Эпоха невинности

           Asforthecauseofthecommotion,shesatgracefullyinhercornerofthebox,hereyesfixedonthestage,andrevealing,assheleanedforward,alittlemoreshoulderandbosomthanNewYorkwasaccustomedtoseeing,atleastinladieswhohadreasonsforwishingtopassunnoticed.FewthingsseemedtoNewlandArchermoreawfulthananoffenceagainst"Taste,"thatfar-offdivinityofwhom"Form"wasthemerevisiblerepresentativeandvicegerent.MadameOlenska’spaleandseriousfaceappealedtohisfancyassuitedtotheoccasionandtoherunhappysituation;butthewayherdress(whichhadnotucker)slopedawayfromherthinshouldersshockedandtroubledhim.HehatedtothinkofMayWelland’sbeingexposedtotheinfluenceofayoungwomansocarelessofthedictatesofTaste."Afterall,"heheardoneoftheyoungermenbeginbehindhim(everybodytalkedthroughtheMephistopheles-and-Marthascenes),"afterall,justWHAThappened?""Well—shelefthim;nobodyattemptstodenythat.""He’sanawfulbrute,isn’the?"continuedtheyoungenquirer,acandidThorley,whowasevidentlypreparingtoenterthelistsasthelady’schampion."Theveryworst;IknewhimatNice,"saidLawrenceLeffertswithauthority."Ahalf-paralysedwhitesneeringfellow—ratherhandsomehead,buteyeswithalotoflashes.Well,I’lltellyouthesort:whenhewasn’twithwomenhewascollectingchina.Payinganypriceforboth,Iunderstand."Therewasagenerallaugh,andtheyoungchampionsaid:"Well,then——?""Well,then;sheboltedwithhissecretary.""Oh,Isee."Thechampion’sfacefell.