Эпоха невинности

           Letterblair’soffice,andthefamilypewinGraceChurch,hishourintheparkofSkuytercliffbecameasfaroutsidethepaleofprobabilityasthevisionsofthenight."Mercy,howpaleyoulook,Newland!"Janeycommentedoverthecoffee-cupsatbreakfast;andhismotheradded:"Newland,dear,I’venoticedlatelythatyou’vebeencoughing;Idohopeyou’renotlettingyourselfbeoverworked?"Foritwastheconvictionofbothladiesthat,undertheirondespotismofhisseniorpartners,theyoungman’slifewasspentinthemostexhaustingprofessionallabours—andhehadneverthoughtitnecessarytoundeceivethem.Thenexttwoorthreedaysdraggedbyheavily.Thetasteoftheusualwaslikecindersinhismouth,andthereweremomentswhenhefeltasifhewerebeingburiedaliveunderhisfuture.HeheardnothingoftheCountessOlenska,oroftheperfectlittlehouse,andthoughhemetBeaufortattheclubtheymerelynoddedateachotheracrossthewhist-tables.Itwasnottillthefourtheveningthathefoundanoteawaitinghimonhisreturnhome."Comelatetomorrow:Imustexplaintoyou.Ellen."Theseweretheonlywordsitcontained.Theyoungman,whowasdiningout,thrustthenoteintohispocket,smilingalittleattheFrenchnessofthe"toyou."Afterdinnerhewenttoaplay;anditwasnotuntilhisreturnhome,aftermidnight,thathedrewMadameOlenska’smissiveoutagainandre-readitslowlyanumberoftimes.Therewereseveralwaysofansweringit,andhegaveconsiderablethoughttoeachoneduringthewatchesofanagitatednight