Эпоха невинности

           "Whythedevil,"Archerexplosivelycontinued,"shouldyouhavethought—sinceIsupposeyou’reappealingtomeonthegroundofmyrelationshiptoMadameOlenska—thatIshouldtakeaviewcontrarytotherestofherfamily?"ThechangeofexpressioninM.Riviere’sfacewasforatimehisonlyanswer.Hislookpassedfromtimiditytoabsolutedistress:forayoungmanofhisusuallyresourcefulmienitwouldhavebeendifficulttoappearmoredisarmedanddefenceless."Oh,Monsieur—""Ican’timagine,"Archercontinued,"whyyoushouldhavecometomewhenthereareotherssomuchnearertotheCountess;stilllesswhyyouthoughtIshouldbemoreaccessibletotheargumentsIsupposeyouweresentoverwith."M.Rivieretookthisonslaughtwithadisconcertinghumility."TheargumentsIwanttopresenttoyou,Monsieur,aremyownandnotthoseIwassentoverwith.""ThenIseestilllessreasonforlisteningtothem."M.Riviereagainlookedintohishat,asifconsideringwhethertheselastwordswerenotasufficientlybroadhinttoputitonandbegone.Thenhespokewithsuddendecision."Monsieur—willyoutellmeonething?Isitmyrighttobeherethatyouquestion?Ordoyouperhapsbelievethewholemattertobealreadyclosed?"HisquietinsistencemadeArcherfeeltheclumsinessofhisownbluster.M.Rivierehadsucceededinimposinghimself:Archer,reddeningslightly,droppedintohischairagain,andsignedtotheyoungmantobeseated."Ibegyourpardon:butwhyisn’tthematterclosed?"M.Rivieregazedbackathimwithanguish.