Эпоха невинности

           "Whyshouldwedreamawayanotheryear?Lookatme,dear!Don’tyouunderstandhowIwantyouformywife?"Foramomentsheremainedmotionless;thensheraisedonhimeyesofsuchdespairingdearnessthathehalf-releasedherwaistfromhishold.Butsuddenlyherlookchangedanddeepenedinscrutably."I’mnotsureifIDOunderstand,"shesaid."Isit—isitbecauseyou’renotcertainofcontinuingtocareforme?"Archersprangupfromhisseat."MyGod—perhaps—Idon’tknow,"hebrokeoutangrily.MayWellandrosealso;astheyfacedeachothersheseemedtogrowinwomanlystatureanddignity.Bothweresilentforamoment,asifdismayedbytheunforeseentrendoftheirwords:thenshesaidinalowvoice:"Ifthatisit—istheresomeoneelse?""Someoneelse—betweenyouandme?"Heechoedherwordsslowly,asthoughtheywereonlyhalf-intelligibleandhewantedtimetorepeatthequestiontohimself.Sheseemedtocatchtheuncertaintyofhisvoice,forshewentoninadeepeningtone:"Letustalkfrankly,Newland.SometimesI’vefeltadifferenceinyou;especiallysinceourengagementhasbeenannounced.""Dear—whatmadness!"herecoveredhimselftoexclaim.Shemethisprotestwithafaintsmile."Ifitis,itwon’thurtustotalkaboutit."Shepaused,andadded,liftingherheadwithoneofhernoblemovements:"Orevenifit’strue:whyshouldn’twespeakofit?Youmightsoeasilyhavemadeamistake."Heloweredhishead,staringattheblackleaf-patternonthesunnypathattheirfeet.