Эпоха невинности

           "Itwassomecomfort(tothosewhosesecuritieswerenotinjeopardy)tobeabletoremindthemselvesthatBeaufortWAS;but,afterall,ifaDallasofSouthCarolinatookhisviewofthecase,andgliblytalkedofhissoonbeing"onhisfeetagain,"theargumentlostitsedge,andtherewasnothingtodobuttoacceptthisawfulevidenceoftheindissolubilityofmarriage.SocietymustmanagetogetonwithouttheBeauforts,andtherewasanendofit—exceptindeedforsuchhaplessvictimsofthedisasterasMedoraManson,thepooroldMissLannings,andcertainothermisguidedladiesofgoodfamilywho,ifonlytheyhadlistenedtoMr.HenryvanderLuyden..."ThebestthingtheBeaufortscando,"saidMrs.Archer,summingitupasifshewerepronouncingadiagnosisandprescribingacourseoftreatment,"istogoandliveatRegina’slittleplaceinNorthCarolina.Beauforthasalwayskeptaracingstable,andhehadbetterbreedtrottinghorses.Ishouldsayhehadallthequalitiesofasuccessfulhorsedealer."Everyoneagreedwithher,butnoonecondescendedtoenquirewhattheBeaufortsreallymeanttodo.ThenextdayMrs.MansonMingottwasmuchbetter:sherecoveredhervoicesufficientlytogiveordersthatnooneshouldmentiontheBeaufortstoheragain,andasked—whenDr.Bencombappeared—whatintheworldherfamilymeantbymakingsuchafussaboutherhealth."IfpeopleofmyageWILLeatchicken-saladintheeveningwhataretheytoexpect?"sheenquired;and,thedoctorhavingopportunelymodifiedherdietary,thestrokewastransformedintoanattackofindigestion.