Эпоха невинности

           Wellandhadbeenasmuchsurprisedastheirdaughterbytheyoungman’ssuddenarrival;butithadoccurredtohimtoexplainthathehadfelthimselfonthevergeofanastycold,andthisseemedtoMr.Wellandanall-sufficientreasonforabandoninganyduty."Youcan’tbetoocareful,especiallytowardspring,"hesaid,heapinghisplatewithstraw-colouredgriddle-cakesanddrowningthemingoldensyrup."IfI’donlybeenasprudentatyourageMaywouldhavebeendancingattheAssembliesnow,insteadofspendingherwintersinawildernesswithanoldinvalid.""Oh,butIloveithere,Papa;youknowIdo.IfonlyNewlandcouldstayIshouldlikeitathousandtimesbetterthanNewYork.""Newlandmuststaytillhehasquitethrownoffhiscold,"saidMrs.Wellandindulgently;andtheyoungmanlaughed,andsaidhesupposedtherewassuchathingasone’sprofession.Hemanaged,however,afteranexchangeoftelegramswiththefirm,tomakehiscoldlastaweek;anditshedanironiclightonthesituationtoknowthatMr.Letterblair’sindulgencewaspartlyduetothesatisfactorywayinwhichhisbrilliantyoungjuniorpartnerhadsettledthetroublesomematteroftheOlenskidivorce.Mr.LetterblairhadletMrs.WellandknowthatMr.Archerhad"renderedaninvaluableservice"tothewholefamily,andthatoldMrs.MansonMingotthadbeenparticularlypleased;andonedaywhenMayhadgoneforadrivewithherfatherintheonlyvehicletheplaceproducedMrs.Wellandtookoccasiontotouchonatopicwhichshealwaysavoidedinherdaughter’spresence.