Perfect infinitives

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To have crossed that by starlight would have been to risk a sprained ankle, so he turned aside....
M. M. Kaye, The Far Pavillions

Why did she use a perfect intinitive here, and can 'to cross' be used instead?

I think that 'to cross' would be incorrect here because, since this is a past unreal condition, expressed in the main clause, a perfect infinitive is required.
 
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