Эпоха невинности

           HehadheardtheCountessOlenska’snamepronouncedoftenenoughduringtheyearandahalfsincetheyhadlastmet,andwasevenfamiliarwiththemainincidentsofherlifeintheinterval.HeknewthatshehadspenttheprevioussummeratNewport,wheresheappearedtohavegoneagreatdealintosociety,butthatintheautumnshehadsuddenlysub-letthe"perfecthouse"whichBeauforthadbeenatsuchpainstofindforher,anddecidedtoestablishherselfinWashington.There,duringthewinter,hehadheardofher(asonealwaysheardofprettywomeninWashington)asshininginthe"brilliantdiplomaticsociety"thatwassupposedtomakeupforthesocialshort-comingsoftheAdministration.Hehadlistenedtotheseaccounts,andtovariouscontradictoryreportsonherappearance,herconversation,herpointofviewandherchoiceoffriends,withthedetachmentwithwhichonelistenstoreminiscencesofsomeonelongsincedead;nottillMedorasuddenlyspokehernameatthearcherymatchhadEllenOlenskabecomealivingpresencetohimagain.TheMarchioness’sfoolishlisphadcalledupavisionofthelittlefire-litdrawing-roomandthesoundofthecarriage-wheelsreturningdownthedesertedstreet.Hethoughtofastoryhehadread,ofsomepeasantchildreninTuscanylightingabunchofstrawinawaysidecavern,andrevealingoldsilentimagesintheirpaintedtomb...Thewaytotheshoredescendedfromthebankonwhichthehousewasperchedtoawalkabovethewaterplantedwithweepingwillows.