Page:Glimpses of the Moon (Wharton 1922).djvu/236

226 Streff; and he wanted to show her, ever so casually and adroitly, that the man who had asked her to marry him was no longer Strefford, but Lord Altringham.

At the very threshold, his Ambassador's greeting marked the difference: it was followed, wherever they turned, by ejaculations of welcome from the rulers of the world they moved in. Everybody rich enough or titled enough, or clever enough or stupid enough, to have forced a way into the social citadel, was there, waving and flag-flying from the battlements; and to all of them Lord Altringham had become a marked figure. During their slow progress through the dense mass of important people who made the approach to the pictures so well worth fighting for, he never left Susy's side, or failed to make her feel herself a part of his triumphal advance. She heard her name mentioned: "Lansing—a Mrs. Lansing—an American Susy Lansing? Yes, of course.  You remember her? At Newport, At St. Moritz?  Exactly.  Divorced already? They say so  Susy darling! I'd no idea you were here  and Lord Altringham!  You've forgotten me, I know, Lord Altringham.  Yes, last year, in Cairo  or at Newport  or in Scotland Susy, dearest, when will you bring Lord Altringham to dine? Any night that you and he are free I'll arrange to be. "

"You and he": they were "you and he" already!