Эпоха невинности

           Heenjoyedthemthere,andwasboredwiththemattheBlenkers’,wheretheyweremingledwithfervidanddowdywomenwhopassedthemaboutlikecapturedcuriosities;andevenafterhismostexcitingtalkswithNedWinsetthealwayscameawaywiththefeelingthatifhisworldwassmall,sowastheirs,andthattheonlywaytoenlargeeitherwastoreachastageofmannerswheretheywouldnaturallymerge.HewasremindedofthisbytryingtopicturethesocietyinwhichtheCountessOlenskahadlivedandsuffered,andalso—perhaps—tastedmysteriousjoys.HerememberedwithwhatamusementshehadtoldhimthathergrandmotherMingottandtheWellandsobjectedtoherlivingina"Bohemian"quartergivenoverto"peoplewhowrote."Itwasnottheperilbutthepovertythatherfamilydisliked;butthatshadeescapedher,andshesupposedtheyconsideredliteraturecompromising.Sheherselfhadnofearsofit,andthebooksscatteredaboutherdrawing-room(apartofthehouseinwhichbookswereusuallysupposedtobe"outofplace"),thoughchieflyworksoffiction,hadwhettedArcher’sinterestwithsuchnewnamesasthoseofPaulBourget,Huysmans,andtheGoncourtbrothers.Ruminatingonthesethingsasheapproachedherdoor,hewasoncemoreconsciousofthecuriouswayinwhichshereversedhisvalues,andoftheneedofthinkinghimselfintoconditionsincrediblydifferentfromanythatheknewifheweretobeofuseinherpresentdifficulty.Nastasiaopenedthedoor,smilingmysteriously.Onthebenchinthehalllayasable-linedovercoat,afoldedoperahatofdullsilkwithagoldJ.B.