and had often ministered to its qualms in others
All these pre-natal experiences now seemed utterly inapplicableto the new man he had become. He could not imagine being boredby Susy–or trying to escape from her if he were. He could notthink of her as an enemy, or even as an accomplice, sinceaccomplices are potential enemies: she was some one with whom,by some unheard-of miracle, joys above the joys of friendshipwere to be tasted, but who, even through these fleetingecstasies, remained simply and securely his friend.
These new feelings did not affect his general attitude towardlife: they merely confirmed his faith in its ultimate"jolliness." Never had he more thoroughly enjoyed the things hehad always enjoyed. A good dinner had never been as good tohim, a beautiful sunset as beautiful; he still rejoiced in thefact that he appreciated both with an equal acuity. He was asproud as ever of Susy’s cleverness and freedom from prejudice:
she couldn’t be too "modern" for him now that she was his. Heshared to the full her passionate enjoyment of the present, andall her feverish eagerness to make it last. He knew when shewas thinking of ways of extending their golden opportunity, andhe secretly thought with her, wondering what new means theycould devise. He was thankful that Ellie Vanderlyn was stillabsent, and began to hope they might have the palace tothemselves for the remainder of the summer. If they did, hewould have time to finish his book, and Susy to lay up a littleinterest on their wedding cheques; and thus their enchanted yearmight conceivably be prolonged to two.
Late as the season was, their presence and Strefford’s in Venicehad already drawn thither several wandering members of theirset. It was characteristic of these indifferent butagglutinative people that they could never remain long partedfrom each other without a dim sense of uneasiness. Lansing wasfamiliar with the feeling. He had known slight twinges of ithimself, and had often ministered to its qualms in others. Itwas hardly stronger than the faint gnawing which recalls thetea-hour to one who has lunched well and is sure of dining asabundantly; but it gave a purpose to the purposeless, and helpedmany hesitating spirits over the annual difficulty of decidingbetween Deauville and St. Moritz, Biarritz and Capri.
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