Эпоха невинности

           Hewasevenashamedoftheeasewithwhichthewholethinghadbeendone:itremindedhim,foranuncomfortablemoment,ofLawrenceLefferts’smasterlycontrivancesforsecuringhisfreedom.Butthisdidnotlongtroublehim,forhewasnotinananalyticmood.AfterbreakfasthesmokedacigaretteandglancedovertheCommercialAdvertiser.Whilehewasthusengagedtwoorthreemenheknewcamein,andtheusualgreetingswereexchanged:itwasthesameworldafterall,thoughhehadsuchaqueersenseofhavingslippedthroughthemeshesoftimeandspace.Helookedathiswatch,andfindingthatitwashalf-pastninegotupandwentintothewriting-room.Therehewroteafewlines,andorderedamessengertotakeacabtotheParkerHouseandwaitfortheanswer.HethensatdownbehindanothernewspaperandtriedtocalculatehowlongitwouldtakeacabtogettotheParkerHouse."Theladywasout,sir,"hesuddenlyheardawaiter’svoiceathiselbow;andhestammered:"Out?—"asifitwereawordinastrangelanguage.Hegotupandwentintothehall.Itmustbeamistake:shecouldnotbeoutatthathour.Heflushedwithangerathisownstupidity:whyhadhenotsentthenoteassoonashearrived?Hefoundhishatandstickandwentforthintothestreet.Thecityhadsuddenlybecomeasstrangeandvastandemptyasifhewereatravellerfromdistantlands.Foramomenthestoodonthedoor-stephesitating;thenhedecidedtogototheParkerHouse.