“I was looking at the moon. My eyes were closed because I was trying to see if I could tell whether the moon was out even if my eyes were closed. Parties make me feel a little insane. Listen, here’s what we’ll do. We’ll call Mr. Holmes. Mr. Holmes, a dreadful accident has occurred. Mr. Holmes, I regret to inform you that your daughter has lost her pants. She’s hiding in the cellar, Mr. Holmes. Mr. Holmes, I know we can trust you to be discreet.”

“Well, could you?” said Roger.

“What are you talking about?”

“The moon. You said you were trying to tell if the moon—welcome, stranger.”

“Ride down with me, Cath?” It was Peter Schiller, holding a sled.

“Sure. But let me steer, all right? Listen, do you know what Bev said? She said Sonia ought to wear a sign around her chest: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair.”

“Ozymandias,” said Peter.

Catherine looked away in sharp irritation.

“She came in a skirt and stockings,” he said.

“We know.”

“But you don’t know what she said. When she came into the room Helen said to her, ‘Are you going sledding like that?’ She gave Helen one of her Sonia looks and said, ‘I didn’t think you had to go.’ That was how she said it: ‘I didn’t think you had to go.’” Peter laughed. “Well, come on. Have you done it with two before?”

“Not exactly.”

He put down the sled. “Well, it’s a little tricky.” He bent over the sled, pushed it lightly to the start of the path, and lay down. He looked over his shoulder. “Just think of me as a sled. Try not to get off center. I can’t steer much with my hands on the inside, but I can help a little. It’s better to get a running start, but we’ll ask Brad to push us off this time. O.K.?”

“I’ll just think of you as a sled, Peter.” As she said it, laughing, Catherine was startled at the cruel and mocking sound of her words, but no one seemed to notice. Peter lay on the sled in his heavy coat and tucked-in scarf. She lay down on top of him, shifted about, and grasped the outside of the steering bar. She felt awfully high up. Her boots kept sliding off his legs. “Put your feet on the sled, Cath, it’s safer. O.K., Brad. Give us a push. Easy.” Brad bent over them and eased them forward along the flat start of the path. He gave a light push and released them.