turned out to be American； and those one
was inclined to ascribe to New York proved to have originated in
Rome or Bucharest。 These cosmopolitan people； who； in countries
not their own； lived in houses as big as hotels； or in hotels
where the guests were as international as the waiters； had
inter…married； inter…loved and inter…divorced each other over
the whole face of Europe； and according to every code that
attempts to regulate human ties。 Strefford； too； had his home
in this world； but only one of his homes。 The other； the one he
spoke of； and probably thought of； least often； was a great dull
English country…house in a northern county； where a life as
monotonous and self…contained as hi