Эпоха невинности

           TheCarfrynephew,itturnedout,hadbeenthreatenedwithconsumption,andhadhadtoleaveHarrowforSwitzerland,wherehehadspenttwoyearsinthemilderairofLakeLeman.Beingabookishyouth,hehadbeenentrustedtoM.Riviere,whohadbroughthimbacktoEngland,andwastoremainwithhimtillhewentuptoOxfordthefollowingspring;andM.Riviereaddedwithsimplicitythatheshouldthenhavetolookoutforanotherjob.Itseemedimpossible,Archerthought,thatheshouldbelongwithoutone,sovariedwerehisinterestsandsomanyhisgifts.Hewasamanofaboutthirty,withathinuglyface(Maywouldcertainlyhavecalledhimcommon-looking)towhichtheplayofhisideasgaveanintenseexpressiveness;buttherewasnothingfrivolousorcheapinhisanimation.Hisfather,whohaddiedyoung,hadfilledasmalldiplomaticpost,andithadbeenintendedthatthesonshouldfollowthesamecareer;butaninsatiabletasteforlettershadthrowntheyoungmanintojournalism,thenintoauthorship(apparentlyunsuccessful),andatlength—afterotherexperimentsandvicissitudeswhichhesparedhislistener—intotutoringEnglishyouthsinSwitzerland.Beforethat,however,hehadlivedmuchinParis,frequentedtheGoncourtgrenier,beenadvisedbyMaupassantnottoattempttowrite(eventhatseemedtoArcheradazzlinghonour!),andhadoftentalkedwithMerimeeinhismother’shouse.Hehadobviouslyalwaysbeendesperatelypoorandanxious(havingamotherandanunmarriedsistertoprovidefor),anditwasapparentthathisliteraryambitionshadfailed.