Эпоха невинности

           ""Onpurpose?""Iknewyouwerethere;whenyoudroveinIrecognisedtheponies.SoIwentdowntothebeach.""Togetawayfrommeasfarasyoucould?"Sherepeatedinalowvoice:"TogetawayfromyouasfarasIcould."Helaughedoutagain,thistimeinboyishsatisfaction."Well,youseeit’snouse.Imayaswelltellyou,"headded,"thatthebusinessIcamehereforwasjusttofindyou.But,lookhere,wemuststartorweshallmissourboat.""Ourboat?"Shefrownedperplexedly,andthensmiled."Oh,butImustgobacktothehotelfirst:Imustleaveanote—""Asmanynotesasyouplease.Youcanwritehere."Hedrewoutanote-caseandoneofthenewstylographicpens."I’veevengotanenvelope—youseehoweverything’spredestined!There—steadythethingonyourknee,andI’llgetthepengoinginasecond.Theyhavetobehumoured;wait—"Hebangedthehandthatheldthepenagainstthebackofthebench."It’slikejerkingdownthemercuryinathermometer:justatrick.Nowtry—"Shelaughed,andbendingoverthesheetofpaperwhichhehadlaidonhisnote-case,begantowrite.Archerwalkedawayafewsteps,staringwithradiantunseeingeyesatthepassersby,who,intheirturn,pausedtostareattheunwontedsightofafashionably-dressedladywritinganoteonherkneeonabenchintheCommon.MadameOlenskaslippedthesheetintotheenvelope,wroteanameonit,andputitintoherpocket.Thenshetoostoodup.