IT rose for them--their honey-moon--over the waters of a lake sofamed as the scene of romantic raptures1 that they were ratherproud of not having been afraid to choose it as the setting oftheir own.
"It required a total lack of humour, or as great a gift for itas ours, to risk the experiment," Susy Lansing opined, as theyhung over the inevitable2 marble balustrade and watched theirtutelary orb3 roll its magic carpet across the waters to theirfeet.
"Yes--or the loan of Strefford's villa4," her husband emended,glancing upward through the branches at a long low patch ofpaleness to which the moonlight was beginning to give the formof a white house-front.
"Oh, come when we'd five to choose from. At least if you countthe Chicago flat.""So we had--you wonder!" He laid his hand on hers, and histouch renewed the sense of marvelling5 exultation6 which thedeliberate survey of their adventure always roused in her ....
It was characteristic that she merely added, in her steadylaughing tone: "Or, not counting the flat--for I hate to brag-just consider the others: Violet Melrose's place at Versailles,your aunt's villa at Monte Carlo--and a moor7!"She was conscious of throwing in the moor tentatively, and yetwith a somewhat exaggerated emphasis, as if to make sure that heshouldn't accuse her of slurring8 it over. But he seemed to haveno desire to do so. "Poor old Fred!" he merely remarked; andshe breathed out carelessly: "Oh, well--"His hand still lay on hers, and for a long interval9, while theystood silent in the enveloping10 loveliness of the night, she wasaware only of the warm current running from palm to palm, as themoonlight below them drew its line of magic from shore to shore.
Nick Lansing spoke11 at last. "Versailles in May would have beenimpossible: all our Paris crowd would have run us down withintwenty-four hours. And Monte Carlo is ruled out because it'sexactly the kind of place everybody expected us to go. So--with all respect to you--it wasn't much of a mental strain todecide on Como."His wife instantly challenged this belittling12 of her capacity.
"It took a good deal of argument to convince you that we couldface the ridicule13 of Como!""Well, I should have preferred something in a lower key; atleast I thought I should till we got here. Now I see that thisplace is idiotic14 unless one is perfectly15 happy; and that thenit's-as good as any other."She sighed out a blissful assent16. "And I must say that Streffyhas done things to a turn. Even the cigars--who do you supposegave him those cigars?" She added thoughtfully: "You'll missthem when we have to go.""Oh, I say, don't let's talk to-night about going. Aren't weoutside of time and space ...? Smell that guinea-a-bottle stuffover there: what is it? Stephanotis?""Y-yes .... I suppose so. Or gardenias17 .... Oh, the fire-flies! Look ... there, against that splash of moonlight on thewater. Apples of silver in a net-work of gold ...." Theyleaned together, one flesh from shoulder to finger-tips, theireyes held by the snared18 glitter of the ripples19.
"I could bear," Lansing remarked, "even a nightingale at thismoment ...."A faint gurgle shook the magnolias behind them, and a longliquid whisper answered it from the thicket20 of laurel abovetheir heads.
"It's a little late in the year for them: they're ending justas we begin."Susy laughed. "I hope when our turn comes we shall say good-byeto each other as sweetly."It was in her husband's mind to answer: "They're not sayinggood-bye, but only settling down to family cares." But as thisdid not happen to be in his plan, or in Susy's, he merely echoedher laugh and pressed her closer.
The spring night drew them into its deepening embrace. Theripples of the lake had gradually widened and faded into asilken smoothness, and high above the mountains the moon wasturning from gold to white in a sky powdered with vanishingstars. Across the lake the lights of a little town went out,one after another, and the distant shore became a floatingblackness. A breeze that rose and sank brushed their faces withthe scents21 of the garden; once it blew out over the water agreat white moth22 like a drifting magnolia petal23. Thenightingales had paused and the trickle24 of the fountain behindthe house grew suddenly insistent25.
When Susy spoke it was in a voice languid with visions. "I havebeen thinking," she said, "that we ought to be able to make itlast at least a year longer."Her husband received the remark without any sign of surprise ordisapprobation; his answer showed that he not only understoodher, but had been inwardly following the same train of thought.
"You mean," he enquired26 after a pause, "without counting yourgrandmother's pearls?""Yes--without the pearls."He pondered a while, and then rejoined in a tender whisper:
"Tell me again just how.""Let's sit down, then. No, I like the cushions best." Hestretched himself in a long willow27 chair, and she curled up ona heap of boat-cushions and leaned her head against his knee.
Just above her, when she lifted her lids, she saw bits ofmoonflooded sky incrusted like silver in a sharp blackpatterning of plane-boughs. All about them breathed of peaceand beauty and stability, and her happiness was so acute that itwas almost a relief to remember the stormy background of billsand borrowing against which its frail28 structure had been reared.
"People with a balance can't be as happy as all this," Susymused, letting the moonlight filter through her lazy lashes30.
People with a balance had always been Susy Branch's bugbear;they were still, and more dangerously, to be Susy Lansing's.
She detested31 them, detested them doubly, as the natural enemiesof mankind and as the people one always had to put one's selfout for. The greater part of her life having been passed amongthem, she knew nearly all that there was to know about them, andjudged them with the contemptuous lucidity32 of nearly twentyyears of dependence33. But at the present moment her animositywas diminished not only by the softening34 effect of love but bythe fact that she had got out of those very people more--yes,ever so much more--than she and Nick, in their hours of mostreckless planning, had ever dared to hope for.
"After all, we owe them this!" she mused29.
Her husband, lost in the drowsy35 beatitude of the hour, had notrepeated his question; but she was still on the trail of thethought he had started. A year--yes, she was sure now thatwith a little management they could have a whole year of it!
"It" was their marriage, their being together, and away frombores and bothers, in a comradeship of which both of them hadlong ago guessed the immediate36 pleasure, but she at least hadnever imagined the deeper harmony.
It was at one of their earliest meetings--at one of theheterogeneous dinners that the Fred Gillows tried to think"literary"--that the young man who chanced to sit next to her,and of whom it was vaguely37 rumoured38 that he had "written," hadpresented himself to her imagination as the sort of luxury towhich Susy Branch, heiress, might conceivably have treatedherself as a crowning folly39. Susy Branch, pauper40, was fond ofpicturing how this fancied double would employ her millions: itwas one of her chief grievances41 against her rich friends thatthey disposed of theirs so unimaginatively.
"I'd rather have a husband like that than a steam-yacht!" shehad thought at the end of her talk with the young man who hadwritten, and as to whom it had at once been clear to her thatnothing his pen had produced, or might hereafter set down, wouldput him in a position to offer his wife anything more costlythan a row-boat.
"His wife! As if he could ever have one! For he's not the kindto marry for a yacht either." In spite of her past, Susy hadpreserved enough inner independence to detect the latent signsof it in others, and also to ascribe it impulsively42 to those ofthe opposite sex who happened to interest her. She had anatural contempt for people who gloried in what they need onlyhave endured. She herself meant eventually to marry, becauseone couldn't forever hang on to rich people; but she was goingto wait till she found some one who combined the maximum ofwealth with at least a minimum of companionableness.
She had at once perceived young Lansing's case to be exactly theopposite: he was as poor as he could be, and as companionableas it was possible to imagine. She therefore decided43 to see asmuch of him as her hurried and entangled44 life permitted; andthis, thanks to a series of adroit45 adjustments, turned out to bea good deal. They met frequently all the rest of that winter;so frequently that Mrs. Fred Gillow one day abruptly46 and sharplygave Susy to understand that she was "making herselfridiculous.""Ah--" said Susy with a long breath, looking her friend andpatroness straight in the painted eyes.
"Yes," cried Ursula Gillow in a sob47, "before you interfered48 Nickliked me awfully49 ... and, of course, I don't want to reproachyou ... but when I think ...."Susy made no answer. How could she, when she thought? Thedress she had on had been given her by Ursula; Ursula's motorhad carried her to the feast from which they were bothreturning. She counted on spending the following August withthe Gillows at Newport ... and the only alternative was to go toCalifornia with the Bockheimers, whom she had hitherto refusedeven to dine with.
"Of course, what you fancy is perfect nonsense, Ursula; and asto my interfering--" Susy hesitated, and then murmured: "But ifit will make you any happier I'll arrange to see him lessoften ...." She sounded the lowest depths of subservience50 inreturning Ursula's tearful kiss ....
Susy Branch had a masculine respect for her word; and the nextday she put on her most becoming hat and sought out young Mr.
Lansing in his lodgings51. She was determined52 to keep her promiseto Ursula; but she meant to look her best when she did it.
She knew at what time the young man was likely to be found, forhe was doing a dreary53 job on a popular encyclopaedia54 (V to X),and had told her what hours were dedicated55 to the hateful task.
"Oh, if only it were a novel!" she thought as she mounted hisdingy stairs; but immediately reflected that, if it were thekind that she could bear to read, it probably wouldn't bring himin much more than his encyclopaedia. Miss Branch had herstandards in literature ....
The apartment to which Mr. Lansing admitted her was a good dealcleaner, but hardly less dingy56, than his staircase. Susy,knowing him to be addicted57 to Oriental archaeology58, had picturedhim in a bare room adorned59 by a single Chinese bronze offlawless shape, or by some precious fragment of Asiatic pottery60.
But such redeeming61 features were conspicuously62 absent, and noattempt had been made to disguise the decent indigence63 of thebed-sitting-room.
Lansing welcomed his visitor with every sign of pleasure, andwith apparent indifference64 as to what she thought of hisfurniture. He seemed to be conscious only of his luck in seeingher on a day when they had not expected to meet. This made Susyall the sorrier to execute her promise, and the gladder that shehad put on her prettiest hat; and for a moment or two she lookedat him in silence from under its conniving65 brim.
Warm as their mutual66 liking67 was, Lansing had never said a wordof love to her; but this was no deterrent68 to his visitor, whosehabit it was to speak her meaning clearly when there were noreasons, worldly or pecuniary69, for its concealment70. After amoment, therefore, she told him why she had come; it was anuisance, of course, but he would understand. Ursula Gillow wasjealous, and they would have to give up seeing each other.
The young man's burst of laughter was music to her; for, afterall, she had been rather afraid that being devoted71 to Ursulamight be as much in his day's work as doing the encyclopaedia.
"But I give you my word it's a raving-mad mistake! And I don'tbelieve she ever meant me, to begin with--" he protested; butSusy, her common-sense returning with her reassurance72, promptlycut short his denial.
"You can trust Ursula to make herself clear on such occasions.
And it doesn't make any difference what you think. All thatmatters is what she believes.""Oh, come! I've got a word to say about that too, haven't I?"Susy looked slowly and consideringly about the room. There wasnothing in it, absolutely nothing, to show that he had everpossessed a spare dollar--or accepted a present.
"Not as far as I'm concerned," she finally pronounced.
"How do you mean? If I'm as free as air--?""I'm not."He grew thoughtful. "Oh, then, of course--. It only seems alittle odd," he added drily, "that in that case, the protestshould have come from Mrs. Gillow.""Instead of coming from my millionaire bridegroom, Oh, I haven'tany; in that respect I'm as free as you.""Well, then--? Haven't we only got to stay free?"Susy drew her brows together anxiously. It was going to berather more difficult than she had supposed.
"I said I was as free in that respect. I'm not going tomarry--and I don't suppose you are?""God, no!" he ejaculated fervently73.
"But that doesn't always imply complete freedom ...."He stood just above her, leaning his elbow against the hideousblack marble arch that framed his fireless grate. As sheglanced up she saw his face harden, and the colour flew to hers.
"Was that what you came to tell me?" he asked.
"Oh, you don't understand--and I don't see why you don't, sincewe've knocked about so long among exactly the same kind ofpeople." She stood up impulsively and laid her hand on his arm.
"I do wish you'd help me--!"He remained motionless, letting the hand lie untouched.
"Help you to tell me that poor Ursula was a pretext74, but thatthere IS someone who--for one reason or another--really has aright to object to your seeing me too often?"Susy laughed impatiently. "You talk like the hero of a novel--the kind my governess used to read. In the first place I shouldnever recognize that kind of right, as you call it--never!""Then what kind do you?" he asked with a clearing brow.
"Why--the kind I suppose you recognize on the part of yourpublisher." This evoked75 a hollow laugh from him. "A businessclaim, call it," she pursued. "Ursula does a lot for me: Ilive on her for half the year. This dress I've got on now isone she gave me. Her motor is going to take me to a dinnerto-night. I'm going to spend next summer with her atNewport .... If I don't, I've got to go to California with theBockheimers-so good-bye."Suddenly in tears, she was out of the door and down his steepthree flights before he could stop her--though, in thinking itover, she didn't even remember if he had tried to. She onlyrecalled having stood a long time on the corner of Fifth Avenue,in the harsh winter radiance, waiting till a break in thetorrent of motors laden76 with fashionable women should let hercross, and saying to herself: "After all, I might have promisedUrsula ... and kept on seeing him ...."Instead of which, when Lansing wrote the next day entreating77 aword with her, she had sent back a friendly but firm refusal;and had managed soon afterward78 to get taken to Canada for afortnight's ski-ing, and then to Florida for six weeks in ahouse-boat ....
As she reached this point in her retrospect79 the remembrance ofFlorida called up a vision of moonlit waters, magnolia fragranceand balmy airs; merging80 with the circumambient sweetness, itlaid a drowsy spell upon her lids. Yes, there had been a badmoment: but it was over; and she was here, safe and blissful,and with Nick; and this was his knee her head rested on, andthey had a year ahead of them ... a whole year .... "Notcounting the pearls," she murmured, shutting her eyes ....
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raptures
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| 极度欢喜( rapture的名词复数 ) | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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orb
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| n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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marvelling
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的现在分词 ) | |
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exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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slurring
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| 含糊地说出( slur的现在分词 )； 含糊地发…的声； 侮辱； 连唱 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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enveloping
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的现在分词 ) | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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belittling
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| 使显得微小，轻视，贬低( belittle的现在分词 ) | |
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ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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idiotic
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| adj.白痴的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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gardenias
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| n.栀子属植物，栀子花( gardenia的名词复数 ) | |
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snared
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| v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ripples
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| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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thicket
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scents
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| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
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moth
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| n.蛾，蛀虫 | |
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petal
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trickle
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insistent
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| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
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enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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willow
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| n.柳树 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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mused
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lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lucidity
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| n.明朗，清晰，透明 | |
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dependence
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| n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属 | |
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softening
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| 变软，软化 | |
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drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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rumoured
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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pauper
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| n.贫民，被救济者，穷人 | |
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grievances
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| n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚 | |
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impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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adroit
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| adj.熟练的，灵巧的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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subservience
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| n.有利，有益；从属（地位），附属性；屈从，恭顺；媚态 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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encyclopaedia
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| n.百科全书 | |
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dedicated
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| adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的 | |
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dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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addicted
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archaeology
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| n.考古学 | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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pottery
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| n.陶器，陶器场 | |
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redeeming
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| 补偿的，弥补的 | |
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conspicuously
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| ad.明显地，惹人注目地 | |
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indigence
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| n.贫穷 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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conniving
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| v.密谋 ( connive的现在分词 )；搞阴谋；默许；纵容 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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deterrent
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| n.阻碍物，制止物；adj.威慑的，遏制的 | |
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69
pecuniary
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| adj.金钱的；金钱上的 | |
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70
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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71
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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72
reassurance
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| n.使放心，使消除疑虑 | |
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73
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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74
pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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75
evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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76
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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77
entreating
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的现在分词 ) | |
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78
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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79
retrospect
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| n.回顾，追溯；v.回顾，回想，追溯 | |
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80
merging
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| 合并（分类） | |
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